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About this quote

What does it mean?
Holding onto slavery creates a dangerous balance between justice and self-preservation.
In plain terms
Keeping slaves is risky because justice and safety conflict.
What can you take from it?
Slavery creates a moral and political dilemma.

Where it applies

  • debating slavery
  • policy making
  • moral choices

Putting it to work

  • weigh justice vs safety
  • address injustice
  • resolve conflict

Questions to consider

  • Can safety justify injustice?
  • How to resolve moral conflicts?

Another view

The metaphor oversimplifies the complexity of abolition.

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