As a NATION (not individually) we are guilty of slavery. Since we always stress the positive aspects of our history and try to find meaning for our present from cherrypicking positive events in the past as symbolic for our great nation -- shoudln't we also accept our negative aspects and build a slavery monument or slavery museum on the mall in DC? And what about compensation for African Americans?
2007-07-18 00:17:08 · 12 answers · asked by innocentANDpc 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
The monument is a nice idea...compensation however is B.S. in my opinion.
2007-07-18 00:21:55 · answer #1 · answered by sweetgirl 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think a monument would be ok. But really there is nothing we can do, none of the blacks alive now were slaves or even had parents that were slaves. I accept that slavery sucks, and I am sorry that it happened. But I do not think that it is a good excuse for the current plight of african americans and I do not think there is any reason to compensate anyone.
I think the compensation or monument money would be better spent on serving the black community as it stands now... it is disproportionally hit by poverty, bad education, crime, HIV/AIDS, kidney and heart problems, and diabetes. I think it would be far better to put the money to programs that would actually help and make a difference, not just throw money at a problem like happens now, and not just grumble "Eh, sorry, here's your money."
I mean if you give every black person money it's going to be about $200 a person, right? So why not just take it all, say billions of dollars, and put it toward programs that will help a lot more. You can get some rent for 200 dollars, but the billions would help make it so you could buy your own much nicer and safer house.
2007-07-18 07:27:17 · answer #2 · answered by Rat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
America already recognizes its mistakes in regards to slavery. I'm pretty sure there is a museum somewhere in the nation dedicated to slavery, but yeah, it sounds like a great idea to have one big monument & a place to learn more about it within our nation's capital.
As far as compensation goes, that's not necessary. If we, African-Americans were to receive compensation it should have been a long time ago back when our ancestors, who were slaves, were still alive. It makes no sense to suddenly have the government pay out when we, the present generation, have had no real affiliation with slavery or have been deeply affected by it. Anyways, how the heck could people trace back their ancestors to being slaves? But we don't need a handout, what we need is discrimination & stereotyping to stop. Sure, in the past the white man has held us down, but that's history. Now we have more equal opportunity & plenty of chance to better ourselves.
We have affirmative action--& enough white people rag about that, so we're fine, thank you very much!
2007-07-18 07:46:07 · answer #3 · answered by Chick 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The nation has done enough. Its time to get over it and move on. Some people whine that we had slavery for 400 years.... wrong, Blame the Europeans!!! We as a nation had slavery from 1776-1865....the rest of the time it was the damned Brits.
Reparations....if you were a slave, you should get reparations. If you are not a 150 year old former slave, then STFU and quit crying.
Monument...the constitutional amendments that made slavery illegal(wasnt the emancipation proclamation by the way) are our monument to slavery becuase as long as this nation stands, slavery will never again exist.
No one should feel any guillt over something that happened centuries ago. Time to get rid of affirmative action and political correctness.
2007-07-18 08:59:03 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Shut up. We are not guilty as a nation because the nation was not united. We defeated them, if it was up to them there would still be slavery going on. It is not like everybody owned a slave, just rich people in the south. No one owes any body anything, people need to get that in through their head.
2007-07-18 07:22:39 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
more than 500,000 Americans were killed as a result of the that ended slavery in the US. The South suffered about a century of economic deprivation after that war.
No one alive today was a slave in the US. No one alive today was a slave owner.
# Constitutional Admendments were apodted to end slaverey and assure full rights to former slaves and their families.
This sound adequate for a nation in terms of repentance.
2007-07-18 07:25:20 · answer #6 · answered by Anthony M 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The problem is that the media won't use their power to educate the public about racism. And the public schools don't teach kids that slavery and genocide (Indians) are wrong. The truth really is that the white immigrants couldn't afford to pay for labor so they enslaved the Africans. And they couldn't afford to buy land so they stole the land and killed the Indians. They don't like to remind Americans about this so the media doesn't do as much as the Jewish people do about propagandizing against the holocaust.
2007-07-18 09:02:38 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
No!!! We do accept slavery as part of our past. We recognize high points in our history because these are the things that we grow on. We would be driven into the dirt if we focused on all the negative.
As far as compensation goes....Ill pretend you never asked that! That would be like me saying: " My great great great grandfather wasn't paid for his time fighting in the Civil war....(he wasn't)...so....Ill go ahead and take his pay now....if you dont mind"
2007-07-18 07:27:56 · answer #8 · answered by Nate the Great 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hey, puleeze. Get over it. Slavery still exists. In this nation. Whenever anyone uses credit, they have become a slave. As long as males head nations, some sort of slavery exists. None of my ancestors enslaved anyone. ALSO, as long as your whining for reparation or compensation, you must include black slave owners as well. Get it?
2007-07-18 07:24:10 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I just wanted to be sure what "race" is again, and constantly bringing up slavery.
Whites always say "Black people" are always bringing it up, but I see about 99% of the time that only whites do it.
What else you got? This subject shouldn't be constantly brought up according to blaming-everyone else whites. So stop bringing it up or give up the 40 acres and a mule.
Geesus...Armageddon will be a great day...all race baiters, hatemongers, revilers, and any sort of other evil, wicked men will die. Refreshing...no more of those who bring up slavery.
Blah
2007-07-18 07:38:58 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