Apologize for slavery? Why? I don't understnd, why would Blacks want an apology for that? What would it do?

Question

i think it's stupid, and where are these reparations that the japanese got. it's totally pointless and if my bf calls me fat, i wouldn't care.

man, i AM black, and i still don't see the point. "we are sorry you all were enslaved for damn near 500 years ...did that make the boo-boo feel better" it's just plain silly.

i mean "your ancestors"

Answer 1

Because if they apologize then shackles will fall off all slaves in the past and this will all have just been a bad dream. LOL. Nobody is alive that was even a part of slavery, nobody should apologize. Should they admit it was wrong? Yes. But who are they to apologize, I mean after all an apology implies fault. Nobody can make that claim.

The guy who posted above me is a complete moron.

Answer 2

As a nation, we apologized to the Japanese Americans who were interned during WWII. They were also provided reparations (albeit minimal) for their losses.

An apology for slavery would not in and of itself change anything but it would be helpful to acknowledge the history of Blacks in America.

Answer 3

The sad thing is,Blacks in Africa had slaves of their own and sold the Blacks there to the highest bidder for many years before the white man came along,then a bit later on us English arrived and were better than the African's at the slave trade,and were sold them by the African's, we then sold them on in America for worldly goods and the rest is history.

Answer 4

Ken, I beg to differ with you.

I think that all we tend to do is focus on the act that took place in this country some long years ago. Just as you mentioned that the Japanese americans were apologized to for their treatment during WW II, and reparations made, you fail to realize that these things were done for ex-slaves, as well, black, oriental, native american and white. The other aspect that you fail to mention and realize is that the slaves that were in country were granted automatic citizenship, whereas, prior to this, they were not officially citizens of the country. You fail to remember that the Japanese Americans interred during WW II were ALL already US citizens, and those in country that were not, had visas revoked and were deported to their home country because we were at war with their home country and it would affect the ability to wage that war. What furor would be raised had all slaves, that were not citizens, been deported to their home countries?

Just drawing a correlation for you.

Truthfully, I think we focus too greatly on the actions of people long dead and buried that have no direct affect on our modern world, and all it tends to do is keep racism on the forefront for those who wish to profit from it (namely racist groups like The Aryan Brotherhood, The KKK, and the NAACP, all of which have current racist agendas and promote racism within their own race of people to justify their existence). If we, as a nation of people, in one voice, said "NO MORE", and stuck to it, destroying these groups for the better good of our society, I think we would be better off as a nation, truly diverse in one voice.

But that may be too utopian a concept for those who would rather hate each other. I expect a bunch of flack for this answer.

Hope this helps...

Answer 5

You are kidding, right?

Of course an official apology should be made. Because it is the right thing to do. Because it might help take some of the sting from past wrong. Because not doing so is mean-spirited and makes things worse, and looks suspiciously racist.

By the way, to whom do you refer when saying "blacks"? Do you mean American citizens of African descent, whose forebears have been here since before the Republic was founded and who contributed things like jazz and rock and roll and other things?

Answer 6

It acknowledges that the government admits to a fault.

If you don't understand, that's like your boyfriend saying; "Why should I apologize for calling you fat? What good would it do?"

Answer 7

we werent even around then why should we apologize there own people sold them into it. there people should apologize to them. and lets get rid of the hate that keeps tearing our country apart.