Exploitation Isn't New: A History of Abuse Before Epstein

Jasmine Sanders and DL Hughley are back at it on The DL Hughley Show, serving up the latest “What’s Trending” with the kind of raw honesty and wit about the Epstien files and the fall of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, who was stripped of his royal title and is facing potential indictment in connection with the files are sending shockwaves through the global elite. But for many of us watching, the shock isn’t that a former prince could be involved; it’s that he might actually face consequences. As DL points out, if a former royal can get indicted, so can a president. This isn’t just celebrity gossip; it’s a pivotal moment where the shield of wealth and status might finally be cracking. The connection to the Epstein files suggests a web of complicity that crosses oceans and political lines, hinting that the “dirt” held over powerful figures could be the very thing keeping justice at bay.

However, we need to be clear: this level of exploitation isn’t new. It’s not a modern invention of the digital age or a unique byproduct of 21st-century excess. Historically, women and children have been objectified and treated as property for centuries. As discussed on the show, you don’t have to look far back to find eras where young girls were married off at 12 or 13, stripping them of agency before they even understood what it meant. In the context of American history, this rings even louder. Black women and children, in particular, never owned their own bodies during slavery. The horror stories emerging from the Epstein files mirror the atrocities committed in the annals of history, acts of domination that were not only legal but socially acceptable for the men in power.

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This brings us to the uncomfortable truth about systemic cover-ups. There is a “retro” feel to these crimes, as if we are sliding back into a time where certain men could do whatever they wanted to whomever they wanted without fear of reprisal. The conversation on the show highlighted how these heinous acts, whether alleged against a royal or a historical figure like Thomas Jefferson are often buried to protect the powerful. There are ties to major institutions, political parties on both sides, and even religious organizations. The reluctance to let these files see the light of day isn’t just about protecting one man; it’s about protecting a culture that has silently accepted the abuse of the vulnerable as a perk of power.

For our community, this hits different. We have spent generations fighting the narrative that Black people are the ones with “low moral character.” We’ve been painted as dangerous or deviant, yet history shows that the most barbaric acts often come from the very people writing the laws and the history books. When powerful men engage in this behavior and then turn around to villainize Black communities, it is the ultimate hypocrisy. We cannot let them spin distract us. We must demand transparency, not just for the sake of political points, but to dismantle the systems that allow our women and children to be viewed as commodities.

It’s time to stay woke and stay loud. Don’t let this story fade into the background of the 24-hour news cycle. We need to push for the full release of information and hold every single perpetrator accountable, regardless of their title or tax bracket.

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