should slave decendants get public apology?

Question

Does anyone think it's about time slave decendants receive an official public apology for their treatment at the hands of Westerners?

Japanese prisoners of war recently received an apology after 60 years, should black people be awarded the same dignity after hundreds of years?


(I always select a best answer! Please share your views, and rate this question....if you like it!!)

to bamafannfl:
I am not from the US so dont pressume I know about your state laws. Your answer was quite confrontational, which is really uneccessary!

Answer 1

I watched a recent documentary where a group of black Americans went back to Africa to seek their roots.They all ended up deeply shaken in tears when they found out the slave trade in Africa was run by the blacks selling their own people to westerners.Perhaps when the black Africans apologise then we can move along the line to the westerners.

Answer 2

I pretty much disagree with all the answers so far. I look at it this way: if two friends or a husband and wife have an argument, the best way to heal things is for one of them to say "I'm sorry." After that, they can move on and get back to a healthy relationship.

I think it is the same with past wrongs. It is frustrating for people who have been wronged or whose famiy has been wronged to constantly hear "Oh, that was in the past; it's over now" or "Racism doesn't exist" or "I didn't do it personally, so what's the point?" What would be the harm in our president declaring that a wrong was done by our government in the past? Wouldn't that help people "move on," as others claim we should?

By the way, there has been a public apology and reparations for Native Americans. I know that for sure because my family got a small amount of money from it.

People who say that slavery was in the past are conveniently forgetting (perhaps because they have the luxury of being white) that the effects of slavery STILL CONTINUE TODAY. I don't know one black person who hasn't been stopped by the police for no reason, who hasn't been followed in a store or mistreated by a store clerk, who hasn't been judged unfairly because of skin color. Those things are happening TODAY, and they stem from the fact that people of color were not considered full human beings during slavery and even in the Constitution.

I think our society would have a better chance of healing racism--which it sorely needs--if a public declaration and apology were given by the government that slavery was wrong, that slaves were badly mistreated, that families were split apart, that huge white family wealth and national wealth was built on the backs of free slave labor, and that the effects continue to this day.

THEN we could "move on." Until then, it's just like telling your friend to "get over it" when you haven't apologized yet.

Answer 3

To confused man. do not forget that UVF UDA LVF RHC and other assorted murder squads never needed funding from america to wipe out catholics in Ireland back in the day they had the british army and british parliament to help them, if they wanted guns they just had to ask. Not that I have any preferance for any political group and hate the lot for taking away many happy childhoods but the full truth should always be told. Throughout history apologies for the way humans have acted disgracefully should be given in a genuine fashion not one where one is embarrassed into one it should always come from the heart, that is why england where allowed forgiveness by the Irish people for the 16 innocent people they killed on the stands of Croke park and for the first time this year the english national anthem was played to a very emotional public as for the first time ever a foreign game to Ireland was played at the home of irish sports. So yes apologies are good things to do as Ireland and England pave the way to show that bitter enemies can become friends, it sets an example to the rest of the world.

Answer 4

It depends on how their Lawyers can make the most money
This, of course ,is a typical "liberal" and "PCers" attempt to gain support!
See my other "Fascist rants"
This is a typical Marxist/Socialist/"liberal" agenda.
They don't care what happens or who was enslaved.
I say "Fascist rants"
To save you the trouble
Your first objection will be that we are not talking about Marxism.
I will give you some advice:
the name has changed:but you have not.
Reagan stopped Russian Communism.Supported byMaggie. And the inexorable spread of Communism which you assumed would give you power. was halted.
You then went into the Closet (as it were)
And re-appeared as "liberals" Or PCers
And began again!
You hoped to do even BETTER this time because you had a wonderful new weapon:

POLITICAL CORRECTNESS!
This would smother all debate, by making words meanigless unless shouted in the correct, prescribed ,fashion.

It is now impossible to have a reasoned argument.
Someone just shouts:
RACIST ! or FASCIST ! or ELITIST and
ALL OBJECTION STOPS!

There is, of course, a problem with this:
Some one might actually have a skill
or KNOW Something
THIS DOES NOT MATTER!
Any illiterate layabout can shout the words
And thus be in a superior position.
Any MEANING is defined by these layabouts
Themselves
Read George Orwell (1984 and Animal Farm)
If you think I'm kidding ?
Is it true that you can be marked down
in exams or course work if you don't put quotes
round the word Reality.

Now Listen I'm NOT mocking you!

I'm CONCERNED that you don't seem to
realise exactly how VICIOUS and UNFEELING
These people are.
Gotta go to another question and see how clever these people really are.
Don't bother about the flash words.
Just send a few funnies.

