Loretta,

While there is nothing that I can disagree with about your response...legally, and actually, according to the laws of the country, our ancestors were "owned" like property by their enslavers. When I speak of these owners as enslavers, it does not take away, in my mind, any of the horror of what obtained at the time.

I think, when I say enslaver, that puts the total responsibility for all that happened to my ancestors on the person/persons whose "property" they were, according to the laws of the land. The enslavers of my ancestors were not their "masters"....they were the people who held my people against their will. And for me, I am speaking as I think most of the ancestors must have felt, "I have one master and he is not of this earth", and "My body may belong to you [the person who by law is enslaving me], but you will never own my soul, my mind, my spirit".

When I use the term enslaver, it is in no way intended to whitewash anything!! It is to place the blame for the horrors squarely on the shoulders of the responsible parties.

VNyormoi.