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During apartheid, was it the patriotic duty of white South Africans to support South Africa? Should  black South Africans?

During the holocaust, was it the patriotic duty of non-Jewish Germans to support Germany? Should German Jews?

Despite the apartheid Israel imposes against the  Palestinians, is it the patriotic duty of Israelis  to support Israel? Should Palestinian citizens of Israel?

During slavery in America, was it the patriotic duty of white Americans to support America? Should the slaves born in America?

The answer to all these questions is, “Hell no!” The true patriots in America were the abolitionists and their equivalent in the other countries.

If your country is doing wrong, your patriotic duty is to oppose the wrong. Oppose apartheid! Oppose the holocaust! Oppose slavery! Let us be the contemporary abolitionists.

The alarming fact of atrocities such as slavery, apartheid, colonialism, Jim Crow, the holocaust, the slaughter of indigenous people, is that the citizens of the respective countries, supported them in overwhelming numbers. For example, good Christian whites supported slavery. Owning a slave probably bestowed prestige, like owning a Lexus nowadays. However, the opponents of these atrocities were the real patriots, who cared about the ethics of their country. I consider them all ‘abolitionists’. Unfortunately, it seems most people tolerate or even revel in these horrible atrocities in the here and now, to spurn and disavow them years afterwards.

But today, such atrocities are not over and the reaction, unfortunately is very similar. A current atrocity that most Americans are tolerating, is the sanctions that the US is imposing on poor defenseless countries. Sanctions are worse than a war crime. War kills soldiers. US sanctions kill poor innocent people. The first year of sanctions against Venezuela, killed an estimated 40,000 innocent people. Since then it has killed a 100,000 more! I can understand a misanthrope Like Trump increasing sanctions on Cuba. Sanctions are illegal, but even politicians that I have respected, have deteriorated to support and even vote for increased sanctions. I am so ashamed of them now. The brave ‘contemporary abolitionists’ who oppose such evil are the true American patriots. Let us all work for an America which we can be proud of. Let us not forget, that every day that these sanctions continue, innocent people are dying. Once slavery was as acceptable as apple pie. Now, the cruel evil sanctions are as acceptable as apple pie.