2008.07.30
An apology for slavery and Jim Crow
An unscheduled editorial: The U.S. House has apologized for the nation's "fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality and inhumanity of slavery and Jim Crow." The apology is long overdue.
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Re: slavery
There is nothing more condescending than apologizing for something you did not do. How cheap is that?
"Yeah, we are REALLY sorry and we would offer you compensation but you are all dead. We really hated it for you. Sorry again".
Long overdue is rather an understatement.
Comment by Henry — July 30, 2008 @ 1:27 pm
Im sick and tired of bending over backwards to appease blacks ....theres not a black in America today that is or was a slave...but they sure use it as an excuse for their own failure...
Comment by Steven — July 30, 2008 @ 2:37 pm
Yeah...sorry about that. Even though I, personally, nor did anyone that I've ever met in my family, own a slave. Actually, we got here after slavery...does that mean I have to appologize, too?
Comment by Danny — July 30, 2008 @ 3:19 pm
Oh ok, Steven. So you have actually bent over backwards to appease black people. Wow! How come I haven
Comment by Ky — July 30, 2008 @ 3:35 pm
Nice Steven!
"They" is bad enough, but "They sure use it as an excuse for their own failure"! Priceless!
Although maybe I'm the uniformed one and you actually have personally heard that excuse from every black person in America, thus justifying your use of "they". My apologies!
Comment by bobdobalena — July 30, 2008 @ 4:05 pm
While we obviously have not evolved past our fear of those that do not look like us, and, ahem, crazy generalizations...an apology is really lame and means nothing.
Moving on, dragging the Stevens along with us I think may be the best way to make sure we don't repeat our mistakes. There is no setting things right or making up for it, just move on and learn from our grandfathers mistakes.
Comment by bobdobalena — July 30, 2008 @ 4:12 pm
Everyone has been affected by discrimination. It happens to everyone at some time, whether it be race, age, color, religion, disability, whatever. We need to attack the systems instead of playing the blame game.
Someone might complain about you one day, Steven. Someone will complain that they have to bend over backwards to appease the old people.
Comment by Henry — July 30, 2008 @ 4:51 pm
What does the RT think/hope will be the result of this apology? Do you think it will "begin a dialogue and start the healing?"
Let me tell you what it will do. It will open the door to reparation talk by folks who make big money fanning the flames of black outrage.
Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton don't even need the truth to do their rage-for-hire gig. (Think Duke lacrosse). Do you really think this will placate these men whose livelihoods depend on racial turbulence? Or will it give them an excuse to demand more and more?
See, this is the thing with liberal activist groups; it's never enough. No amount of money or laws will ever make the black groups, the women's groups, the homeless groups, the environmental groups, the poverty groups say "Yeah, that's enough. The job is done." They can't be satsified because they don't want to be satsified.
You people at the RT are always missing it. Most people would be happy to have gotten over this long long ago. But liberals keep whipping it up. And the sad thing is, they don't want a solution; they want an issue. Perpetually.
Comment by Josh — July 30, 2008 @ 6:36 pm
sick of the entitlement crap...always me me me gimme gimme gimme. that attitude needs to go ..you work on getting your act together and make your own life better. the govt didnt take you to raise
ive done nothing to their race and im not going pay for someone elses stupid errors. i agree it has affected so many, still money cant fix it ever and some things you just need to get over it.
i am proud to have american native indian in my geneology charts and i dont go around demanding stuff to be paid to me for the cruelties done in the past. deal with it
Comment by pam — July 30, 2008 @ 7:59 pm
The real ones we owe an apology to are the american Indian. We still keep them on reservations after taking thier land, killing thier people. I have an idea what if we made reperation to them and we start with Dan R house and the rest of the EB personnel property. If they say no then they are racist against the True American.
Comment by HERB KREBS — July 30, 2008 @ 8:04 pm
Josh, I could not agree more. Let's see how it might it play out...
A full House/Senate act signed by O'Bamma early next year. Acts of 50 states which also apologize, does not matter that some were not "states" at the time. Immediate hearings on how much money is due to current offspring of slaves. Establishment of a federal office of "Make it Better" to facilitate the flow of funds to these people. Determine exactly how much of the wealth of people of all races of non-slave pasts is due to the unjust acts of past slave owners and claim those assets for distribution to those with past slave histories. And while all this is going on we will need the medical community to discover a treatment plan with a pill to take to alter the minds of people who think like you or I. Of course, we also will need a federally controlled educational plan in our schools that perpetuates the guilt well into future generations. And then there are all those other little details...national holidays, advantages on job opportunities and promotions, public and private contracts control quotas... OOOPHS! We already have some of these. And all the while what is taking place in the land of the original slaves makes American slavery look like a walk in the park. Would you venture a guess as to how many of those people wish they were here today? Now, we REALLY get to the core question..."what really changes in the hearts and minds of man?"
Comment by Al — July 31, 2008 @ 8:16 am
Our society as a whole would benefit greatly from simply moving forward together. In today's America, success is more a function of individual effort than ever before. We should be proud of that and move on.
Comment by Jim — July 31, 2008 @ 8:21 am
Reality check:
There is no other country where the Black population as a group has a higher standard of living than in the US today.
Comment by John R — July 31, 2008 @ 8:50 am
Symbolism rather than substance. That's the nature of politics today.
So dull.
Comment by Will — July 31, 2008 @ 9:08 am
Right Josh: It takes "Carpet Baggers" like those on the RT Staff to highlight such an unwarented and unjust action. We Virginians owe no one an apoligy for the Northern Slave Traders and the results of their Slave Trades to the South
I resent such blind actions
for political or any other purposes!
Comment by Jake, A VIRGINIAN — July 31, 2008 @ 5:08 pm