Apologies For Slavery

THL · 03-09-2007, 06:44 AM

Should our states be apologizing for what our ancestors may have done?

Quote:

Slavery: Trying to atone, but why now?
Politics, history help explain groundswell of apology for ‘peculiar institution’
ANALYSIS
The Associated Press
Updated: 6:21 p.m. CT March 8, 2007
America is once again struggling to atone for slavery and its aftermath.

In a nation with an unquenchable need to analyze its racial past, there is now a fresh flow of contrition from public officials for the many wrongs of U.S. history.

Inspired by a resolution apologizing for slavery that Virginia legislators passed last month, black lawmakers in Georgia said Thursday they plan to introduce a similar measure there. Maryland and Missouri also are discussing an apology. And so far, a white Memphis congressman has gathered 36 co-sponsors for a bill that, if passed, would bring an apology to the federal level.

The FBI announced last week it is actively reinvestigating about a dozen cases of blacks slain in the 1950s and '60s as possible civil rights violations. As many as 100 more cases are being considered for similar treatment.

"Much time has passed on these crimes," Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez told a news conference in Washington. "The wounds they left are deep, and many of them still have not healed."

It's been decades since these crimes were committed. And nearly 142 years since the Civil War ended and Congress ratified the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery.

Why are public officials trying to make amends now?

Grappling to understand
Because revelations about the past are pushing some people to think about race in America in new ways. Plus, echoes of racial bias remain all too obvious, and politicians may be grasping for new ways to show concern.

Generations after the civil rights movement began, blacks generally remain poorer, less educated and more likely to be in prison than whites.

Many historians, political scientists and public policy experts argue that this is rooted in blacks' unhealed wounds from slavery, combined with widespread tactics during the century or so that followed to keep blacks from equal education, jobs and housing.

"This country is built on their (blacks') backs, so when you talk about some of the ills that we face now in society, I'm sure that some of it's got to trace back to that," said Maryland Sen. Nathaniel Exum, sponsor of his state's resolution, which will likely be voted on this month.

Sometimes a here-and-now incident casts a long shadow.

Since white comedian Michael Richards repeatedly used the n-word and referred to lynching in a rant last November, lawmakers in several cities have passed symbolic moratoriums on the racial slur once used by slave owners. New York City joined the group last week.

Sometimes an anniversary revives the past. On Tuesday, a ceremony in St. Louis marked the 150th anniversary of the Dred Scott case, in which the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a slave's attempt to sue for his freedom.

Technology brings history alive
Modern research techniques also mean that history can come alive in a way that once was not possible.

Take the issue of personal ancestry, a particularly painful one for those blacks whose family ties to Africa were erased during slavery. Sophisticated research efforts, including DNA testing that can trace Americans' African roots, are reviving bonds to the continent — and, in some ways, keeping fresh the painful reminders of slavery.

When the Rev. Al Sharpton, a major civil rights activist, learned that his ancestors once were owned by the forebears of the late Sen. Strom Thurmond, a staunch defender of racial segregation, he was clearly moved. He visited the graves of his slave ancestors in South Carolina on Monday, urging all blacks to explore their personal history despite "the ugly things it might reveal."

Now he's seeking DNA tests to see if he and Thurmond were blood relatives.

"When someone is handing you the actual papers of your blood relatives — indentured servants' papers and the tax rolls of where they were property — then it's no longer some objective, nebulous knowledge," Sharpton said.

Fresh revelations
Another factor driving the recent public displays of contrition is that, with much of the nation's racial history still being written, fresh revelations come every year.

A new book about widespread post-Civil War attacks on blacks, "Buried in the Bitter Waters: The Hidden History of Racial Cleansing in America," by journalist Elliot Jaspin, is due out this month.

Several newspapers looked into their own coverage of civil rights and then apologized last year for making racism worse. Editors at Florida's Tallahassee Democrat wrote: "It is inconceivable that a newspaper, an institution that exists freely only because of the Bill of Rights, could be so wrong on civil rights. But we were."

