The US Senate has just apologized for 250 years of Slavery.

[Shadowfax503]

The US Senate has just apologized for 250 years of Slavery.
Apologize for slavery? To who? Just the African slaves? What about the European Slaves, the Asian Slaves, or the Middle Eastern Slaves? Sometimes our government should look at the REAL history before trying to fix the past. The Colonies of Brittan did not only import African slaves but slaves from everywhere. The African slave trade became much larger due in part to the fact that it was easier to find a runaway slave who could not hide their slave markings (i.e. black skin in a white society)
Also the way I do math The United States of America "officially" became a independent nation in 1784 with the ratification of the treaty of Paris. All slaves in the USA were freed with the ratification of the 13th amendment in 1865. So 1865 minus 1784 equals 81 years. Where did you come up with 250 years? If you are talking about any time before 1784 then you need to be asking Great Britain for an apology! Please remember they (Brittan) didn't even allow the colonist to vote (main reason for the revolution) so the people of the colonies had ZERO say in the slave issue until 1784 and then in less than 80 years we as a nation shed the blood of 700,000 plus citizen to decide the fate of the slaves. In case you did not know The United States does not have slaves anymore.
I closing , We as a nation have paid our debt to the slaves not in money but in BLOOD. And that debt was paid to slaves of ALL races. We as a nation did not institute slavery on this continent, (the Europeans did that), but we ended slavery on this continent and at a very very high price. If anyone owes anyone the former slaves owe those who DIED for their freedom a very big THANK-YOU!

 

[Anovah]

An official apology makes sense. Slavery happened under America's watch. I mean...as a country, we ARE sorry that happened right? Just sad to see it's taken this long and the fact that it HAS taken this long is evidence that there is still healing to be done.

 

[MichaelFJF]

Our tax dollars at work.

 

[Billnew]

Glad thats taken care of.
Maybe they can ge ton to more important work now?
Shadowfax: good reminder of history.
I just accepted the liberal school lessons, that America brought slaves here.
And it kept going until the civil war.
I would offer, people of America did not have to buy slaves, but we couldn't make laws until we had independence from England. So the people looking for cheap labor
took advantage of the situation.

 

[utdbear]

Good, they apologized. Granted, those slaves died probably 100 years ago, but it's a good thing nontheless. Now how long until someone thinks that an apology is not enough?

 

[DaisyDay]

The US Senate has just apologized for 250 years of Slavery.
Apologize for slavery? To who? Just the African slaves? What about the European Slaves, the Asian Slaves, or the Middle Eastern Slaves?

Is the OP equating indentured servitude to slavery?

Sometimes our government should look at the REAL history before trying to fix the past. The Colonies of Brittan did not only import African slaves but slaves from everywhere. The African slave trade became much larger due in part to the fact that it was easier to find a runaway slave who could not hide their slave markings (i.e. black skin in a white society)

Not to mention, it was easier to see black slaves as less than human and they didn't die of disease so easily as native Americans.

I closing , We as a nation have paid our debt to the slaves not in money but in BLOOD. And that debt was paid to slaves of ALL races. We as a nation did not institute slavery on this continent, (the Europeans did that), but we ended slavery on this continent and at a very very high price. If anyone owes anyone the former slaves owe those who DIED for their freedom a very big THANK-YOU!

A few abolitionists died to free the slaves - more Southerners died to keep slaves. The Union soldiers, for the most part, died to preserve the Union.

 

[DaisyDay]

Our tax dollars at work.

Yes, an apology costs lots and lots of tax dollars. If the time spent on the resolution means time not spent in mischief, then those are dollars well-spent.

 

[MichaelFJF]

Yes, an apology costs lots and lots of tax dollars. If the time spent on the resolution means time not spent in mischief, then those are dollars well-spent.

Spoken by a true lover of inefficient government.

 

[xMinionX]

Symbolic gesture at best, meaningless waste of time at worst. Wholly irrelevant either way. If there is anyone out there who doesn't feel a bit badly that this country engaged in such a practice (regardless of how long), then the Senate saying "My bad" isn't going to change their minds.

 

[DaisyDay]

I suspect that some citizens (or children of) got up a petition and lobbied their representatives for this - much like they lobby for potholes to be filled or street names to be changed. It's a small gesture, but not meaningless for those who asked for it.

 

[jayem]

I'd favor paying monetary reparations IF, in exchange, all mandated affirmative action programs would be terminated. AA was intended to be a reparative measure of sorts. And though the intent was noble, it's proven to cause much discord and resentment. It might actually promote better race relations, if we agree to a one-time, lump sum payment to any citizen of African-American heritage as compensation for historical discrimination and economic deprivation. And then we all start over without any racial preferences. And we should do the same for Native Americans, too. I know it will never happen. And it presents huge problems; i.e., how much money is appropriate; who exactly is eligible; and how we handle other ethnic minorities--not to mention the cost. But I think it's an interesting idea.

 

[Axioma]

So am I correct in understanding that the OP is upset that the US Senate has admitted that slavery was, in fact, a bad thing?

 

[lemmings]

Our tax dollars at work.

I'm betting you weren't thinking this when 2010 became the "year of the Bible."

 

[Kid Fish]

I suspect that some citizens (or children of) got up a petition and lobbied their representatives for this - much like they lobby for potholes to be filled or street names to be changed. It's a small gesture, but not meaningless for those who asked for it.

This is the acorn for reparations.

Acorn.

 

[DaisyDay]

I'd favor paying monetary reparations IF, in exchange, all mandated affirmative action programs would be terminated. AA was intended to be a reparative measure of sorts. And though the intent was noble, it's proven to cause much discord and resentment. It might actually promote better race relations, if we agree to a one-time, lump sum payment to any citizen of African-American heritage as compensation for historical discrimination and economic deprivation. And then we all start over without any racial preferences. And we should do the same for Native Americans, too. I know it will never happen. And it presents huge problems; i.e., how much money is appropriate; who exactly is eligible; and how we handle other ethnic minorities--not to mention the cost. But I think it's an interesting idea.

Right, because all racial discrimination is a thing of the past.

 

[Shadowfax503]

So am I correct in understanding that the OP is upset that the US Senate has admitted that slavery was, in fact, a bad thing?

Please NO!
Slavery was, is and always will be an abhorrent misuse of power!
My point, in a nut shell, is that it is just lip service to an injustice that has already been corrected, and is being done for political purposes.

 

[Axioma]

You mean that a political entity composed of politicians has just committed an act of politics?

Wow, stop the press, someone.

 

[DaisyDay]

Please NO!
Slavery was, is and always will be an abhorrent misuse of power!
My point, in a nut shell, is that it is just lip service to an injustice that has already been corrected, and is being done for political purposes.

Oh, I was thrown by the other things you said, because this much I agree with.

 

[MichaelFJF]

I'm betting you weren't thinking this when 2010 became the "year of the Bible."

Do you make stupid bets often?

 

[Pwnerer]

I think that as a a gesture of sincerity the Democratic Party should officially disband, since they were the official pro-slavery party, as opposed to the Republican Party, which was formed as a radical anti-slavery party. Maybe the Democrats should have to pay reparations?