Columnist mistaken on Founders and hypocrisy

In Walter E. Williams' article "Slavery is convenient tool for critics" on May 29, Mr. Williams argues that it is "the favorite leftist tool" of academics and others to point out the hypocrisy of the Founders, who declared equality for all in the Constitution, then went on to condone slavery. His argument is that critics are wrong because slavery has existed throughout history; therefore, the Founders were not hypocrites.

What he ignores is that the Founders were Enlightenment thinkers whose whole purpose was to create a society completely different from the ancient Hittites, or Babylonians or any others that had come before. A nation, as Abraham Lincoln attributed the intention of the Founders, to be "Conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." Therefore, the Founders were hypocrites.

"Hypocrisy" generally carries the negative connotation of demanding higher standards of others than of yourself (i.e. a descendant of a Mayflower pilgrim getting into Harvard because members of his family have been getting in for 400 years who believes it is unfair to have affirmative action for people whose ancestors were enslaved and oppressed for 400 years). But, it can also be employed for good reasons (punishing your teenage kids for drinking, while enjoying the occasional martini yourself).

The Founders compromised in order to form the Union. A good reason. And also hypocrisy.

I know that we live in the Era of Alternative Facts and Reasoning, but to state, as Mr. Williams does, that people who point out this hypocrisy "have contempt for our Constitution and guarantees of liberty," and are attempting "to reduce respect for our Constitution" is, even by the standards of this era, beyond nonsense.

James Trevor

Rolling Meadows