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I saw that video somewhat recently. I believe what the audience probably learned is that Buckley was not terribly effective at debating in that format. I am not sure what they learned from Baldwin. I don't recall learning anything from him in that video. I would be shocked if that was actually the first time they learned that being a member of a conquered or enslaved people was really not very nice in a variety of different ways. Maybe they did not know about some of the particular ways in which it is bad, but these are as you noted young members of the elite class in a rapidly decolonializing empire. I would expect them to know the ethical debate over imperialism like the back of their hand, and would expect them to generally be unfavorable toward it. These people knew about the history of slavery, not just in Europe and the Americas, but about, for instance, slavery in the middle east, where, despite bringing in huge numbers of African slaves, there are virtually no descendants of African slaves today, due to the customary treatment of slaves there. As for whether Jefferson's ideals are a sham, clearly they are to some degree. Maybe the people who signed that document believed all men are created equal, and believed that applied also to their slaves, but if they did believe that, they clearly did not see much of a problem with ignoring their inalienable rights. This contradiction has been discussed since before the ink was dry, and is quite well known. They were not laying out a carefully reasoned philosophical treatise, they were trying to rally their own side in a political debate. An ignorant person could believe that American ideals mean that American society was built for all Americans equally, but the audience members were not ignorant people. So I don't know, you tell me what you think they learned, and why you think they gave a standing ovation. |
I imagine most of them knew that Jefferson was a slave owner, and all the rest of it that you lucidly describe.
Baldwin did three things to earn their respect.
Firstly, he lured them into seeing racial injustice without triggering their defences or tribal hostilities, by giving them the vantage point of 4 year old eyes. He told them his first 4 years of American acculturation was a positive experience, only spoiled when he realised the experience excluded him for an arbitrary reason. They could feel his disappointment, and root for the underdog instead of having to parry tribal hostilities.
Secondly, he re-positioned his nemesis on the side of his cause, by revealing that a mind poisoned with racism is less free than a body that is steeled to fight it over recurring generations.
Then, after demonstrating his credentials as a high functioning elite peer through his mastery of history, oratory debating, and cultural diplomacy, Baldwin gave the Cambridge Union a realpolitik proposition they couldn't resist. If America is going to keep suppressing the rights of 1/9th of its population, a new generation descended from slaves, led by the likes of himself and MLK, are going to educate the masses to blow the place up.
Baldwin did this so skilfully, no ultimatum was spoken. He just shared his concerns. The audience applauded because they shared his concerns through the osmosis he engendered by respecting the format of their debating society, and excelling at it. As you point out, Buckley was unable to respond in kind.