Va. lawmakers apologize for slavery

[Niels Bohr 72]

That's the problem. You need to elect candidates that will give you what you want. Or, if you can't get what you want then you must live with it. Either have them run your life, or you run yours. That's the way it goes. It's very easy to just complain. But, tell me what would you do when Economics is based on scarcity. Some people may be incompetent, but, if you let that get in your way of living a good life then I don't believe you should be in that state. It's a suggestion.

Trust me, if I ran the country. All high school drop outs will be put to death. And, you must get PH.Ds in meaningful disciplines or else you'd get kicked out of the country. That's how I want to run the country.

[Fandango 1,440]

The country has not apologized nor should it..

Really? Seems awfully like it to me

Have you read your own link?

Here, I'll highlight in red since you missed the key bits:

The National Sorry Day is an Australian event held each year on May 26 since 1998. It is not an official holiday.

Between 1995 and 1997 an enquiry was held into the removal of Aboriginal children from their families, the "Stolen Generation". The final report, "Bringing Them Home - Report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families" was released in 1997. One year after the release of the final report, a National Sorry Day was instituted, to acknowledge the wrong that had been done to indigenous families and so that the healing process could begin. Many politicians, from both sides of the house, participated. The Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, however, did not participate and does not support the concept.

The day was held annually until 2004. It was renamed National Day of Healing from 2005. However, in September 2005 the name reverted when the National Sorry Day Committee decided to restore the name Sorry Day.[1]

[Heracles 417]

OMG "civilizing them" was just written

OMG OMG OMG

That is the most literate response I can muster, sorry

Have a look at this..

Dictionary.com "civilizing"

Dictionary.com

civ·i·lize

–verb (used with object), -lized, -liz·ing.

to bring out of a savage, uneducated, or rude state; make civil; elevate in social and private life; enlighten; refine: Rome civilized the barbarians.

.....

www.thefreedictionary.com

civ·i·lize Pronunciation (sv-lz)

tr.v. civ·i·lized, civ·i·liz·ing, civ·i·liz·es

1. To raise from barbarism to an enlightened stage of development; bring out of a primitive or savage state.

2. To educate in matters of culture and refinement; make more polished or sophisticated.

Edited February 26, 2007 by Infidel

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The country has not apologized nor should it..

Really? Seems awfully like it to me

There are certain liberal ACLU equivalent groups demanding it but the government will not apologize for something they where not personally responsible for..

According that it seems members of the government already have...

Considering that The Stolen Generation took place within recent living memory - makes the argument somewhat more compelling, rather more in fact than an event which took place 200 years ago.

The country has not apologized nor should it..

Really? Seems awfully like it to me

Have you read your own link?

Here, I'll highlight in red since you missed the key bits:

The National Sorry Day is an Australian event held each year on May 26 since 1998. It is not an official holiday.

Between 1995 and 1997 an enquiry was held into the removal of Aboriginal children from their families, the "Stolen Generation". The final report, "Bringing Them Home - Report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families" was released in 1997. One year after the release of the final report, a National Sorry Day was instituted, to acknowledge the wrong that had been done to indigenous families and so that the healing process could begin. Many politicians, from both sides of the house, participated. The Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, however, did not participate and does not support the concept.

The day was held annually until 2004. It was renamed National Day of Healing from 2005. However, in September 2005 the name reverted when the National Sorry Day Committee decided to restore the name Sorry Day.[1]

Whether its official or not, its still recognized.

[Fandango 1,440]

Stop muddying the waters here, Erekose...sorry day is not a national holiday...there has been no offican apology from the Austrailian gov't.

So what was your point again?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Stop muddying the waters here, Erekose...sorry day is not a national holiday...there has been no offican apology from the Austrailian gov't.

So what was your point again?

Whether its official or not, its still recognized.

[Fandango 1,440]

Stop muddying the waters here, Erekose...sorry day is not a national holiday...there has been no offican apology from the Austrailian gov't.

So what was your point again?

Whether its official or not, its still recognized.

Well if it's not official, it has no bearing on this conversation, as then it's just a bunch of people making an apology.

Which is their perrogative

Otherwise, this whole fragmenting of the conversation which you brought about is superfluous, as always

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Do you think members of the current Australian administration were alive between 1900 and 1969?

Do you think that a government should apologise for something that isn't divided by 200 years of history (as much as that history might impact the current social set up of the country) where people who were on the shitty end of the stick are still alive?

[Elle 0]

I think National Sorry Day shows that Australia is apologising for the "Stolen Generation" not just once, but annually...National Sorry Day 2006

[Heracles 417]

Do you think members of the current Australian administration were alive between 1900 and 1969?

Do you think that a government should apologise for something that isn't divided by 200 years of history (as much as that history might impact the current social set up of the country) where people who were on the shitty end of the stick are still alive?

Forgiving is much more powerful than apology.

[Fandango 1,440]

Do you think members of the current Australian administration were alive between 1900 and 1969?

Do you think that a government should apologise for something that isn't divided by 200 years of history (as much as that history might impact the current social set up of the country) where people who were on the shitty end of the stick are still alive?

That is not the topic at hand. You brought up Sorry Day, yet it's proven to not be a national holiday, nor has the Australian gov't made any attempt at any apologetic legislation. Furthermore, the PM has refused to even participate and it is cited that he does not support the event. Ps...thanks for the link...all that information was provided in the lil blurb on it

Therefore it is moot as I would have no problem if a bunch of people were to start a campaign and call it 'Sorry for Slavery' day. I don't care if lawmakers go on their own time. I do, however, have a problem with official state resolutions being passed on something that happened before our time.

Which again, was the topic at hand. So try to keep it relevent, yeah?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Do you think members of the current Australian administration were alive between 1900 and 1969?

Do you think that a government should apologise for something that isn't divided by 200 years of history (as much as that history might impact the current social set up of the country) where people who were on the shitty end of the stick are still alive?

Forgiving is much more powerful than apology.

Usually forgiveness comes about by a recognition of the original problem

[Heracles 417]

Forgiving is much more powerful than apology.

Usually forgiveness comes about by a recognition of the original problem

No one is denying it or slavery.

Edited February 26, 2007 by Infidel

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Therefore it is moot as I would have no problem if a bunch of people were to start a campaign and call it 'Sorry for Slavery' day. I don't care if lawmakers go on their own time. I do, however, have a problem with official state resolutions being passed on something that happened before our time.

The point in this case is that it didn't happen "before our time". Many of the people who are in the government today were alive when it happened. The victims are alive too. That makes the argument for an official apology rather more compelling that it does for something that happened 200 years ago. How about something that happened 5, 10 or 15 years ago? The fact that you weren't' in a particular job at the time is irrelevant to the fact that people profitted (albeit indirectly) from the repression of others.

The need for such apologies diminishes as more time goes by (hence the Romans). That said, the subjugation of blacks (by slavery) in the US is a major reason for the current social state of the country.

[Heracles 417]

The fact that you weren't' in a particular job at the time is irrelevant to the fact that people profitted (albeit indirectly) from the repression of others.

How do you feel about certain African-American groups now using slavery against Caucasians and almost holding them for ransom by saying we want x otherwise we will damage your reputation, by branding you a racist. Is that justified?

Is it okay for them to profit from the history of slavery while accusing Caucasians of profiteering from slavery?? Even though many people back in Africa also profited from it..

Edited February 26, 2007 by Infidel