slave trade 200years since its abolition,do you think we should be saying sorry?

Answer 1

i don't think you can apologise for history.children are not responsible for the actions of their forefathers.should the Romans -Italians apologise for invading Britain.i think not .apologising changes nothing.history is the past learn from mistakes and make a better future

Answer 2

First of all, it hasn't been 200 years. It hasn't even been a 150 years since the abolition of slavery.

By "should we be saying sorry?" I'll assume that you are white.

I can't tell if you're asking the question to make people angry or to be funny. You will probably accomplish more of the former than the latter.

Slavery was a horrible institution. White people were at one time responsible for that. So do I think I should apologize for the mistakes of my own ancestors (I am also white, by the way)?

The short answer is no.

As America has progressed, I believe I am in the majority in the belief that those times were dark for humanity as a whole. You should only be sorry if you have helped to perpetuate hatred and prejudice.

I am not my father or my father's father or his and theirs. I had nothing to do with it, and I am ashamed for all of human race taht it happened, but it isn't my fault. Times have changed. Don't forget the past, but focus on the future.

Answer 3

I think after all this time people out there should just realise one or two things yes it was 200 years ago and yes some Africans did sell they own people to the slave trade' Yes no one is saying this never happened. But we are all forgetting one thing the person who was sold and bought and treated like cattle was stolen from they home land away from they families. They never chose to be a slave . And yes my black ancestors would be proud and would have loved to see that there are so many great' great African Americana's and lots of other successful decedents from slave;s all over this world. Malcolm x ' Martin Luther king' Marcus Garvey. ALL give us the strenght to rise up and say we are not taking this any more. black man invented the traffic lights. we have done so much for society' saying sorry dose not mean any thing ' Action's speak louder than words.

Answer 4

What do we have to do with it? Our ancestors may or may not have been a part of it. My Irish ancestors were also slaves when they came over in the boat too. They were considered under the negro's(watch the movie gangs of newyork). The only people who need be said sorry to are the Native Americans--and we are taking care of that already. The sorry was given to the Afican American race already and they were given all their freedom as every other person, you know women had to fight for all the same rights too. We all have equal rights now. So their life is what they make of it - stop blaming others for what they can or cannot have. This subject angers me.

Answer 5

I think saying sorry is irrelevent as it wasn't us that enforced the slave trade but our ancestors and it's not those that are alive that will appreciate the apology, I understand why we're saying sorry, but it's meaningless unless your particular family participated in the slave trade. Those famillies that were affected by the slave trade will surely feel the same pain even after the apology if they haven't forgiven after all this time.

Answer 6

slavery still goes on today. almost every race and nation has slavery in their history. who are you saying sorry to, and what are you sorry for? do you personally own slaves? have you dabbled in indentured servants?

Maybe the individuals that you seem to think deserve an apology from people that have never been a part of slavery should pick up a history book and realize that their ancestors arent the only ones to be slaves, and to grow up, move on, and stop blaming the past centuries for their problems today.

Answer 7

For what? I have never owned any slaves nor do I know of anyone who has. All this is an attempt to keep racism alive and keep people such as Jesse Jackson and AL Sharpton for having to get a REAL job. And, if you look very closely at the history of slavery, you will see that it was other black people who were selling their own relatives into slavery. Instead, let us ALL move forward to a NEW AMERICA where we all are indeed EQUAL UNDER THE LAW.

Answer 8

I discovered several years ago that my great great great grandfather owned about 10 slaves in Alabama, before the civil war. Now, I'm not proud of that fact, however, I don't believe I can apologize for him. The problem is none of the folks who were slaves or slaveowners are around anymore, so who's doing the apologizing, and to whom is the apology given? Isn't it enough that everyone can agree that it was a horrible institution?

Answer 9

No. If all you know about slavery is the enslavement of Africans in early USA, then you have much to learn yet. Since before recorded history slavery has been a means of employment. If you don't look at the "whole picture" on slavery, you might develop a twisted attitude. Racism is just waiting to use you.

Answer 10

Did you personally enslave or trade enslaved peoples? If no, like myself, then of course not. This blame culture is causing us to dwell on the past and not build a better future. Germany does not constantly apologise for the things that it did during the second world war nor does the U.S.A. constantly apologise for Nagasaki and Hiroshima. This level of "saying sorry" for things that happened generations before us is ludicrous. Yes we can be sorry for what happened but we must be clear that we are not saying sorry for what happened. It was nothing to do with us.

Answer 11

It's a gesture that would mean a lot to those whose ancestors were sold as slaves. Although no-one in the present day is directly responsible for the slave trade, it would do no harm to admit the mistakes of our ancestors. Otherwise we appear to be ignoring them and by so doing, are effectively denying the slave trade ever happened. This would be the equivalent of denying the atrocities meted out on Jews by the Nazis. In other words it would be incredibly insulting and offensive to let this opportunity for remorse and reconciliation go by.