Recent Comments

1. about 12 hours ago on JumpStart

   That happens to me a lot at the grocery. I see students and parents but sometimes struggle to remember their names. Seeing them outside of a school context throws me off.

2. about 12 hours ago on For Better or For Worse

   And, this is obviously early morning. April has revived somewhat but that doesn’t mean she’s not sick.

3. 15 days ago on Back to B.C.

   The Case of the Disappearing and Reappearing Tree Boobs again

4. 24 days ago on Back to B.C.

   Why does the tree have boobs in the 2nd panel?

5. 28 days ago on Back to B.C.

   Well, in this case, I think “antennas” is also correct because he obviously got the message.

6. about 2 months ago on Peanuts

   The Constitution was sent to the states complete, without a passage abolishing slavery. States were sometimes slow to ratify the Constitution but the main issues were the lack of a Bill of Rights and concern about giving the federal government too much power over the states. That’s when the Federalist and the Anti-Federalist Papers tried to make their cases to the people. There was no need to eliminate a passage abolishing slavery before ratification because there was none in the original document sent to the states. The constitutional convention was convened not to free the slaves, but to amend the Articles of Confederation.

   It was the Declaration of Independence that almost ruined our chances for union. Jefferson had included a passage blaming King George III for imposing slavery and the slave trade on America. He was correct, but the Southern delegates threatened to walk out if that passage was not struck out. Jefferson and Adams wanted to keep it in. Wise old Ben Franklin predicted that posterity would deal with slavery; their focus had to be on becoming independent from Great Britain first. This, of course, was in 1776, before the Constitution. Since the vote for independence had to be unanimous, the offending passage (the 28th grievance against King George III) was struck out to appease Georgia and South Carolina.

7. about 2 months ago on Peanuts

   You are correct but, while slavery was debated at the Constitutional Convention, slavery (“involuntary servitude”) only made it into the Constitution as a series of compromises concerning representation and ending the slave trade. Southerners demanded that their slaves be counted for representation so that the South would have more representation in Congress. This despite the fact that slaves were widely considered property, like livestock. Those against slavery denounced this idea as hypocrisy. Hence, the counting of slaves as 3/5ths of a person as a compromise. It was a step in the right direction, since most slaveowners never really considered slaves as people. Still not equal but a step in the right direction to please the South and keep the Union together. The other compromise was that of ending the slave trade. Many wanted to end it immediately within the Constitution itself but, again - to please those adamant for keeping their slave privileges - a compromise was reached. 20 years were allowed via the Constitution before slave importation could be legally ended. This was accomplished as planned when President Thomas Jefferson signed the law effectively ending the slave trade nationally as of January 1808. (Many states outlawed it earlier. Some abolished slavery within their borders as well, although fugitive slave laws were still on the books. Most northern states had outlawed slavery within their borders by 1804.) While there were heated discussions about slavery, most delegates knew going in that the South would not agree to ending slavery so that was not high on their list of priorities.

   (Continued…)

8. about 2 months ago on Peanuts

   He was a good man. As others have pointed out, that doesn’t mean he was perfect. His views on slavery evolved over his lifetime. He was born into a time not of his choosing, where slavery was generally accepted as the norm, particularly in the South but to some extent in the North as well. From the time he was in his 40s, he began to regret the institution of slavery.

   Let’s not forget that the institution of slavery of Africans was brought to America by the colonial powers of Europe, with the collaboration of African tribal leaders who were eager to make money off of their African brothers and sisters. By the time Washington arrived on the scene, the slave trade was entrenched in colonial America. However, many Americans rallied for independence precisely for the abolition of slavery. As long as England was in charge of the slave trade, there was little hope of ending the practice. And after we won our independence, that’s what we did. The Constitution allowed for ending the slave trade in 1808. And as soon as that year approached, President Thomas Jefferson signed the law banning the slave trade. Many northern states had outlawed slavery itself within their own borders by 1804. In short, it was a process. One that virtually ended in a bloody and costly civil war. Some, like Jefferson and Madison, regretted slavery but never followed through on their belief by freeing their own slaves. Their beliefs changed for the better but they did little to end their own involvement. Washington, however, did free his slaves and provided resources for their care. Yes, it was after his death. But he freed the enslaved people he owned by way of his written will.

9. 2 months ago on Peanuts

   Look out for a coyote or an Acme product.

10. 2 months ago on Red and Rover

    Calvin’s mom, like Red’s mom, is nice. And a hottie. (For a cartoon…)