The research increasingly shows that slavery, Jim Crow and racism were not, as once thought, confined to the South.

Not just the South
They were part of all of America from day one and were kept in place by some of the nation's most powerful — government officials, big businesses, universities. Several U.S. presidents owned slaves. Slave labor helped build the U.S. Capitol and many other structures around the country.

That includes University Hall, the oldest building at Brown University in Rhode Island, according to a yearlong probe into the school's slavery links. The report found that the Brown family itself owned ships that transported stolen Africans, and profits from slavery helped found the university.

The main reason for such official complicity: The profits — economic and political — of 250-plus years of blacks' free labor and another century of black suppression were enormous. Most found it irresistible.

Today, some question whether public officials' apology resolutions mean much.

"What would it mean to vote against a resolution like this? Would it mean you were racially insensitive?" asked David Pilgrim, a sociologist at Ferris State University in Michigan. "Conversely, I'm not sure what it would mean that you were voting for it."

Next question: How to fix the damage?
Some civil rights advocates want an official, federal "I'm sorry" for slavery from the president. It has never come, perhaps because this would raise the logical — and thorny — next question: How to repair the damage?

Opponents say that attempts to compensate for racial crimes through reparations would deepen racial divisions.

Pilgrim, who is also curator of the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia, hopes the current wave of atonement does the opposite.

"If you look at American history, it wasn't that long ago that you couldn't get the most powerful people in the country talking about slavery," he said. "What is healthy is not the (apology) resolutions but the process of coming to the resolutions. All the discussions and debates get people talking honestly about race."

Linked Here

It is unfortunate that our history is written on the barbaric acts of the past. It would be nice if we could go back and "train" our forefathers to be nicer and more humane. It would be great if we all just could not get along. But this is not the reality. This is our history, like it or not. No one should have to apologize for something that happened long before anyone currently living on earth was even a thought in someone elses mind.

Get Over It, People. It Happened. It's Over. Let's Move On. Why continue to dwell on the past and live life upset and stressed all the time. Enjoy what we have now and try to make it better for the future generations that are yet to live instead of trying to make it better for past generations that will never again live.

gunnut · 03-09-2007, 07:39 AM

Neither my ancestors nor I have ever owned any slaves. Want to apologize on my behalf? Let me have some slaves first.

Kassad · 03-09-2007, 10:18 AM

It's political leverage, and nothing more. I don't care if States apologize. The elected officials are not being sincere, they're just gathering up votes.

**Julie** · 03-09-2007, 10:30 AM

The NAACP is now calling for Georgia to apologize for slavery. This is being done to bolster their reparations claim. If the States apologize for their former political constituents, they will also be subject to pay reparations.

It is ludicrous.

I would denounce slavery, but never apologize for a former political head of state as to his actions.

Kassad · 03-09-2007, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julie

The NAACP is now calling for Georgia to apologize for slavery. This is being done to bolster their reparations claim. If the States apologize for their former political constituents, they will also be subject to pay reparations.

It is ludicrous.

I would denounce slavery, but never apologize for a former political head of state as to his actions.

That's a good point. The whole issue of reparations is something I forgot about. Guess the issue about greed should never be overlooked. The mass class action lawyers are going to make a bundle of money, and the issue about reparations will fatten their coffers.

Brian Douglas · 03-09-2007, 11:37 AM

One cant apolergise for something until it is stopped and in the USA, like many other countries slavery still reigns sadly.
According to a United Nations 2005 news report, after drug dealing, human trafficking and arms dealing are the largest criminal industries in the world; however human trafficking is the fastest-growing of the three. Around the world an estimated 27 million people are slaves and every year 600,000 to 800,000 victims are trafficked across international borders, half of them children.
Official estimates of the number of people trafficked into the United States each year range from 14,500 to 50,000. Eighty percent of the cases in California occur in Los Angeles, San Diego or San Francisco.

dalem · 03-09-2007, 14:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THL

Should our states be apologizing for what our ancestors may have done?

Nope. It's a stupid, childish idea.

-dale

T_igger_cs_30 · 03-09-2007, 15:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THL

Should our states be apologizing for what our ancestors may have done?

