Hey, sorry about the kidnapping, forced labor, and intentional destruction of your family structure.

Our bad.

P.S. We’re keeping the money.

Wow, what an apology.

Still, at least its better than what the Indians got..

The Supreme Court established in Plessy v. Ferguson the concept of seperate but equal. This was the law of the land at that time. It remained the law of the land until overturned in the Brown decision. Attempts to rewrite history in the context of today ignore that fact. Slavery, as an institution, was protected in the Constitution. This was affirmed by Lincoln in his inaugural address as he addressed the states which were seceeding. Apologize for slavery? If it soothes your conscience,and makes you feel politically correct, thats fine; but the fact remains it was a legal institution, and attempts to condemn it by “modern” standards are ignorant of the historical facts.

I’d like to know how many of those members have ancestors that actually owned slaves. I am an American after the fact. I do not have to be sorry for anything somebody who lived before me did. I’m sick of these idiots we elect wasting time on crap like this when there are better things to do. You think Medicare and Katrina paved the way for fraud. Try handing out reparations. I’m sure I can find some African DNA inside me. We all came from there, you know?

Some of our black friends on this blog might be interested to know that THEIR OWN PEOPLE “sold” them into slavery. During tribal conflicts the conquered quite often were “sold” into slavery by the victors. American blacks who take the tour of any of the embarkation points in Africa are shocked when when they learn that THEIR OWN PEOPLE sold their ancestors into slavery.

Another aspect to slavery is that “blacks” were quite often the LARGEST and MOST SUCCESSFUL slave “traders”.

The movie “Amistad”, which chronicled the successful bid for freedom by slaves off a mutinied ship left out one important fact. As it was based on a true story, after gaining his freedom, the principle character “Cinque”, made many trips back to Africa to procure slaves. He ended up being one of the most successful black “slave traders” at that time.

Alex Haley’s inaccurate depiction of the “slave trade” has done MORE to poison “race relations” between the various races and blacks than any other medium. His depiction of the “White European” chasing and capturing slaves was DEAD WRONG. Slave procurement was done through tribal elders. Persons of color (blacks) please check these thing out for yourselves. You will find that these things are TRUE.

What a waste of taxpayer’s money! With all the REAL work to be done they are busy passing resolutions on a practice that stopped over 100 years ago! EVERYONE knows that slavery was bad, but we did not invent it! There is not one person in the US that was a slave or owned slaves…

@taxpayer:

You’re right, slavery is expressly condoned in the Constitution.

Does that make it OK?

There is a difference between what is legal and what is “right”. If your friends help you get away with murder, you are still a murderer. Even if your friends are senators.

The fact that it was legal doesn’t mean that it is “ignorant” to condemn slavery, as you claim. I think you are ignorant for pretending that an apology isn’t owed. Reparations would be a start, but this “christian” nation is far too greedy for that. We’d rather spend a Trillion murdering Iraqis than correcting our many problems here at home..

Fine, now, if we can just get Britain, France, the Dutch, the Africans, and all the European nations that were involved in the slave trade (long before we were) to join this group hug we can move on to really important issues. The last president who publicly apologized for the slave trade (Clinton in ‘98) was accused by the right of “grovelling and pandering” so I would advise President Obama to avoid that trap. I am also opposed to any reparations paid to anyone other than a living survivor of slavery and that would be in the form of the promised (by Gen. Sherman without authority) of 40 acres and a mule.

@Sarah:

“Slave procurement was done through tribal elders.”

So that makes it OK? LOL. You are going to Hell.
Seriously. Hell. Jesus would hate you.

123456-Yes, slavery was legal under the Constitution. I ask you to not judge what people thought was “OK” over 200 years ago. The philosphical argument you wish to pursue, legal vs. YOUR definition of right, is pointless. And, yes, an apology is NOT owed. What was done was legal, and in the context of the times, was acceptable to the majority of the population.The vast majority of our population immigrated AFTER the War of Northern Invasion. They had no part in enslaving, nor in freeing the slaves.
I would be more in favor of money to those whites who fought to free the slave.Those who gave their lives to emancipate your forefathers, and did so without reward or thanks from your people.

@123456

Since slavery began with the blacks in Africa thousands of years before they ever saw their first white man when are the black African tribes going to formally apologize to one another for enslaving one another?

