Should white men be punished for what they've done in the past?

Question

As in, should white men be stripped of some rights and some privledges, and recieve less support from the government because of things they've done in the past, such as slavery, racism, and sexism?

Answer 1

Only if they are personally repsonsible - which is unlikely. You cannot impose collective punishments, particularly for historical events - to do so would be as unjust as the original crime. It would be no more justified than arresting every black man in a town because one black man committed murder 30 years earlier.

It should also be borne in mind that it was not only white men that indulged in slavery - many slaves were captured and sold into slavery by rival tribes or by arabs. Slavery at the time was not generally recognised as wrong - attitudes and recognition of basic human rights have come a long way in the last 200 years. No slave trader would have considered that they were doing anything wrong (as indeed they weren't on a strictly legal basis). If any slave traders should be punished, it should be those who continued after slavery was made illegal.

Tony Blair's intention to use the 200th anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery in the UK to express regret at slavery is about right (I guess he had to get something right eventually). There is no need to apologise because the people who should be apologising are dead, as are the people who should be apologised to and the slavery industry was not recognised at the time as anything other than a legitimate business, taken in the context of the times. It is only now with hindsight that we see how truly awful slavery was and in that respect an expression of regret to the descendants of those affected by slavery seems about right.

Neither racism nor sexism are by any means exclusively the failings of white men.

Answer 2

No matter how much one feels about injustices in the world. It is the problem of the people of that particular time. I am not guilty of the sins of my fathers and I will pay no price. The same for American blacks that have ancestors that were slaves. They were never slaves and deserve no extras in life because of it.

Pretty simplistic isn't it. Truth is it is more simplistic than is possible. Blacks or if you prefer African Americans are paying a price for having slave ancestors. I see them trying to maintain their own identity- unfortunately being a minority means that the way things are done in the white world vs the black world does not very often bring success. Most Blacks today that are successful are because they acted "white". Save for the music industry which has been a boon to their community.

There are the arguements that because of the seperation of cultures and the inherent disadvatage, that we need to give people of color extra's and the people that believe it do so with all their worth. It is a noble cause that has been debated for a longtime now and the jury is still out, I would think that even the strongest proponent would agree that it is a temporary measure.

Then there is the group that believes it is wrong to seperate. This position is carried by mostly white people, but interesting enough there are many people of color that also believe it, arguement being there will always be racism as long as there is seperation in any particular way- especially when the government mandates it. I strongly feel that a way to increase get along is for the African American community to have strong examples of leadership and heroes. People that are teachers and scientist, no longer can the leaders of the African American community be politcal pundits whose message is always about equel rights, or Black rights. The Rev. Jesse Jackson seems to fit the mold of the new way of thinking, but even more so is Barak Obama who's message about America and moving forward.

So should white people be punished? I can hardly think of a way to make the bad feelings go away, and punishings whites makes little sense. I think it is more about time heals all wounds.

Answer 3

Lest it escape your notice, slavery, racism and sexism are very much alive and well today, among all races, and on just about every continent, in every country. Read a newpaper. They are less prevalent, perhaps, or less center-stage in world news in some societies, but they are far from being just 'white man' offenses. So, I guess, if you're suggesting you'd like to single out white men specifically, you're basically talking about engaging in more of the same, for your own reasons, despite the fact that you seem to object to such things. Which in turn makes you also deserving of oppression. Maybe not such a good idea, hmmm?

Answer 4

Only if other races should be punished for what they have done in the past. Black people in America commit over half of homicides despite making up only 13 per cent of the population. Should they be punished?

How about the fact that despite being outnumbered by whites five to one, blacks commit eight times more crimes against whites than vice-versa?

How about the fact that interracial rapes are almost exclusively black on white?

How about the Barbary slave trade, under which over 1 million white Christian Europeans were enslaved in North Africa until the middle of the 18th century? No sir, if you think about it, this question is racist toward white people. It is a tactic media uses to sway public opinion and stimulate public unrest.

Answer 5

i could would desire to disagree mutually with your declare to being a "guy", atheist or in any different case. everyone who's so judgmental of others, then makes use of the argument "they was once even worse than i'm...nonetheless they don't do it any greater, and that i by no ability stopped" is lame previous thought. Your spouse isn't a tramp. She made a vow, and she or he has been honest to it as you admit. You made a vow, and you have not saved it. you're a misogynist. you're a hypocrite. you have become your father and you're monitoring tochronic your unborn son interior the comparable path with the aid of your occasion. Spiritually speaking, as you word it, you are the broken products on the grounds which you have by no ability got here across forgiveness on your individual heart and you do not care to look. there is healing. there is forgiveness. there is wish. Your spouse has got here across it...I pray you will.

Answer 6

People should be punished for THEIR actions, not because they physically resemble others who committed crimes or mistreated others in the past.

Mistreating someone because of their race is called RACISM. Mistreating someone because of their gender is called SEXISM.
This suggestion is both sexist and racist.

Deciding to single out white men for punishment because of what their ancestors may or may not have done is just plain wrong.

Let's get past sticking people in groups so we can get angry and hate them, it is the only way to make the world a better place.

Answer 7

If you are punishing on ancestory then you need to punish much more then just the "white" race. South AFrica still has slaves, almost all Africa is controlled by warlords, virtually every country had slaves. Even the free Blacks during that era had slaves! It was the AFricans that captured their own people and traded/sold them for cotton and other imports. So if you to punish people you can start with this century and punish all of the slave owners of today, then move on to ancestory. If you think only "white" men own slaves you are wrong.

Answer 8

1st determine when your heritage arrived in America! I am 3rd generation. Why should I be punished when my ancestors were not even here. They did not, could not have contributed to slavery or the like or anything that took place before the 1920's.

My answer is a definitive NO!

Answer 9

By white men I assume you refer to the race as a whole. Should we be held responsible for the crusades? Black people for Rwanda? Dafur? Every race has done things wrong. If I saw a white guy whipping a black man into submission, I would end his life then and there. Just as I would do if I saw a black man doing the same to a white man. The world is guilty for their respective atrocities, we can do naught more than live above our heritage.

Answer 10

How can someone be held responsible for something an ancestor did. Sounds like you are looking for a free ride by playing the race card.

I don't recall ever owning a slave.

I do recall my that my my grandfather when immigrating to this country was immediately drafted by the north to fight in the civil war. Somehow he survived. Maybe you should be thankful to my ancestors for helping to free the slaves.

I can and should be held responsible for what I do, not for things that happened before I was born.