In my oponion absolutely not, I know the saying if we forget history we risk repeating it, however to many things in many countries are still issues because some are always looking for accountability and refuse to move on.

dave lukins · 03-09-2007, 16:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T_igger_cs_30

In my oponion absolutely not, I know the saying if we forget history we risk repeating it, however to many things in many countries are still issues because some are always looking for accountability and refuse to move on.

Does Japan,Germany and the British Empire spring to mind?

THL · 03-09-2007, 22:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julie

I would denounce slavery, but never apologize for a former political head of state as to his actions.

I wonder who will be apologizing for Clinton and Bush in 150 more years?

gunnut · 03-10-2007, 00:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THL

I wonder who will be apologizing for Clinton and Bush in 150 more years?

Don't need to wait that long. Liberals are already apologizing for Bush.

**Parihaka** · 03-10-2007, 00:44 AM

I hereby and unreservedly tender my most heartfelt and contrite apologies on behalf of all those descended from and in the Arabian and African states still living people who have either participated in or benefited from the inhuman practice of slavery to all those currently living or descendants of those who have suffered under the inhuman practice of slavery.
To those not few nations where various forms of slavery still exist, we're coming for you.

**Officer of Engineers** · 03-10-2007, 01:15 AM

Pari,

Does not help. We're still married.

jame$thegreat · 03-10-2007, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THL

Get Over It, People. It Happened. It's Over. Let's Move On. Why continue to dwell on the past.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunnut

Neither my ancestors nor I have ever owned any slaves. Want to apologize on my behalf? Let me have some slaves first.

My thoughts exactly. I know for a fact that my ancestors never owned slaves because quite frankly they got here after slavery was abolished. On my fathers side, in fact, my family didnt get to this country until 1906.

The English government never apologized to the Irish after they invaded and enslaved their entire country! I think if I am going to apologize for slavery I deserve to endulge in what I supposedly did wrong. I also want a apology from England for enslaving my ancestors then.

I think the fact that I or any other white person should have to apologize for something my ancestors may or may not have done is discrimination right there. You automatically believe that my ancestors owned slaves because of my skin color, I want an apology for that racism right there. If you want to be politically correct then you must be politically correct to everyone right?

This perticular subject really bothers me, there is no living person on this earth that legally owned a slave in America! Get over it.

tanz · 03-11-2007, 17:47 PM

The consequences for slavery in the US are everywhere. The black culture is extreamly askew and disfunctional and that is a direct effect of slavery. To pretend otherwise is political correctness at it's worst. Black culture is not doing just fine. From the low test scores to the abnormal % of single parent homes. When we look at the TV and see what appears to be animal like behavior in the getto we need to remember that many black people's great grandparents were owned and bread like livestock. A fact many do not want to think about but these practices are injurious on a macro level. These practices destroy a culture creating what we see today. it's going to take more than 144 years for these social wounds to heal. The first step is an apology. Why? Because the apology is not from single individuals like you or I but from the the U.S. (or individual states) as social institutions. While you or I were, of course, not alive and have no practical tie to any unjustice that doesn't mean that it didn't occur and in need of healing. You and I are not responsible but the U.S. was. On another note paying reperations is rediculous. For one thing we could never determine who should get the money. For another, throwing money at a problem doesn't solve the problem. One more thing is that for people (of course not all black people) who do not have the skills to handle large amounts of money the money would cause more problems than it would solve. One needs only to look at lotery winners to see that dynamic. While the redistribution may stimulate the economy in the short term (because many would just blow the money) inflation would rise along with intrest rates leading to a depression of the economy. Reperations is a retarded idea created by people who probably want something for nothing. No such thing. Everything must be paid for by somebody sometime. I feel the first step in healing is an apology. However if none comes then (just like in an individual's life) it will be up to the black community to forgive but I wouldn't count on it in our lifetime. An apology would just help speed up the process of healing.