Black on black slavery continues in Africa continues to this day, however, the news media refuses to report it.

@taxpayer:

First, what makes you think I’m black? I’m white. Although I am from the North..

Second, you totally failed to get my point. The fact that something is legal is no excuse for evil behavior. The fact that something is “accepted by a majority” is no excuse for evil behavior.

Third, its not just something that happened 40 years ago, or 300 years ago. LOOK AROUND. Black people live in the ghetto and the mainstream black culture is absolute garbage because the U.S. federal government intentionally destroyed their family unit..

I’m really amused by Missourians. You all claim to be “Christians” but you are so NOT Christ-like it is laughable. You are prideful, hateful, racist, despicable people.

You all need to stop making excuses for things you know are evil.

Yawn!

@Lisa,

Its not about Africa, today or a thousand years ago.

Its about what happened in the United States of America.

Do you see the difference?

… god you people are dumb.

Do you think they are trying to say they are sorry ? well to me I think its a slap in the face because they should had did what DR. KING’S DREAM HAD SAID AND THIS WOULD HAD NEVER HAPPEN. WE HAVE BEEN SUFFERING FOR YEARS AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY WANT TO APOLOGIZE. BLACK AFRICAN AMERICANS AMERICANS WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No one alive in America today was a slave, and no one here was a slave owner. In this country you are not responsible for the sins of your father. And anyway, many of our ancestors didn’t even get here until after slavery was abolished.

Someone joked that the only thing that would happen if today’s African Americans received some sort of reparation for slavery would be that Cadillac would be the best-selling brand. Of course, now that Cadillac is owned by the government, who would be dispensing the reparations…

Taxpayer

You know that legal does not equal right. It is a weak arguement to defend the institution of slavery based on the legality of it at the time. People knew it was wrong back then, regardless of the law.

123456

What is your problem? I disagree with taxpayer,Sarah, etc., but to say they are “dumb” or going to “hell”? You are never going to have a useful discussion with anyone on this blog speaking to people in this manner. I disagree a lot with people, and they with me, but never have we insulted each other’s intelligence or had the gall to tell each other what Jesus would think of us.

Taxpayer and Sarah

Excellent job not stooping to this level.

Aaron

I hope I am around to see Black African-Americans wake up.

Taxpayer

You know that legal does not equal right. It is a weak arguement to defend the institution of slavery based on the legality of it at the time. People knew it was wrong back then, regardless of the law.

123456

What is your problem? I disagree with taxpayer,Sarah, etc., but to say they are ”dumb” or going to ”hell”? You are never going to have a useful discussion with anyone on this blog speaking to people in this manner. I disagree a lot with people, and they with me, but never have we insulted each other’s intelligence or had the gall to tell each other what Jesus would think of us.

Taxpayer and Sarah

Excellent job not stooping to this level.

Aaron

I hope I am around to see Black African-Americans wake up.

Let’s go ahead with reparations to the descendants of slaves and just to convince everyone of our sincerity we should prosecute the descendants of slave holders as well. Disregard the fact that they were legally allowed to do so, it was later established as wrong so let’s get ‘em.

Numbedout, don’t you think there can be a position between these two extremes? Between holding people accountable for the sins of their ancestors, and doing nothing at all to address the legacy of slavery?

This is a history we all share. It is the story of our nation. None of us are responsible for slavery, and we certainly don’t bear any guilt, but aren’t we responsible for acknowledging that past and trying to address it?

“Let’s go ahead with reparations to the descendants of slaves and just to convince everyone of our sincerity”

We as a country have given them billions already in education, housing, and food subsidies, let along preface in hiring the no compete clause, its called Affirmative action. Shall I go on?

I was gratified to read Senator Burris’ response to the resolution. Equality has truly arrived when an African-American can buy a seat in the US Senate just like all those white politicians before him. I eagerly await the day when the first black governor of the great state of Illinois is elected, inaugurated and ultimately indicted for crimes perpetrated while in office just like all those white politicians that preceded. In the meantime, please accept my apologies for the US Constitution of 1789, the Trail of Tears, the stock market crash of 1929, Hiroshima, Brown v Board of Education, and all the other controversial events in American history I may have overlooked. The check is in the mail.

