Friday, June 21, 2013

Unfinished Bush Business, 1787 Edition

So, who's surprised by this in the least?

Twelve American presidents owned slaves, eight while serving in office, and at least 25 presidents count slave owners among their ancestors. But new historical evidence shows that a direct ancestor of George W. and George H.W. Bush was part of a much more appalling group: Thomas Walker was a notorious slave trader active in the late 18th century along the coast of West Africa.

Walker, George H.W. Bush's great-great-great grandfather, was the captain of, master of, or investor in at least 11 slaving voyages to West Africa between 1784 and 1792.

Yeah I know, it's not like Poppy or Dubya had any control over who their ancestors are.  I was adopted, for all I know I've got a relative that made an awful lot of money for Zee Germans in the 1940's, or was a serial killer, or ate babies on trenchers of bread as medieval performance art.  Not really fair to hang this one on the Bush family.

Besides, there's enough evil that these two clown actually did in their federal political careers that would make me ashamed to have them as relatives, not to mention Poppy's dad and Dubya's granddad Sen. Prescott Bush, who really was a piece of work.  (And by piece of work, I mean he made an awful lot of money off Zee Germans in the 1940's.)

I'm not surprised by the fact, but it's far from the most reprehensible act from that particular genealogical line.

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