The Revenue Cutter Service while still considered by most a part of our military, has been throughout it's history, another arm of law enforcement and the treasury. It has also been a huge lifesaving branch that can do things in time constraints others cannot match. You won't find anyone here saying anything disrespectful about the job they've done. It is also the one area where there was less concern for the sailor's background than the fitness of the sailor for the job. From the early days of exploratory ventures, the whalers, the cargo ships then and now and more, the crews were multinational and multiracial at times. Crew members were picked up and many ports of call when there was an opening to be filled. This was world wide and the seafaring community sort of ran with it's own set of rules. I'm not saying that was a bad thing, it was done out of a necessity easily understood.

You keep tossing the slave thing in but that's an area where there's also a history that is not just United States history. Even in the maritime community there were slaves since the beginning when someone figured out that wood could float. The Vikings were pretty good at getting strong slaves to row the boat. Not all slaves have been black either. You have to wonder who was rowing the boats around the trade routes used by the Romans, Greeks and the Turks. Then there's Moses. He led people who were slaves to freedom. It's not a subject confined to the Confederate States. Grant wasn't too happy to let his go either and that was well after the war was over.
No one here believes you can own another human being. No one disputes it happened. We do however, ask that it be viewed in the context of the time period in the discussion and in the broader scope of where it was legal. One only has to say the word 'slavery' and all fingers point to the SouthEastern States. Does no one understand it is still going on? Has anyone read any history of another country and not have it come up? Even the ancestors of many Union soldiers were either slave owners or slaves at some point back in the family tree. It's interesting that in the international community of tourist to Rome, they view one arena and do not point fingers at the Italians and yell "Slave Owners!!" but they can come to the Southern states and expect to see it still practiced.

At some point, we just have to shake our head and say Go Read A History Book. We're tired of talking because it's clear very few are wanting to listen.

Pam