03-09-2007, 07:39 AM	#2 (permalink)
gunnut *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 01-27-06 Location: DPRK, Democratik People's Republik of Kalifornia Posts: 9,796 Country:	Neither my ancestors nor I have ever owned any slaves. Want to apologize on my behalf? Let me have some slaves first. __________________ "Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.

03-09-2007, 11:37 AM	#6 (permalink)
Brian Douglas Regular Join Date: 12-28-06 Location: Iasi.Romania. Posts: 78 Country:	Apologies For Slavery ?? One cant apolergise for something until it is stopped and in the USA, like many other countries slavery still reigns sadly. According to a United Nations 2005 news report, after drug dealing, human trafficking and arms dealing are the largest criminal industries in the world; however human trafficking is the fastest-growing of the three. Around the world an estimated 27 million people are slaves and every year 600,000 to 800,000 victims are trafficked across international borders, half of them children. Official estimates of the number of people trafficked into the United States each year range from 14,500 to 50,000. Eighty percent of the cases in California occur in Los Angeles, San Diego or San Francisco.

03-10-2007, 01:15 AM	#13 (permalink)
Officer of Engineers *Military Professional* Moderator Scotch taster Join Date: 08-06-03 Posts: 16,553 Country:	Pari, Does not help. We're still married. __________________ Chimo

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03-09-2007, 10:18 AM	#3 (permalink)
Kassad *Military Professional* Join Date: 12-11-06 Location: (Rural) Central Florida Posts: 69 Country:	It's political leverage, and nothing more. I don't care if States apologize. The elected officials are not being sincere, they're just gathering up votes.

03-09-2007, 10:30 AM	#4 (permalink)
Julie Moderator Join Date: 08-04-03 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 6,538 Country:	The NAACP is now calling for Georgia to apologize for slavery. This is being done to bolster their reparations claim. If the States apologize for their former political constituents, they will also be subject to pay reparations. It is ludicrous. I would denounce slavery, but never apologize for a former political head of state as to his actions.

03-10-2007, 00:44 AM	#12 (permalink)
Parihaka Moderator Join Date: 11-10-04 Location: Te Ika a Maui Posts: 9,680 Country:	I hereby and unreservedly tender my most heartfelt and contrite apologies on behalf of all those descended from and in the Arabian and African states still living people who have either participated in or benefited from the inhuman practice of slavery to all those currently living or descendants of those who have suffered under the inhuman practice of slavery. To those not few nations where various forms of slavery still exist, we're coming for you.

03-11-2007, 17:47 PM	#15 (permalink)
tanz New Member Join Date: 01-07-07 Posts: 20	The consequences for slavery in the US are everywhere. The black culture is extreamly askew and disfunctional and that is a direct effect of slavery. To pretend otherwise is political correctness at it's worst. Black culture is not doing just fine. From the low test scores to the abnormal % of single parent homes. When we look at the TV and see what appears to be animal like behavior in the getto we need to remember that many black people's great grandparents were owned and bread like livestock. A fact many do not want to think about but these practices are injurious on a macro level. These practices destroy a culture creating what we see today. it's going to take more than 144 years for these social wounds to heal. The first step is an apology. Why? Because the apology is not from single individuals like you or I but from the the U.S. (or individual states) as social institutions. While you or I were, of course, not alive and have no practical tie to any unjustice that doesn't mean that it didn't occur and in need of healing. You and I are not responsible but the U.S. was. On another note paying reperations is rediculous. For one thing we could never determine who should get the money. For another, throwing money at a problem doesn't solve the problem. One more thing is that for people (of course not all black people) who do not have the skills to handle large amounts of money the money would cause more problems than it would solve. One needs only to look at lotery winners to see that dynamic. While the redistribution may stimulate the economy in the short term (because many would just blow the money) inflation would rise along with intrest rates leading to a depression of the economy. Reperations is a retarded idea created by people who probably want something for nothing. No such thing. Everything must be paid for by somebody sometime. I feel the first step in healing is an apology. However if none comes then (just like in an individual's life) it will be up to the black community to forgive but I wouldn't count on it in our lifetime. An apology would just help speed up the process of healing.

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