It’s not surprising that there’s an official Web site devoted to Mount Vernon, the home of first U.S. president George Washington. What is a little weird, though, is the pages that detail how Washington kept his more than 300 slaves in line.
In addition to having overseers monitoring work on site, George Washington utilized a number of methods to try to control the labor and behavior of the Mount Vernon slaves. Since work as a house servant or skilled laborer was viewed as higher-ranking than field work, Washington could threaten to demote an artisan who would be punished by becoming a field worker.
Violent coercive measures were used as well, including whippings and beatings. In some instances, physical restraints were utilized to ensure that slaves would not run away. When Tom, the slave foreman at River Farm, was sold in the West Indies in 1766 as a punishment for being “both a Rogue & Runaway,” Washington wrote to the ship’s captain to “keep him handcuffd till you get to Sea.”1
Although one houseguest noted in his journal that George Washington prohibited the use of whips on his slaves, evidence in the historical record proves otherwise.2 In 1758, Washington—while serving in the French and Indian War—received a letter from his farm manager explaining that he had “whipt” the carpenters when he “could see a fault.”3 In 1793, farm manager Anthony Whiting reported that he had “gave…a very good Whiping” with a hickory switch to the seamstress Charlotte. The manager admitted that he was “determined to lower Spirit or skin her Back.”4 George Washington replied that he considered the treatment of Charlotte to be “very proper” and that “if She, or any other of the Servants will not do their duty by fair means, or are impertinent, correction (as the only alternative) must be administered.”5 Washington instituted a system of review in order to determine when he deemed physical abuse as a punishment.
Well, this certainly stirs my enthusiasm for visiting the home of my ancestors’ oppressor. I’m sure any tours I take during my visit will focus on the unimaginable human tragedy rather than the deification of one of the nation’s founding fathers.
Right?
serhasacomplaint 
Sure, they built that… but what do they have to show for it?
Rick Santorum, discussing the GOP presidential loss last year, made a good point while missing a much larger one.
The former Pennsylvania senator recalled all the business owners who spoke at the Republican National Convention.
“One after another, they talked about the business they had built. But not a single—not a single —factory worker went out there,” Santorum told a few hundred conservative activists at an “after-hours session” of the Faith & Freedom Coalition conference in Washington. “Not a single janitor, waitress or person who worked in that company! We didn’t care about them. You know what? They built that company too! And we should have had them on that stage.”
Well, that would have proved at least as entertaining as Dirty Harry talking to an empty chair: “Hi, I’m a factory worker. As soon as they figure out how a machine can do my job or hire people in another country to do it for slave wages, I’m out of here… with no severance.” Or: “I’m a janitor, who apparently makes so much Newt Gingrich suggests that they give my job to my kid… who’s still in school.” And, of course: “I’m a waitress. I stand on my feet 10 hours a day just to keep my head above water. I have no health insurance, and I make so little, my retirement plan involves falling over into a customer’s steak and eggs.”
And I think their respective companies all had them sign strongly worded documents insisting that whatever they built or might someday build belongs to the company alone.
“When all you do is talk to people who are owners, talk to folks who are Type A’s who want to succeed economically, we’re talking to a very small group of people,” he said. “No wonder they don’t think we care about them. No wonder they don’t think we understand them. Folks, if we’re going to win, you just need to think about who you talk to in your life.”
That’s nice, Rick, but none of your party’s policies makes any attempt to help them. Considering the GOP platform, here’s what would actually make sense:
“Hi, I’m a janitor. I barely make ends meet, but what are ya gonna do? What will really ruin things for my family is if gays could marry. Can you guys handle that?” Or: “I’m a factory worker whose plant is being shut down and its operations sent to China. However, that’s not the worst thing happening in America. Some women are getting abortions when their rapes weren’t legitimate!” And, of course: “I’m a waitress with this persistent cough that I should probably see a doctor about, but if I take time off, I won’t make rent. Anyway, I hear that illegal immigrants are going to take my cushy job!”
Maybe if they do enough of this in 2016, they’ll win.
Posted by Stephen Robinson on June 14, 2013 in Political Theatre, Social Commentary
Tags: Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum