Kenneth Fontenot: What Advocates of Abortion and Slavery Have in Common

Early, during a crisp spring morning in 1863, the people of Boston, Massachusetts, stood erect with anticipation as they stared at the gates of Camp Meigs. Camp Meigs served as the base for the 54th Massachusetts, the Union Army’s newest unit. Slowly, the camp gate opened and people listened rapt with attention as the Unit’s First Sergeant gave the order, “Forward March!”

With the precision of a crack unit of disciplined and motivated soldiers, the 54th Massachusetts proceeded into the street to the loving gaze of grateful onlookers. To the uninformed, however, the 54th elicited more of a stare of awe and wonder, because unlike every other army unit for the past few decades, almost every man in the 54th, except for the officers, were black. The 54th Massachusetts was the first Union Army Unit to enlist freed slaves and freed blacks. This move, at a time such as the Civil War, caused a great stir throughout the continental U.S.

In Charleston, South Carolina, where the first shot of the Civil War was fired at Fort Sumter, a Confederate pundit mused about the idea of Negro soldiers. The Confederacy had thought about the idea on practical terms. However, upon philosophical ideas, the Confederacy decided not to pursue the course.

The Confederate Pundit supposed that “if the negro soldier proves to be as good or better than the white soldier, then our whole idea of slavery would have been wrong.”

What he was arguing is that the moral grounds of slavery as an institution were based on the idea that Negroes were not really human. They were subhuman at most, and they certainly were not human in the sense that Whites were human. Such logic began with evolutionary thought as proposed by Charles Darwin and continued on into the minds of men such as Stalin and Hitler. This same thought process was the basis for the final solution in Germany and continues on today in many public arenas.

In the case of Hitler and others such as Margaret Sanger (founder of Planned Parenthood), certain races were subhumans, such as Jews and Africans, and needed to be eliminated or subjugated at the very least.

Hitler, Sanger, and the Confederates at no point in time considered themselves immoral. They believed themselves to be moral and just. They would have certainly disagreed with us had they realized that we consider them monsters.

Unlike us, they did not believe that “All men were created equal.” They did not believe that God “created man in His image,” although they believed in “god.” Lastly, they did not believe that God was responsible for loving and caring for all of mankind. Hence, they did not believe that all “men” were subject to equal rights.

So how does this relate to the human rights of the unborn? Most abortionists like Hitler and Sanger do not consider themselves to be immoral or unjust. They do not believe that all men “are equal,” especially the unborn. They do not believe that we are “created in the image of God.” And they especially don’t believe that unborn human beings are subject to the same rights and protections as humans who’ve been born. In their eyes, they are a type of subhuman.

Most notably former President Barack Obama said on national TV that he did not think a “fetus” was a human being and did not have full constitutional protection. Funny enough, the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1800s said the same thing about slaves and almost kept African Americans in chains indefinitely.

What is most disturbing about this is that liberals today have the same thoughts about human rights as liberals 150 years ago. They kill the unborn on the same pretense that elitists used to enslave blacks. Truly, when we are ignorant of history we are bound to repeat it.

So what can you or I as concerned citizens and Christians do about this? I ask that you do three things. First, pray. Did you know that in the New Testament there are only three things that Jesus said if you do secretly God will reward openly? Those three things are fasting, giving, and prayer. Please fast and pray for our nation.

Second, you can preach the truth. First, this requires that you be informed (get started). But next it requires that you passionately share with others what you have learned.

Third, you can participate. Jesus said we are salt and light. If you stay out of the public sphere you condemn others to the same ignorance that has shaped the current generation influencing our nation. You need to get involved.

In conclusion, some of the same thoughts that condemned our ancestors to chains are condemning the unborn to death before they breathe. However, God is willing to raise up men and women like yourself to be the salt and light of the earth. But salt must touch others to be useful, and light must be projected in order to be effective. Begin now by praying, fasting, preaching, and participating.

Photo credit: Dave Bledsoe (Creative Commons) – Some rights reserved

Kenneth Fontenot is a member of the Cure Clergy Network and Senior Pastor of Bethel Baptist Church in Wilson, NC.

The views expressed in opinion articles are solely those of the author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Black Community News.

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