Why are white people not angry about slavery?

Question

Why is only black people that are angry about slavery? My ancestors where too enslaved by the Moors of North Africa, the Vikings, the Romans.

The earliest slavery documented where by the early Africa civilisations of Egypt and Babylon.

I just want to know intelligent views on why this is so?

Answer 1

(N)EGROS
(A)RE
(A)LWAYS
(C)AUSING
(P)ROBLEMS

Answer 2

Andy McJ's got it right. Black slavery in North America was only abolished a century and a half ago. In the scheme of things, that's comparitively recently. Slavery was (mostly) abolished in Europe over a millenium ago.

Furthermore, New World slavery was different than what had come before. When slavery existed in Europe, Saxon's enslaved Saxons, Celts enslaved Celts, etc. There was always some slavery based on the losers in war, which crossed cultural lines (and sometimes racial lines), but it wasn't a required condition of slavery. Likewise, in Africa, blacks enslaved other blacks.

However, with the establishment of plantations in the new world, a need for labor, coupled with the taboo on slavery in Europe, led to a search for loophole. Europeans didn't sell slaves in the 15th century, but Africans still did. So Spanish, and later other European settlers in the New World bought slaves from those who were selling them, and by default they were black. It didn't take long for the difference in skin color to become irrevocably linked with the status of slavery.

This change in attitude, probably more than anything else, lead the anger than is still felt in America one hundered and fifty years after slavery was once again abolished.

Answer 3

Some people do it simply because they believe in the idea of original sin: that the sins of the parent carry on to the child. It's the driving concept behind Christian doctrine, so it's a prolific concept in fundamentalist American society Personally, I think it's a bunch of crap. I'm black, and no one has ever enslaved me. Hell, I don't even know if any of my ancestors were slaves. But if they were I don't really blame "white people" as a collective whole. But to answer your question, in the grand scheme of things, slavery was abolished pretty recently. So recently that there are a handful of former slave owners still alive today. We were the last developed country in the WORLD to abolish slavery. It's a very embarrassing blemish on American culture and history. It is the darkest aspect of our history. So with it being so barbaric and so recent, it's only natural for there to be some lingering tension.

Answer 4

I don't thiink anyone should be angry about slavery, because it won't change what happened or make anything better now.

One must appreciate the situation of black America, though. Their enslavement here and subsequent government condoned/supported social abuse occured very recently from an historical sense. It's effects are very prevalent in society today, whereas the enslavement of my ancestors (undoubtedly at some point in the past) has no repercussions today.

Answer 5

There are so many reasons why black people are still upset about slavery and white people have let it go. Some will say because their ancestors were slaves they are owed something from me, my family came here long after slavery was abolished. Some will say that it's because it's so fresh in history. But so is WWII and you don't hear Jewish people speak about what they are owed from Germans. Some will say because black people want to use it as an excuse to continue living this type of life, place blame for their misfortune on anyone other then themselves, taking no responsibility. Then there are the ones who are uneducated on the topic all together, the ones who may not even realize that their ancestors were sold by warring African tribes. So black people are to blame just as much as white people.

All these answers are true, and false. It's depends on each individual. I've heard many black people tell other black people to get over it.

The fact is it doesn't exist in the USA anymore and hasn't in a very very long time. To remain angry about something that you didn't experience and don't know someone who has experienced it, because they have all passed a long time ago, is defeating the purpose. Should we forget what happened? No, when we forget our past is when we are doomed to repeat it. But it's time to let things go.

Answer 6

White slavery still exists in parts of Asia and the middle east, so the excuse that blacks were the most recent to held in slavery is incorrect. You can still get a good price in those areas for young white women.

Answer 7

First of all some white people are angry or grieved about slavery and many black people don't really give slavery much thought. But in regards to those people who are angry it usually has to do with having listened to a lot of propaganda designed to further someones political career or agenda.

It's used as a psychological tool to fire up people's emotions so that they can point their fingers at the past to explain why there is economic disparity between people of different races here in America today.

"Never mind that there are very wealthy black people like Oprah or professional athlete's. Forget about the many successful black professional doctors and lawyers who studied hard in school and worked their way up the economic ladder. Don't pay attention to the many ignorant and unschooled white people who live in poverty and don't try to follow the examples of successful people of all ethnicity's.

Instead blame the past for your life today not being all that you want it to be and demand that the government take action and pass out free money in the form of "reparations".

That's the type of rhetoric that gets people focused on who to blame instead of on what they can do to make their own personal lives better.

Answer 8

Because the intelligent view is that historical slavery doesnt need to interest us in the slightest.

I remember when Prime minister Blair was asked to apologise for slavery last year and how pathetic the whole saga was - I think only people actively engaged in slavery right now should apologise. Shall we get the Scandinavians apologise for invading 1000 years ago?

Answer 9

It was a terrible thing. However, the difference is that the consequences of the slavery of Africans in America has had long lasting effects. Effects that we can still observe to this day.

Answer 10

I am not angry, because this is in the past. If you dwell on the past, you cannot enjoy the future. I am very sorry for those whose family members did go through those awful things, but they just need to accept what happened, be grateful that slavery is dead, and move on.

Answer 11

Not sure what you mean. I'm white and I get very angry about slavery. I believe that no one should be Owned by another person. The whole idea disgusts me.