It is important to note that David Walker’s appeal was based on dismantling the hypocrisy of the American slavery-based system. He directly, passionately, and truthfully attacks the very institutions and foundations of the American nation. Although one might think that David Walker is advocating for violence, he provides a strong justification for doing so, which is based on facts and well-known beliefs. The key targets of the appeal include Christianity, African American contribution, and the U.S. Declaration of Independence.
Firstly, David Walker makes it clear that Christianity did not elevate or enlighten Americans. He provides the examples of “Israelites in Egypt, the Helots in Sparta, and of the Roman Slaves … under this enlightened and Christian nation, no more than a cypher” (Walker, 1829, para. 2). In other words, Walker points out that Christian Americans are not better or more enlightened than slave-owner nations of the past. Secondly, he shows that America was built by African Americans. He states that “America is more our country than it is the whites—we have enriched it with our blood and tears” (Walker, 1829, para. 4). Thirdly, he reveals the biggest hypocrisy in the second paragraph of the U.S. Declaration of Independence itself by referring to the statement that ‘all men are created equal’ (Walker, 1829). Thus, the very statement is reflective of American hypocrisy towards slaves.
In conclusion, the call to action in David Walker’s appeal provides strong evidence and arguments on the hypocritical nature of White Americans who practice slavery. The most important values for Whites, such as Christianity and American independence, are demonstrably shown to be falsehoods in practice. Today, the attack against Christianity can be used against Christian Americans on the right, who hypocritically want to ‘save’ children by banning abortion, but refuse to ‘save’ children by implementing strict gun laws.
Reference
Walker, D. (1829). David Walker’s appeal to the Colored citizens of the world. Web.