1) No one alive today owned slaves. The Abrahamic God might yap about 7 generations, but that's not the way our laws work.
2) Given the vast amount of immigrants post civil war, I'd claim a majority of Americans have no possibility of a slave holder, seller, or even supervisor in their past. I did the math myself (solid northerner, pretty good family records) and calculated out of my 130 K (or so) ancestors since the Pilgrims landed, 80+% no possibility, 20% possible/not probable, maybe 6 people likely (sailors), and one confirmed. Pretty hard for me to feel guilty, about the one rich Puritan 15 generations back (Table the NA guilt Q.)
On the other hand genetic testing says 80-90% of all African Ams have white blood and pretty much anyone but Strom Thurmond would agree most didn't come from love childs. So a vast majority of African-Americans have way more slave owner, etc. blood than I and a majority of Ameicans.
So why should I cut a check for what their parents did?
2007-04-05
15:51:37
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21 answers
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asked by
Anonymous