re: #198 000G

True, but I find the history of the jewish pirates extraordinary. They truly were the underdogs among the underdogs. How this particular enterprise tied in with their religious persecution, the rise of premodern racism and the Inquisition, the discovery of the New World and the expulsion out of the old, safe harbors, secret alliances, trade routes, worldly matters and preserving of religious traditions… Fascinating stuff.

Underdogs of the underdogs (no disrespect to the Jews intended) were the blacks. A free black man could be kidnapped from the seas (or anywhere) and sold. No one would do a thing about it.

Read it in a couple of books, please don’t ask for detailed references. I can get them, but would take a while.