I'll be back!
With people like me around
Don't you understand why they want to control
EVERYTHING

Answer 5

I think it would be a good gesture on the part of president Bush to make a public statement of sorts explaining that what was done by a few Americans long ago was wrong and that America will not allow such a thing to happen again.
That way we might have a better chance of avoiding the internment camps being built to house anyone who protests the government.
Unfortunately, none of the actual offenders are still living today. In fact close to a million Northern soldiers died in the process of repealing slavery and preserving the Union. I think that constitutes a great sacrifice on the part of our countrymen.
Also, many of the poor people in the north worked in horrible conditions to process the cotton and tobacco produced in the south. Even though they weren't "slaves" they had a very difficult life too.
Most of this hardship was fueled by greed.
There are some other people who deserve mention as well. Don't forget them when you are writing the speech for our "fearless leader".

Answer 6

At the end of the day slavery was outlawed by westerners a long time ago, slavery has been ingrained in human history going back god only knows how many years, even before we started writing probably.
Slavery still goes on in a lot of coutries today mainly in Africa itself.
If people still feel they need an official to say sorry then they obviosly have nothing better in there lives.
Get over it and continue living why waste your life feeling bitter, you can't blame everything on someone else.
Every step of your life you are given choices, if you make the wrong one it is no-one else's mistake but you own. Stand up and take some responsibility for your actions.

Answer 7

Nope, I dont think so. I think they should just let it go. I mean people where wrong to have them as slaves but come on. An apology to me would be worth peanuts. Special since they are still being racist or unfair to people as we speak. It's always a minority race that gets bombed. If not black people, then hispanics, Asians and Japanese have been somewhat lucky as well as Irish (a friend said besides their accents you wouldnt differentiate them from caucasions) etc. Mexicans I can see why they are a threat, they work hard for the most part and like Asians and Japanese are willing to learn a new language to fit in. Have you seen how hard it is for US to get students interested in a second language. At least minority races do it (because they have to and they want to be successful.) I say forget the apology and just show some respect and let go of racism as well as fear that someone other than caucasion will be in charge of the US. There are always a few bad apples everywhere remember not all white people believe in slaves either. If black people keep holding on to that it will just heart them inside as well as mexicans just respect the law, do your work, and make sure that YOU are doing whats right. I don't want an apology, I know that they were wrong and still are but poor people, they cant see it. It's not like they would mean it anyways. I say keep your head high and do what you do. They'll be judged ......at some point. IT IS FUNNY HOW THEY BRING THE BLACK PEOPLE OVER TO WORK ON COTTON ETC. WHEN THEY NEED THEM, SAME WITH ILLEGALS (THEY WORK FOR LITTLE MONEY) AND WHEN THEIR DONE USING THEM....UGHH LEAVE PLEASE. respect people respect!!

Answer 8

Hi,
My descendants were Scottish and badly treated by the English hundreds of years ago, It was unfortunate for them and a crime just like any form of population abuse.
It was a different time and I don't think an apology could make any difference. There may be those who cannot get on with their own life because of something that happened 200 years or more ago, but if that is the case I do not think any apology can help them.
I have met a couple of ill treated prisoners of WW2 and I think it was one of them whilst describing what they had seen said the above "It was a different time".
Should the descendants of the Romans apologise for enslaving the English 2000 years ago? If they do not I will not lose any sleep, I am more worried about the problems of today.
This is all only my opinion of course!
Thank you for reading the above.

Answer 9

Slavery didn't begin in this country. Who would give the apology? Why now is there an apology needed? Slavery was a very horrible thing. I agree. If we stopped to give an apology to every ethnic group that has been treated badly or unfairly or even individuals then we wouldn't have time to be kind to those we meet, be compassionate tpo others, to Love one Another, respect one another. We ALL should be doing that NOW. I think that's what we should focus on. Our behavior now. I'm not trying to make light of slavery. Lots of things have happened throughout the beginning of time. We can't change that but now we can become better people. No matter what our ethnicity, color, religion, etc.

Answer 10

Not so fast. The women that the Japanese used as sex slaves have not been apologized to. In fact the current men in the govt. in Japan are saying it either didn't happen or not very much. Those women need an apology much more , to my way of thinking,than the decedents of slaves.Perhaps they should ask the countries in Africa that HUNTED, CAUGHT AND SOLD them for an apology. There are many other people in the world who treat people worse than we do. Look at some So. American countries, they kidnap children and put them in their armies. Castro is not exactly a sweetheart, nor his brother. So NO. Let the real meanies stand up and do their apologizing first.