Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Here in Virginia there as been a furor over remarks made by a delegate in the Virginia Legislature about the Commonwealth formally apoligizing for slavery this year in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown.
In short, he said that "blacks should get over slavery" because no one living in Virginia today had anything to do with it and likening it to making Jews apoligize for "killing Christ".
What are your thoughts?
I've included the link to the Washington Post article.
rdbeard5, in all honesty I completely agree. I think you can't just apologize, you can acknowledge the unfair treatment slaves received, acknowledge the contribution slaves had to the building of the nation, acknowledge the slavery issue that helped bring our nation to a civil war, acknowledge that America was one of the leading nations to abolish slavery at a time when it was still practiced and accepted around the world, and acknowledge the hardships facing slaves in a society that didnt treat them as equals. I dont think apologies are necessary. I wont apologize for something someone else did in the past, but I can acknowledge it.
This paragraph is so telling about what is said, how it is interpreted and then spun:
"People ought to have learned a lesson from this past year's senatorial campaign in Virginia," Callahan said. "We live in a different age as far as sensitivity goes and personal feelings. Particularly in a legislative body, where we operate in a goldfish bowl, we ought to be very careful about what we say in public."
When I worked for the government one of the issues that was stressed, over and over again (to me) was that whenever I spoke I was not speaking for myself, but I was speaking as the government. Although I found this nearly impossible to compile with, it does appear that when we speak the danger is how it is interpreted and then rattled in the larger arena--news media and community.
While this is an issue about slavery, it could be about any one of many subjects that have become even more sensitive to people's ears.
Also, one of the issues that we might not understand or register is that those who identify with slavery heretofore had little voice or avenues to express their history's pain. It takes a certain sense of entitlement to ask for and in some cases demand rights, any rights.
Last edited by ontheroad; 06-09-2009 at 01:48 PM..
Here in Virginia there as been a furor over remarks made by a delegate in the Virginia Legislature about the Commonwealth formally apoligizing for slavery this year in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown.
In short, he said that "blacks should get over slavery" because no one living in Virginia today had anything to do with it and likening it to making Jews apoligize for "killing Christ".
Sigh.... Well folks it looks like we've got another race issue. You know what, I'm really getting tired of this. And I'm black, but I don't believe that apoligizing for something that happened centuries ago is going to do anything. The only way people can make up for slavery is if they use a time machine, go back to the 14 and 1500's and say, "You know, we shouldn't neglectfully use people for hard labor we should be doing ourselves."
No one has built a time machine yet, so I don't see that happening.
I'm just going to tell you this: When a whole race or group of people feels that they've been wrongned, they are NOT going to just "get over it". But we shouldn't hold a grudge against all white people. Hey, the way some people look at us is beyond our control. I've excepted that, and as an 18 year old, I feel that our generation has the power to get rid of that way of thinking. Sadly, about half of our generation isn't even thinking of changing anything.
I think if they are so upset about it, like the ones who tried sueing for Damages due to there relitives being forced into slavery away from there home country. Send them Back to what ever country their ancestors came from. Here and now we are all AMERICANS and the past happened learn from it, don't repeat it and be happy your not in your ancestors shoes.
What is the big deal about apologizing? True, one can't be held responsible for the acts of one's ancestors. However, a few words that cost nothing, if they can help the psyche of people that we as a country disinfranchised, can mean a lot. It's only since MLK that changes, and the resulting healing began, and that's pretty recent. I say an apology is in order.
This legislator is clearly a moron and needs enlightenment. Somebody get him some decent books.
His other comment was outrageous too. If he thinks the jews who were living in a military dictatorship where the roads were lined with hundreds of people being crucified, could have had any effect on the death of anyone without being killed enmasse, he really needs help.
its so easy for people to say we sholud get over it but as a young person who is black it's kind of unfair that people of other nationalities can go back to their country and see where they come from but as a black person we dont know where we come from we just know africa, we dont know what country, what our culture is like, or any of our african traditions entail so for those that say 'get over it' you need to keep your mouth shut.
I don't mean to be a nit picker, but it's spelled:
Apologize
Apologizing
This thread has been very civil. Good job! America, like most countries in the world has a checkered past. Let's jump backwards from the slaves to what the explorers and settlers did to the native Americans ... but I'm sure that could be an entire other thread.
Chances are that most citizens of the state of Virginia's very own relatives weren't even in this country during slavery. It's not an issue of "getting over" anything. It's an issue of moving forward and making sure that it doesn't happen again.
This legislator is clearly a moron and needs enlightenment. Somebody get him some decent books.
That about covers it for me--other than the fact of the *timing* of this, and that this guy has been in the house for 25 years.
Acknowledgement would help quite a bit, but obviously some places and people still have a ways to go.
what "blacks" should be apologized to. those that can show direct ancestry? or all. does that include those that are 1/8th black and rest white? or those from other countries now classified as black but no history of slavery? Ill say get over it to all. that includes my fellow native americans. (indian) which im part of. ya got beat in a fair fight. (alls fair in love an war) get on with life or it will get past you. and no whining about how the white man has conspired to keep you down. GOD this subject gets old!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
apologize to whom?
