why is it that people feel they have to appologize for slavery?

Question

i dont think anyone should have to appologize for what their ancestors did. there was no excuse for the salvery and horrible treatment of African people in colonial america. but that doesnt mean someon should expect an appology for someting that their ancestors did. and not all people with dark brown skin or people of african decent have slave ancestors. and for the people who do appologize you shoulndt have to because ti wasnt you. it is ****** up that anyone expects and appology or that anyone feels they should have to appologize for it. and in that case should all people of egyption ancestroy appologize to jewish people for having them as slaves even though it was forever ago. and i dont expect all russians and germans to appologize to me for having slavic slaves 400-500 years ago (slav is where the word slave came from by the way)

Answer 1

What most fail to realize is that we (black men and women) are really not interested in apologies for slavery, and in fact are insulted when it happens. What we want is equality in employment, housing, schools, etc. We are as tired as you are of the meaningless apologies and mixed emotions.

Answer 2

I agree, I think that its at a point where it is done, past, time to move onwards. Personally, I have friends of all races and cultures and it has never occurred to me that i needed to apologize for anything to anyone. My ancestors were busy at the time of American slavery being treated as serfs/slaves in rural Ireland by the British. I don't expect an apology from the crown myself.

Slavery happened, but as you say, it did happen worldwide to various groups at one time or another. African tribes also enslaved each other and sold other tribes into slavery to the whites. The Japanese were notorious for their "comfort women" that they enslaved during WW2. In that case, the surviving women are right to sue for damages and an apology as the crime is recent, and the perpetrators are still alive. So the blame is placed accurately.

No one gives anyone anything. You have to develop political and economic power and force their hand. That has always been the case, from the Romans onwards.

Besides, an apology means nothing. Words are just words.

And apologies to the girl who mentioned that slavery is only 30-50 years in the past. This is 2007. Slavery in the US was over as of the Emancipation proclamation, in the late 1800s. Discrimination and harassment, which continued (sometimes to present day) after that and slavery are not the same thing. Not fair, not right at all, but very different from owning another person in the eyes of the law like cattle.

Answer 3

because people have been slaves for hundreds of years ago and just recently got off slavery like 30 years ago. BUT i understand where your coming from I wouldnt want an apology from someone just because they're ancestor slaved mine. BUT if someone would have disrespected me or my ancestor then yes I would want an apology. BUT I have to admit an apology does feel good even though Russian and german slaves were only 400-500 years ago african american slaves just offically stoped about 30-50 years ago so no its not that soon for an apology

Answer 4

Me too. Things happened in the past but people keep bringing it up. I was not part of that era yet I am being punished for it. That ain't fair...
Life is a continuous experience. It is given to us in stages, one day at a time, & this is enough. Do not look back and grieve about the past, for it is gone forever. Do not be troubled by the future, as God will provide. Live in the present and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering...

Answer 5

Slavery has existed for thousands of years, White Europeans were the first to abolish it.

Slavery exists, and is widespread, in Africa. Some countries just recently put laws on the books banning it. It's also widespread in the Middle East but the Arab slave trade was nearly as big as the European one in scope and came a thousand years earlier.

Answer 6

Slaves were usually captured by black African tribes. Black africans were enslaved by berbers and Arabs. The Turks enslaved europeans too. Slavery was practiced by all civilizations until 19th century , and when Europe and USA abolished it, Africans and the Arabs still practiced slavery until the 20th century.

Answer 7

i heard it was against the law to beat a dead horse.
every week some moron brings this up in yahoo.
keep your apologies, who wants an apology when it isn't heart felt. besides, like i said last week, i'll accept a thank you
for all my ancestors have done for our beloved USA.

Answer 8

It is very obvious you are obscene and vulgar and a racist. But you are not the brightest apple on the tree either. Christianity didn't start 200 years after Christ was crucified you idiot. Paul started Christianity As it is written in the bible a few years after he was crucified how stupid can you be.

Answer 9

No apologies necessary... not for me anyway...now what is, is equality in everything and giving recognition and credit where it is due. That's what's necessary.