Whether Africans inslaved Africans doesn’t matter. The fact that human slavery built much of the power of this country was something that needed to be acknowleged and apoligized for.

So, you think you’re not a slave, now? Consider the fact that every dollar you THINK you have is actually on loan from the Federal Reserve. And, you thought our national debt was a problem.

What a perfectly worthless, meaningless waste of taxpayer-supported time our illustrious Senate engaged in. They should leave the symbolism to Hollywood. There is not one person alive in the U.S. Senate or the U.S. as a nation who had anything to do with slavery; thus, this “apology” is hollow and needless. I would, however, be interested to hear an apology from our government for nearly 40 years worth of legally murdered, unborn children. I’m not holding my breath, though.

“Capital punishment is our way of demonstrating the sanctity of life.”– Orrin Hatch

Sarah,

I do believe that most Blacks and Africans realize this. But, weren’t Africans heathens and didn’t they worship other gods in these parts of Africa and they even sacrificed their children to these other gods? So, it doesn’t surprise me that they did such evil and satanic things.

On the other hand, wasn’t the supposedly great America supposedly a country founded on Christian principles and was she not the largest slave trader and holder of slaves in the entire world partaking in Africa’s evil becoming partners with her? I guess this kind of religious and Christian hypocrisy in America is just so deeply inbreed here that it is such a powerful stronghold that is choking the life out of his country.

The fact that Africans were guilty, that doesn’t place America in any better light and how sad you and so many others don’t understand or believe that. My guess is that you too are one who proclaims Christian? I do pity people who truly don’t understand what truth really is and here you are thinking it is it is something so surprising about Africans who worshipped other gods and who even sacrificed their own children to these other gods selling their own people into slavery.

Lisa,

Last November African leaders, Kings, Chiefs, local government officials and business leaders including The President of Benin, traveled to Atlanta, GA to seek forgiveness from African Americans for the role of Africans in the slave trade. It was organized by Dream Africa, an England-Wales based charitable organization who for the first time ever organized such an event that was first held in London in 2007 in recognition of the role Africans played in the slave trade throughout the United Kingdom.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art59523.asp

Sarah’s post is the most accurate here. Blacks sold blacks to the slave traders as a result of conquering other tribes. Blacks are still enslaving blacks in Sudan. The law of the land allowed it. Why should a law be passed for retroactive compensation? As long as blacks want to keep using slavery as an excuse for their failure as a race in this country instead of taking responsibility for their life, race relations will not improve. Many blacks think whites are born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Not so and get over it. We just had parents who held us to higher expectations and were involved in our lives. We went to school, stayed out of prison, and worked extremely hard to make a life for ourselves. We chose not to take the welfare route where families for 5 or 6 generations to support ourselves. God helps those who help themself. Why, becasue opportunities are presented to those who have prepared themself.

Clyde-I will take issue with 2 statements which have made.First, I was not defending the institution of slavery-I was asking posters to refrain from judging an event which occurred years ago in the context of todays morality.
Secondly, you assert that all people accepted, hundreds of years ago that slavery was a great evil. Consider this analogy. 200 years from now it will become accepted fact that apes are sentient beings and these future people will look back at us and condemn us for having caged these apes and forced them into circuses for our amusement, even used them for medical experiments! Different eras, different perceptions. Whether slavery was an evil or not can be debated from both sides. It could be argued that the lot of the Africans was enhanced by removing them from the jungle where they were leopard bait to be eaten by animals or each other. In America, the savages were civilized and cared for. The literature of the day, Uncle Toms’Cabin notwithstanding, viewed the life of the southern slaves as not an evil at all. Nor, I suspect did many of the slaves themselves. Where this not the case, the Southern economy would have collapsed when the men of the plantations and farms left to defend their country from invasion. There was no uprising of the slaves. In general, they stayed in their homes and maintained the farms.The picture painted by todays revisionists portray a life of cruelty, rape, and punishment. This simply was not the case. Who in their right mind would spend the equivalent of thousands of dollars for a farm implement and mistreat it? It makes no sense. A study of the lives of the Southern slaves will demonstrate that they were treated as well as, and better than, the immigrant factory workers of the North during that period.

