Both sides of my family immigrated to the US in the 1880's.
Doubt they did much pioneering. Didn't own any slaves either.
My dads side started a bakery in Central PA and my moms side worked the docks in NYC.
That's interesting BT....but in my opinion....we (whites) still reaped indirect rewards
from slavery and Indian genocide whether we or our relatives were a part of the
actual crimes or not. In fact although I do not think it is the best strategy, that's
basically what affirmative action is about....allowing "catch up" due to past crimes.
Although most Whites in the United States never owned a slave there is still
a "collective guilt" over slavery whether one agrees with it or not.
And in my opinion whites whether they owned slaves or not still did in fact benefit
indirectly in so many ways due to slavery and the Indian genocide.
Whites had access to better jobs, better healthcare, better nutrition, better education,
better housing for centuries at other's expense....and thus white's prospered
and that is in my mind an undeniable factor in who and where we are today.
Whites didn't have it "easy", but they generally had it "easier" than Blacks/Indians.
I am not saying that is the only reason white's prospered but it is one piece of a puzzle.
You can't deny people (Blacks/Indians) healthcare, property, education, housing,
jobs, voting for centuries and then expect pooof the damage to be gone and claim
"well I never owned a slave...so I just cant understand why they continue to lag behind
and it's not my problem".
When you're family immigrated in the 1880's they started a bakery in PA....that for all
practical purposes was not an option for Blacks....they also had access to land that
people had been "run off of"......so indirectly even-though I am sure your family
worked very hard and deserved what they got....they still got a "head start" solely
on the color of their skin/race/background....in other words...benefit at the expense of others.
Again....I am just saying....that our past....plays a real part in who we all are today.