David Walker's Appeal

I thought our discussion of the David Walker piece was quite interesting because he introduced all the inconsistencies between the ideologies that most slave owners had as opposed to their actual practice of slavery. Walker uses multiple biblical stories to explain his plight that slaves in contemporary times are ethically treated more harshly because of the dehumanization they experience. An example of this is evident when Walker references a newspaper, which compares the Turks and their treatment of Greeks, calling them brutes, where the article stipulates it should be the other way around. Adjacent to that article, Walker looks at an article advertising a reward for escaped slaves. Along with Walker, I find it totally hypocritical to talk of barbarity in the form of races abroad and not consider the barbarity that slaves face in the United States. He is justified in his response to this newspaper and I agree that it is somewhat humorous and insincere.

I am also confused, I don't understand why Walker would base this appeal off of the U.S constitution. Why would he construct his appeal in the same manner if it resembles the writings of politicians who crafted the way the country was shaped with slavery during this time period? He constantly attacks Thomas Jefferson and he was at the forefront of American politics while the U.S. was being constructed, I guess I don't quite understand why he would follow their form of writing, while he seems to detest these men for their crafting of a document that allows slavery. The only reason that comes to mind is Walker's desire to show that he is just as well educated and depict that he can craft a similar document in response for others to read...