The United States and Confederaflag are both symbols of slavery...

While my opponent has suggested that I went off topic, a review of the debate will prove I was merely addressing his counterpoints. At any rate, I will readdress the primary issues regarding the US flag being a symbol of slavery and the flying of the Confederate flag being a distraction. First, it should be noted that the current flag that contains 50 stars is technically inaccurate, as Hawaii is not a legal or lawful state. However, unlike my opponent, I do not like arguing semantics because they stifle advancement and retard dialogue. Thus, I will focus on how the current U. S. flag continues to symbolize slavery. I will provide definitions for a few terms that are relevant to the discussion. slavery (n. ) 2. the subjection of a person to another person, esp in being forced into work 3. the condition of being subject to some influence or habit 4. work done in harsh conditions for low pay [1] slave (n. ) 1. a person legally owned by another and having no freedom of action or right to property 2. a person who is forced to work for another against his will 3. a person under the domination of another person or some habit or influence: a slave to television 4. a person who works in harsh conditions for low pay 5.1a device that is controlled by or that duplicates the action of another similar device (the master device)[2]13th Ammendment to the Constitution SECTION. 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction. SECTION. 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. [3] There are different forms of slavery or being a slave which include:Chattel slavery is the most common form of slavery known to Americans. This system, which allowed people — considered legal property — to be bought, sold and owned forever, was supported by the US and European powers in the 16th – 18th centuries. Forced Labor — Describes all types of coerced work that an individual must provide against his or her will. Contemporary forced laborers are treated as property to be exploited commercially, much in the same way African Americans were regarded during the antebellum period in American history. Bonded Labor or Debt Labor — Describes slavery in which an individual is compelled to work in order to repay a debt. It differs from other forms in that, oftentimes the laborer and the employer initially enter into a mutual agreement. However, contract conditions may be illegal and/or vastly more beneficial to the employer than the laborer. These workers become slaves when they continue working, but cannot pay off their initial debt because of exploitative contract terms and, thus, cannot leave. Child Slavery — Describes all child labor obtained from individuals under the age of 18 through the means of force, deception or coercion. Children can be enslaved in debt bondage, forced labor, prostitution, armies, domestic work and other forms of hazardous work. Today, forced child labor exists in nearly every industry around the globe. Domestic Servitude — Describes slaves that are forced to work in extremely hidden workplaces: private homes. Domestic workers become slaves when their employer uses force, fraud or coercion to control or convince an employee that they have no choice but to continue working. Isolating environments, unfamiliar languages, confiscated travel documents and restricted mobility are often connected to this form of slavery. [4] My opponent acknowledges that racism still exists in the U. S. , however, refuses to acknowledge the connection between its existence to the chattel slavery upon which the country was founded. While the flag has changed, the reality of the history still remains. That being said, the U. S. flag continues to symbolize slavery in the modern era. As the 13th ammendment protects individuals against slavery unless they have been punished for a crime and 'duly' convicted, the rise of the prison industrial complex should come as no surprise to anyone. This prison industrial complex houses a disproportionate number of melaninated peoples. Many of those imprisoned have been convicted of victimless crimes or for 'violating' minor infractions and statutes. Thus, the 13th ammendment did not abolish slavery as much as it made it conditional or provisional. As previously mentioned, ""The most effective weapon Anglo-Saxon elites have used to preserve power in American society has been the rule of law. .. there has been a great deal of racial legislation in the history of the U. S. ." [5] In fact the prison industrial complex and the disproportionate numbers of melaninated people it houses can be linked directly to slavery. Forced Labor". .. Prison labor has its roots in slavery. .a system of 'hiring out prisoners' was introduced in order to continue the slavery tradition. Freed slaves were charged with not carrying out their sharecropping commitments. .or petty thievery " which were almost never proven " and were then hired out" for cotton picking. .in the state of Georgia, 88% of hired-out convicts were Black. In Alabama, 93% of hired-out miners were Black. .a huge prison farm similar to the old slave plantations replaced the system of hiring out convicts. The notorious Parchman plantation existed until 1972. .. Jim Crow racial segregation laws were imposed on every state, with legal segregation in schools. .and many other aspects of daily life. Today, a new set of markedly racist laws is imposing slave labor and sweatshops on the criminal justice system, now known as the prison industry complex. .. .. a prison population of up to 2 million "mostly Black and Hispanic" are working. .for a pittance. For the tycoons who have invested. .it has been like finding a pot of gold. . [no] strikes. . unemployment insurance, vacations or comp time. .workers are full-time, and never. .late or are absent because of family problems. .if they dont like the pay of 25 cents an hour and refuse to work, they are locked up in isolation cells. .. . 'no other society in human history has imprisoned so many of its own citizens. '. .. the United States has locked up more people than any other country: a half million more than China, which has a population five times greater than the U. S. .. the US holds 25% of the world's prison population, but only 5% of the world's people. ." [6]Though payment is not required for work to be considered slave labor, often these prisoners are not paid at all. [7]Debt SlaveryYou are a debt slave. Don’t believe it? 43% of all American families spend more than they earn each year. .. The funny thing is that all this debt is completely contrived, manufactured, false. It is a way to keep you in check, and working for the plutocracy, instead of enjoying the sovereignty of your own life and health. You run on a treadmill, ever faster, to pay off this ‘debt’ but it will never disappear as long as the current regime is allowed to continue their deceitful devices. - By participating in a system that arbitrarily determines wealth based on how many pieces of paper one has, the paper, which, in and of itself has no real value, you are either deemed ‘wealthy’ or ‘poor. ’ How is this possible? - Bankers (the Federal Reserve) can gamble with our paper money - You pay a central banking system ‘interest’ based on the pieces of paper they dole out to you or take from you at their own personal discretion. The rate of interest can be determined only by this ‘power’ and not by the people who borrow money. - Your paper can lose value at the whim of this institution, yet you, yourself do not lose value – your goods, your services, your knowledge. - You can be taxed on your earnings, but to fund what? And with what legality? - You can be charged ‘fines’ for doing things that any normal human being would do- The wars alone waged in the past decade amount to more debt than any American citizen could ever individually amass over an entire lifetime. .. All of your freedoms are being taken away at planned increments so that you can do but one thing – work and slave for the oligarchy. [8]College debt slaves- Going to college may still be the best time of a person’s life, but millions of students and their families are doomed to a life as student loan debt slaves. The shooter did not mention the flying of the flag as a motivation for the shooting. He did mention wanting to shoot 'blacks' and his misconceptions about 'blacks' taking jobs from 'whites' and 'blacks' raping 'white' women. My point being that the existence of racism in the U. S. today is very relevant to this debate. Lincoln's views on slavery are periphery to the debate as the U. S. and its flag symbolized and symbolize slavery in many forms. ". .. we all have the rights to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"" Since 911 these rights have been curtailed and these rights have always been jeopardized in regard to melaninated people in the U. S. .Child Slavery and Domestic Servitude- Child slave labor has been used in more than two dozen companies in this country including Campbell Soup Co. , Chi-Chi's Mexican restaurants, ConAgra, Costco, H. J. Heinz, Newman's Own, J. C. Penney, Pillsbury, Sears and Wal-Mart. [9]. http://dictionary.reference.com... [1]. http://dictionary.reference.com... [2]. http://constitutioncenter.org... [3]. http://freedomcenter.org... [4]. http://www.thedailybeast.com... [5]. http://www.globalresearch.ca... [6]. http://www.prisoncensorship.info... [7]. http://www.nationofchange.org... [8]. http://ihscslnews.org... [9]