I try not to get sucked in, but…

I see nothing wrong with an apology for slavery. While the point is made correctly that it was the law of the land at that time and was accepted at that time, we now know differently, don’t we? The Holocaust was accepted and legal in Nazi Germany, but that too was wrong. The point is that it is never to late to say sorry for past wrongdoings. No, it doesn’t change what happened, or improve the lives of anyone today. It does mark a time when forgiveness is asked for and (hopefully) forgiveness is granted.

Now, in some people’s mind, that forgiveness needs to come in the form of a check.

As for reparations - sorry, but I am completely and totally against them. First, what the black community truly needs is SUSTAINABILITY. Sustained educational, economic, financial, and family success and growth. A one time payment, no matter how large, is NOT going to fix the past, and it won’t cure the ills of black culture today. I can understand the appeal of a big fat check, but any black leader today is being dishonest with themselves and their constituents if they continue to push for this payment. Money isn’t going to make more black fathers hang around after conception and take care of their kids. Money isn’t going to make parents suddenly care more for their kids and make them work harder in school. Etc etc etc.

The more time that is wasted focusing on reparations the less time we spend coming up with truly helpful ideas that will foster the healing and growth of black America…

taxpayer

First off, I did not say all people knew slavery was wrong, I said many. But I am sure that everybody knew it was wrong, they just chose to ignore it. And yes, you are defending the past institution of slavery. Indifference and acceptance by the people of that time period did not justify the practice.

Also, there were uprisings by slaves. Nat Turner pops into my head right away. And how is recorded first-hand accounts by slaves, accounts of beatings, rapes, and worse, revisionist history. It is not revisionist, it is real. Northern factory workers were paid, and could go find another job. If a slave “quit”, they were hunted down.

And I love animals as much as the next guy, and find the caging of animals in zoos reprehensible. However, comparing the plight of apes to slaves? Are you really going to go there? That is an insulting analogy. I will be the first to apologize to the apes, but the enslavement, mistreatment, discrimination, and abuse of living, breathing, speaking, human beings, because of their skin color, their f’ing skin color, is far more cruel, and will probably, because of white people’s unwillingness to own up to the fact, be a problem for the next 200 years. Sorry, but the apes will have to wait a little longer for their apology.

Tim

On the last blog, I commented about your NHL comment. I knew you were being tongue-in-cheek. It is kind of hard to tell how people are responding on a blog, it is tough to tell how people are saying things when you can not see them.

About reparations:

A few blogs ago, I discussed this with some people, and it went very well. I do not remember if you got in on it, but I want to run my idea by you. You seem very intelligent, and I would like your opinion.

You state, correctly, that black people need sustainability. Two important things in life are education, and a safe, stable environment. I would pay reparations this way: Black people would not just get a check. There would be an age requirement(18 and over) and, as Thomas Franklin suggested, an income cut-off. X amount of dollars would be set aside for going to college. You could only use it for college, nothing else. It would only be available for X amount of years. If you do not use it, it is gone. Go to college, get a good job, your kids are most likely going to be like you, and they will do the same thing. Another amount would be put aside for a 20% downpayment on a house. You would still have to pay the note, but, since you went to college, and got a good job, you can afford it. This also would be available for X amount of time, and would be subject to an income cut-off. This would integrate neighborhoods, familiarity breeds comfort, and black and white people live side by side happily.

No money handed out willy-nilly, and if you do not take advantage of it,it is all your fault.

Clyde - Good ideas, but not gonna work (and if it did work, it would take FOREVER). Nowhere do you mention addressing their current environment. That has to come first. When you have parents who do not value education, do not push their kids to succeed, live in poor conditions, etc., what makes you think the kids are going to college?

Pay the reparations. It is inevitable. Might as well do it sooner than later. I would give them the money to spend as they see fit, but set up an organization that would counsel them on managing the money and how best to utilize it. If they don’t spend it wisely, that is on them, but at least no more excuses and hopefully we would see some kind of change immediately instead of waiting who knows how many generations.

While the Congressional Black Caucus is taking issue with the resolution, the head of the NAACP has sent out a statement to the media applauding the U.S. Senate’s action and urging the House to follow suit.

“The apology for slavery and the era of Jim Crow segregation is long overdue and is the first step toward healing the wounds of African-American men and women throughout this country,” said NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous.

