BATON ROUGE, LA—Forced to defend their decision to sell Black people in such a problematic location, local white couple Nate and Caroline Harper faced criticism Tuesday for choosing a former plantation as the venue for their slave auction. “I know it’s considered a bit controversial these days, but ever since I was a little girl, I’ve dreamed of holding my slave auction at a historic plantation,” said Caroline Harper, explaining to reporters that there were only so many venues in Louisiana that could fit all of the people coming to bid on their human chattel. “Sure, we could have held it at the courthouse, but I wanted my slave auction to be special. Some people may think it was an inappropriate setting, but at the end of the day, everybody who came loved buying and selling African Americans at this charming antebellum estate.” At press time, the Harpers had reportedly sent all their slaveholding friends home with personalized “Nate and Caroline” gift bags that included shackles and a bullwhip.