Va. lawmakers apologize for slavery

[Fandango 1,439]

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.

A major part of my argument is that since it did happen before our time, there is no apology needed. Therefore this comparison doesn't fit as Australia's situation is different.

Key words, ya shouldn't overlook

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

BTW - a contextual issue that noone has mentioned so far, it's Black History Month

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

A major part of my argument is that since it did happen before our time, there is no apology needed. Therefore this comparison doesn't fit as Australia's situation is different.

Slavery took place "before our time", but the results of that repression are still being felt. Certainly as far as Virginia goes - slavery is a big part of their early history. Clearly its a subjective argument - but my point is that something that happens within living memory has a far stronger argument for apology.

That said as race is still a big issue in the US, tied as it is to class and economics - an apology (politically motivated as it might be) still has relevance IMO.

[Fandango 1,439]

A major part of my argument is that since it did happen before our time, there is no apology needed. Therefore this comparison doesn't fit as Australia's situation is different.

Slavery took place "before our time", but the results of that repression are still being felt. Certainly as far as Virginia goes - slavery is a big part of their early history. Clearly its a subjective argument - but my point is that something that happens within living memory has a far stronger argument for apology.

That said as race is still a big issue in the US, tied as it is to class and economics - an apology (politically motivated as it might be) still has relevance IMO.

And imo, an apology implies guilt and does nothing to bring the races together as one people.

None of us can help what race we were born into. none of us can rewrite history. I'm certainly not going to apologize as a white woman for something some white people did long before I got here, no sir!

[Heracles 417]

Okay, Virgina has apologized. Let's now see if people will be able to forgive..

Edited February 26, 2007 by Infidel

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

A major part of my argument is that since it did happen before our time, there is no apology needed. Therefore this comparison doesn't fit as Australia's situation is different.

Slavery took place "before our time", but the results of that repression are still being felt. Certainly as far as Virginia goes - slavery is a big part of their early history. Clearly its a subjective argument - but my point is that something that happens within living memory has a far stronger argument for apology.

That said as race is still a big issue in the US, tied as it is to class and economics - an apology (politically motivated as it might be) still has relevance IMO.

And imo, an apology implies guilt and does nothing to bring the races together as one people.

None of us can help what race we were born into. none of us can rewrite history. I'm certainly not going to apologize as a white woman for something some white people did long before I got here, no sir!

Perhaps that's why so many people consider the Holocaust a German problem, rather than a human one.

Edited February 26, 2007 by erekose

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Check your history. There were white slaves too. My aunt's non-white family owned white slaves in Virginia. Some of you white folks that don't like what you perceive as the state "favoritism" toward blacks can maybe take some solance in that.

Edited February 26, 2007 by Green-eyed girl

[Fandango 1,439]

A major part of my argument is that since it did happen before our time, there is no apology needed. Therefore this comparison doesn't fit as Australia's situation is different.

Slavery took place "before our time", but the results of that repression are still being felt. Certainly as far as Virginia goes - slavery is a big part of their early history. Clearly its a subjective argument - but my point is that something that happens within living memory has a far stronger argument for apology.

That said as race is still a big issue in the US, tied as it is to class and economics - an apology (politically motivated as it might be) still has relevance IMO.

And imo, an apology implies guilt and does nothing to bring the races together as one people.

None of us can help what race we were born into. none of us can rewrite history. I'm certainly not going to apologize as a white woman for something some white people did long before I got here, no sir!

Perhaps that's why so many people consider the Holocaust a German problem, rather than a human one.

there you go again, lol

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Perhaps that's why so many people consider the Holocaust a German problem, rather than a human one.

Yeah like Ahmadinejad.

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

perhaps you missed it the first time around. show me any place that has plenty of money for schools and roads. i'm in virginia right now and i've driven over quite a few shoddy roads. dodging potholes seems to be a way of life here. along with perpetually crowded roads.

yes they will always "fix roads" and provide "funding" for schools, but that does not mean the money for either is adequate, does it? so let's have some more meaningless yet feel good legislation, shall we?

furthermore, their wages are paid for by taxes. don't they have something more important to do than pass useless legislation is my point.

Are you qualified as a State Accounting Analyst? Can you do better, if you can do better then run for office right? You will find out why there's potholes. You shouldn't be thinking of that. And, it's not easy as it sounds to make new roads. I hope you already know this. Hey, but I'm open. The solution to this problem is that you must be competent to tell your city or state to improve way of life and you must also have a solution to this problem. Believe me, that they have experts that they consult everyday on economical issue. A mere non-expert like myself and you have no idea what is involved.

You should support your state. Some decisions are political factors, but, if you're worried about your tax dollars tell your state to hire less experts that gets paid 100k/year. I'm sure your state will run better with less experts.

no, i'm not a state accounting analyst. but that does not preclude me from having an opinion, does it? as for the rest of your statements, i find them humorous.

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

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.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The only way to reduce government spending is by more oversight so there isn't so much damn corruption AND by demanding fewer services. But no, we like all the services but we don't wanna pay for it. Please keep that recycling place open late, oh and that bus for senior citizens too and I also want a dog shelter. But can't you find someone else to pay for it?

[Fandango 1,439]

Check your history. There were white slaves too. My aunt's non-white family owned white slaves in Virginia. Some of you white folks that don't like what you perceive as the state "favoritism" toward blacks can maybe take some solance in that.

I never said anything about 'favoritism' towards blacks, nor do I recall anyone else doing so either.

I don't care what color the slave was, my opinion still stands.

And your implication that anyone would take solace in there being white slaves is not being culturally sensitive, is it?

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Ph.D.s in meaningful disciplines is an oxymoron.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Check your history. There were white slaves too.

Quite right - the people who fought in the Monmouth Rebellion were sold into slavery by the government of James II. Part-way through the mass executions they realised that they could make a profit by keeping them alive and shipping them off to Jamaica and Barbados.