NAACP’s Hilary O. Shelton, vice president for advocacy, said the resolution “creates a watershed opportunity for Americans of all races, ethnicity and national origins to better understand the historic racial challenges of our nation and work together to craft a solution to the remnants of racism still lingering in our society.”

There is no mention of reparations in the NAACP’s statement.

Steve,

It sounds as though you are stating that Africans who are enslaved are prospering and that the experience of slavery has been good for Africans or any human being who has been enslaved?

It also sounds as though you think that Blacks and Whites have had the same opportunities available to them and that racism has not been a factor in the failures of Blacks as a whole, now of course there are always exceptions to everything.

Just because Africans were willing to sell human beings does not excuse the people who purchased other human beings. Just as if someone came into your home and stole all your electronics, it doesn’t make it right for anyone to purchase knowingly stolen goods. But remember, we are not speaking about things here but other human beings. Your thinking is extremely flawed concerning this issue.

The only thing slavery shows is that there are truly evil people in our world and anyone who would hold a slave have much evil in their hearts and it doesn’t matter if that person was one of your adorned American hero’s such as a founding father. Evil is evil and there isn’t any sugar coating that. Just because it was legal means nothing because that Bible that you all claim this country was founded upon states that if anyone kidnapped another human being to enslave him/her that that person should be put to death, that is how badly God looks upon kidnapping another against their will to place them into slavery.

Of course, the death penalty under GRACE (New Testament) is no longer law but just like murder, forced slavery is a grave deadly sin that will be dealth with at Judgment just as all unrepentant trespasses.

Slave is extremely still very big in the world and the sex trade is the most popular form of slavery in today’s world. Comments such as Steve’s and Lisa’s and others who justify slavery because other Africans helped placed their own people into it is such sick thinking and it is truly saddening that people can have such a mind-set.

Russians, mainly Russian men are selling Russian women into slavery at ridiculous rates, does that at all justify Israelis or Americans partaking in such evil? And when you have governments okaying such evil it is all the worst. And, as far as I am concerned, these governments including the good old U.S.A. are condoning it as proof of the slap on the hands that the guilty receive whenever ones in the slave industry get caught.

D Walker - Steve and Lisa are not “justifying” slavery, but simply pointing out that blacks are complicit as well.

Clyde, I do remember that discussion. There’s nothing wrong with that idea on it’s own. However, the first problem is that there is no budget for it. Secondly, there is the very real problem of figuring out who gets what. Does a mixed person only get 50% of the money as an example, or what if they have ancestors that came here willingly? Granted being black-skinned works against them regardless of the how and why and percentage of their blood, but you can see the difficulties in that.

Another thought: Anyone can get a college loan these days from the government, particularly minorities. True, you have to pay it off, but you can still get the education that leads to a good paying job, etc like in your example.

But the problem is that too many of these kids DON’T do well in grade and high school. There is a fundamental issue, as I mentioned earlier in my post, of staying and doing well in school. There is no value in money available for college education when they have no chance to succeed because they din’t learn enough in high school. That is why I think sustainability is key, because a foundation has to be laid before lofty goals like college and better jobs can ever possibly be acheived. Reparations will not work nearly as well as you might think they will. At least that is my two cents on the matter…

I’d like to introduce a new word to the conversation: amends

The concept of making amends consists of the following:

The person making the amends acknowledges the truth of the past, and understands that a wrong was done. Further, it is understood that the past cannot be changed. Following the acknowledgment of wrong, an effort is made to do better in the future.

For the person on the receiving end, nothing is required. It’s better if they accept the amends as offered, but it is not necessary. The person making amends has done all they can.

Now, the responsibility for moving forward after amends are offered rests on the receiver. THEY have the responsibility to accept also that the past is what it is and cannot be changed. Further, they need to give up their sense of grievance over the past and do their part to improve the future.

How does this apply to slavery reparations? Well, the statement of amends has been made, it can be argued that every Union death in the war of southern rebellion (sorry, couldn’t help that after the earlier mention of the war of northern aggression) was an amend for slavery. Efforts have been made in law and practice to reverse the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow. Now those with the grievance need to do their part. Let go of the resentment and grievance, and start doing your part. Stop blaming others for the failure of your community. