Senate Approves Slavery Apology

[nowhereman 1]

Nobody is condoning slavery... pretty much everyone agrees that racism & discrimination still exist, but most would argue that today's society as a whole has improved in regards to these issues. With that being said I strongly disagree with apologizing for something I never did. We took America from the Indians & that was wrong as well; should I apologize for that too? The list could go on & on... what's more important than a token apology is an overall shift in society's mindset & although there is still room for improvement we have come a long way in 150 years.

Yeah the Indians weren't much on border security.

But they did go on the War-path from time to time... which is more than we can say concerning our reaction to the new flood of foreigners in our time.

We had superior technology vs the Indians & that's how we conquered them. We were also the bad guy, but history doesn't see it that way because we won.

[alienlovechild 75]

We had superior technology vs the Indians & that's how we conquered them. We were also the bad guy, but history doesn't see it that way because we won.

More to it than that as Afghans and N. Vietnamese had inferior technology, too.

The Indians were rarely united and never saw themselves as a single nation. Some were brave warriors but they lacked disipline to fight in units for long campaigns. That's how most colonized people lost even when armed with similar weapons. Bayonets worked well against natives who had ample experience in close combat.

The Indians haven't been viewed as the bad guy for decades in the movies. Most American are proud to claim they are Indian even if it's only 1/8th or 1/16th.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Many other people today may feel they had nothing to do with it and thus are not responsible for an apology. However that doesn't change the fact that it still happened and our government was apart of it for a long time and the history of our country is rich in it and the effects still have waves in our culture and society today. A government apology was overdue even if it has little news coverage and meaning to some in todays context when there are more important issues over shadowing it in our government and news today. It is as much our cultural heritage even if it is a sore spot for some to look honestly at as it still defines where we came from and a part of who we are today. They have shown that the way Americans view mixed raced advertisments is much different then say the way Britian would view a mixed race ad or another society and culture for that matter. Regardless if an American person realizes it or not it is still apart of their perception to this day because of our cultural history. The issue still continues as an ulcering under current of society.

[alienlovechild 75]

They have shown that the way Americans view mixed raced advertisments is much different then say the way Britian would view a mixed race ad or another society and culture for that matter.

Census data and polls have shown a huge shift on mixed race relationships beyond some study on advertisements.

[Ban Hammer 13,398]

We had superior technology vs the Indians & that's how we conquered them.

we also had smallpox too.

[nowhereman 1]

We had superior technology vs the Indians & that's how we conquered them.

we also had smallpox too.

Ouch

Many other people today may feel they had nothing to do with it and thus are not responsible for an apology. However that doesn't change the fact that it still happened and our government was apart of it for a long time and the history of our country is rich in it and the effects still have waves in our culture and society today. A government apology was overdue even if it has little news coverage and meaning to some in todays context when there are more important issues over shadowing it in our government and news today. It is as much our cultural heritage even if it is a sore spot for some to look honestly at as it still defines where we came from and a part of who we are today. They have shown that the way Americans view mixed raced advertisments is much different then say the way Britian would view a mixed race ad or another society and culture for that matter. Regardless if an American person realizes it or not it is still apart of their perception to this day because of our cultural history. The issue still continues as an ulcering under current of society.

I generally agree with you, but we part ways about the apology.

[Scott & Lai 12]

The symptoms still pervay to this day and evidence of that is that it wasn't until 2009 that the United States accepted the first half black half white presidential elect in it's history.

Colin Powell had a good chance of being accepted as president in 1996, but he dropped out early on. Many were disappointed about that.

Many other people today may feel they had nothing to do with it and thus are not responsible for an apology. However that doesn't change the fact that it still happened and our government was apart of it for a long time and the history of our country is rich in it and the effects still have waves in our culture and society today. A government apology was overdue even if it has little news coverage and meaning to some in todays context when there are more important issues over shadowing it in our government and news today. It is as much our cultural heritage even if it is a sore spot for some to look honestly at as it still defines where we came from and a part of who we are today. They have shown that the way Americans view mixed raced advertisments is much different then say the way Britian would view a mixed race ad or another society and culture for that matter. Regardless if an American person realizes it or not it is still apart of their perception to this day because of our cultural history. The issue still continues as an ulcering under current of society.

IMO, this apology is analogous to you harming someone, and then I, who had nothing whatsoever to do with the harm and not being around at the time, apologizing to the person in your place, as though I actually was responsible....

