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President Biden warns of 'oligarchy' as he bids farewell to five decades in politics
(www.usatoday.com)
this post was submitted on 16 Jan 2025
247 points (95.9% liked)
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John Brown called it out at his trial pre-Civil War.
For those who are unaware, he was a white abolitionist who facilitated a slave rebellion in Harper's Ferry, WV. He was caught and ultimately executed for his "crimes", but at his trial he basically said if he had done the same thing for the rich and powerful, he'd have been lauded as a hero, but since he did it for the poor and enslaved, he was branded a criminal.
Relevant Excerpt: "I have another objection, and that is, that it is unjust that I should suffer such a penalty. Had I interfered in the manner, and which I admit has been fairly proved, – for I admire the truthfulness and candor of the greater portion of the witnesses who have testified in this case, – had I so interfered in behalf of the Rich, the Powerful, the Intelligent, the so–called Great, or in behalf of any of their friends, either father, mother, brother, sister, wife, or children, or any of that class, and suffered and sacrificed what I have in this interference, it would have been all right. Every man in this Court would have deemed it an act worthy a reward, rather than a punishment."
Full Text: https://www.gilderlehrman.org/sites/default/files/inline-pdfs/t-05508-051.pdf
I highly recommend people read his full speech if they haven't. Pretty powerful stuff from a man who wanted the right thing done but wasn't going to wait around for others to do it for him.
But yeah, America has been owned by the rich and powerful since forever.
The original Luigi.