Vessels of Evil: American Slavery and the Holocaust

Philosopher Thomas ( Living Morally ) is probably uniquely qualified to write a comparative essay on the Holocaust and American slavery, being both Jewish and African American. This text is an admirably lucid and cogently argued comparison of two profoundly evil institutions, one that recognizes the differences between the Jewish and African American experiences of oppression without offering invidious comparisons. He does so in elegant, oddly Victorian-sounding prose that never loses itself in a welter of jargon. Delving into a basic understanding of human behavior, Thomas demolishes the notion that humankind is innately evil, offering in its place a theory of modest goodness in the context of a human fragility that may prevent the development of moral sensibilities. He goes on to offer a devastating critique of ``common-sense morality,'' which requires only that one do no harm, not that one actively help another person in trouble. He uses slavery and the Holocaust as guides to understanding the comparative states of Jews and blacks in America, with some very tentative suggestions on where the tenuous relationship between these two groups could go. An important and engrossing book. (Dec.)