Years ago I read Frederick Douglass' autobiography and he recounted how the slave owners would give slaves time off over the Xmas holidays and provided ulimited liquor and tried to keep them involved in physical things such as running, wrestling and fighting each other. Douglass said it was considered a disgrace not to be drunk and slaves who made productive use of their leisure time were frowned upon by the master.
He also said, "A slave who was drunk gave no thought of liberty or escape to the north. It was the sober thoughtful slave who was a threat to the master's security."
This hit me like a thunderclap! It dawned on me that most people I know spend their holidays watching athetic events on TV while they sit on their couch drugging themselves with alocohol. I have never found a single redeeming thing about professional athletics. They only originated in the late 1800's and have not been much of a blessing for our civilization.
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