Harriet Tubman and America’s Immigration Hypocrisy
*I loved the parallel made between Harriet Tubman and today’s immigrants. It takes the writer about six paragraphs to get to the point, but once she does, it’s a good one: “Tubman stood up for her rights and the rights of others. She sought a better life. She was a true American. It strikes me as particularly strange, then, that we currently condemn others for doing something similar.” VL
By Abigail R. Hall Blanco, Independent Institute
Last week it was announced that Harriet Tubman would replace Andrew Jackson on the twenty-dollar bill. The announcement was met with mixed reactions, though most seem to be positive. Placing a woman of color on American currency, an honor which thus far has been reserved for the Founding Fathers, is undoubtedly an event, one with deep symbolic significance if nothing else.
Tubman was born into slavery in Maryland. In 1849, her owner died and his widow began making arrangements to sell their slaves. It was at this juncture that Tubman decided to flee.
Tubman succeeded in her escape and became an integral part of the “Underground Railroad,” a network dedicated to helping slaves escape to the free north or Canada.
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So as we reflect upon the woman who will soon grace our currency, I hope that we’ll take a moment to reflect on what it is we are celebrating in Tubman’s legacy. If we truly want to celebrate freedom and fighting for what is right, we would do well to consider some of our current policies.
[Photo courtesy of 5fact.com]
