... Slaves were property because of their blackness, even "one drop" of black *******...That is far more evil and terrifying than the caste system, the stratified social and economic hierarchy that affects people of all color lines, that you've mentioned. ...
Peter Johnson said: "My point is simply that the current underclass we've created is also a locked in caste system with little chance of escape."
Yes, but it is not based solely on the color of ones skin. This underclass affects people of all colors, Peter.
Not all slaves were black historically, even here in what is now the USA, but especially throughout the world.
This does not lessen the evil, however, slavery is just as "colorblind" as is caste.
The only thing that is particularly horrendous about slavery as it happened here in the USA, is that it occurred and was condoned during a historical period that had seen the majority of the "civilized" world abolish and condemn it. We (the USA) not only have the distinct dishonor of being the last modern "enlightened" nation to divest itself of this abominable practice, but to have also continued the practice of actively discriminating against persons of other races, sexes and sexual identification, which we continue to do to this very day.