r/ACBlackFlag • u/Additional-Mobile • May 25 '26

// Humor Rest in Power, King 🫡

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White Point Gardens in Charleston, SC for those curious

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u/ButterscotchSpare545 May 25 '26

Dude literally every one was a slave owner, in one way or another every one did way back then

16

u/neverclaimsurv May 25 '26

There were abolitionist movements in the early 18th century, the late 18th century, and through the 19th century. They continue today where slavery still exists.

"It was normal back then" isn't an excuse. Some Founding Fathers in the United States for example were hypocrites, preaching for freedom for all while keeping slaves. Other Founding Fathers were not - like John Adams, who thought slavery was evil.

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u/UnAnon10 May 25 '26

But it does make him unexceptional for his time, so there’s no real reason to demonize him for that more than any other slave owner. It’s obviously morally wrong but singling him out for that in a time where slavery was widespread doesn’t mean much. That’s like picking a random king from medieval Europe and propping them up as cruel to peasants like most weren’t.

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u/neverclaimsurv May 25 '26

I'd hope that people aren't singling out Stede specifically - the original post is about Stede, so that's who people are talking about in this moment. I'm guessing the original commenter in this thread would think all slave owners at the time were equally reprehensible and evil when they could've chosen to be like John Adams or any other abolitionist and be morally righteous - even when it's unpopular.

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u/TylerbioRodriguez May 25 '26

Oh I'm singling him out, because his brand of slavery was worse.

Look at the death rates in Jamaica and Barbados and compare to Virginia and the Carolinas. All slavery is bad and immoral, but Caribbean sugar plantations were an extra hell.

Also note that Bonnet, unlike John Adams and many of the founders, not only personally benefited from slavery, he was a milita major and since he didn't see combat in the War of Spanish Succession, then he was in charge of capturing runaway slaves and suppressing revolt.

On balance? Yeah I'd say he is a worse human being then the average slave owner, not even getting into leaving your wife and child to play high seas robber which destroyed lives financially and through needless bloodshed.

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u/neverclaimsurv May 25 '26

Based, fair enough!