I don't know how "Americans" view mixed race advertisments, so can't speak for them, but my thought on viewing them is "cool." They don't bother me one bit, and I'm glad that we as a society have progressed to the point where such becoming more and more commonplace.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Nobody is condoning slavery... pretty much everyone agrees that racism & discrimination still exist, but most would argue that today's society as a whole has improved in regards to these issues. With that being said I strongly disagree with apologizing for something I never did. We took America from the Indians & that was wrong as well; should I apologize for that too? The list could go on & on... what's more important than a token apology is an overall shift in society's mindset & although there is still room for improvement we have come a long way in 150 years.

The Indians walked here and the Europeans took boats. But we all came from Africa.

No one is native to North America.

[jundp 191]

We had superior technology vs the Indians & that's how we conquered them.

we also had smallpox too.

And alcohol. But that came later in the destruction of Native American tribes.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

IMO, this apology is analogous to you harming someone, and then I, who had nothing whatsoever to do with the harm and not being around at the time, apologizing to the person in your place, as though I actually was responsible....

I don't know how "Americans" view mixed race advertisments, so can't speak for them, but my thought on viewing them is "cool." They don't bother me one bit, and I'm glad that we as a society have progressed to the point where such becoming more and more commonplace.

Scott, I think you are confusing collective or individual responsibility with institutionalized responsibility. For example, when the Catholic Church apologized for the harm it did to so many during the Crusades or when the Church turned a blind eye to what Hitler was doing to the Jews, what does that have to do with most individual Catholics? Not every German can be individually or even collectively blamed for the Holocaust, but Germany as an institution was guilty. We Americans take great pride in our historical achievements as we should, and we have also shown great sympathy and reverence for past atrocities such as the Holocaust, so that we may never forget. Making an institutional apology for apology is following along those same lines.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Other institutional apologies...

...in 1992, three years after Galileo Galilei's namesake spacecraft had been launched on its way to Jupiter, the Vatican formally and publicly cleared Galileo of any wrongdoing. (he died in 1642)

..................

Saving one of his most audacious initiatives for the twilight of his papacy, John Paul II yesterday (March 12, 2000) attempted to purify the soul of the Roman Catholic church by making a sweeping apology for 2,000 years of violence, persecution and blunders. From the altar of St Peter's Basilica in Rome he led Catholicism into unchartered territory by seeking forgiveness for sins committed against Jews, heretics, women, Gypsies and native peoples.

..................

The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany until 1990) offered official apologies for Germany's role in the Holocaust. (1992)

and they keep on apologizing... (Feb. 2000)

German President Apologizes for Holocaust

Visiting German President Johannes Rau Wednesday apologized for the Holocaust during which six million Jews perished, saying it is important to teach the younger generation about the past.

"I am asking for forgiveness for what Germans have done, for myself and my generation, for the sake of our children and grandchildren, whose future I would like to see alongside the children of Israel, "Rau said while addressing the Israeli Knesset, the parliament.

...........

Edited June 21, 2009 by Col. 'Bat' Guano

[nowhereman 1]

Nobody is condoning slavery... pretty much everyone agrees that racism & discrimination still exist, but most would argue that today's society as a whole has improved in regards to these issues. With that being said I strongly disagree with apologizing for something I never did. We took America from the Indians & that was wrong as well; should I apologize for that too? The list could go on & on... what's more important than a token apology is an overall shift in society's mindset & although there is still room for improvement we have come a long way in 150 years.

The Indians walked here and the Europeans took boats. But we all came from Africa.

No one is native to North America.

True, but the Indians were here first & we pretty much evicted them from their homes by force. ALC made a good point earlier about how we conquered them... I said thru superior technology & he added because they were largely independent nations (divide & conquer).

[Danno 1,228]

Nobody is condoning slavery... pretty much everyone agrees that racism & discrimination still exist, but most would argue that today's society as a whole has improved in regards to these issues. With that being said I strongly disagree with apologizing for something I never did. We took America from the Indians & that was wrong as well; should I apologize for that too? The list could go on & on... what's more important than a token apology is an overall shift in society's mindset & although there is still room for improvement we have come a long way in 150 years.

The Indians walked here and the Europeans took boats. But we all came from Africa.

No one is native to North America.

True, but the Indians were here first & we pretty much evicted them from their homes by force. ALC made a good point earlier about how we conquered them... I said thru superior technology & he added because they were largely independent nations (divide & conquer).

Speaking of Indians.... has any of the Indian nations apologized for their practice of slavery?

[Danno 1,228]

When does apology come from Washington come which addresses the hundreds of years WOmen were treated as political-slaves.... with no right to VOTE?

[_Simpson_ 250]

oh and what about apologizing for dropping the bombs in Japan