From Dred Scott to Barack Obama

Bill Moyers is, apparently, an acquired taste. I've commented before that I look forward to his weekly Journal on PBS. Molly would rather have her teeth pulled than watch him.

Last night's episode was good. It was a summary of the importance of the election and the general state of things. Moyers is clearly a progressive, but he gives what we'd call pre-Bush conservatives their due.

If you have the the time, you might watch the whole thing. But I'd encourage you to make the time for his introduction. Moyers talks about the significance of this photo. The event is Barack Obama's rally in St. Louis, attended by 100,000 people.

The building in the background is the court house where the Dred & Harriet Scott first fought for their freedom. Their ultimately unsuccessful effort ended with the Dred Scott decision. Quoting Moyers:

When their appeal reached the United States Supreme Court, 11 years later, Chief Justice Roger Taney refused to free them. He ruled that slaves did not have the rights of citizens because Harriet and Dred Scott were, quote, "Beings of an inferior order, and altogether unfit to associate with the white race, either in social or political relations, and so far inferior that they had no rights which the white man was bound to respect."

Moyers is fond of recalling his East-Texas roots and seems uncomfortable with how well he understands racism as 'the natural order of things'. He quickly walks us through a troubled past that culminates in the election of a 'mutt' to the White House.

Watch here.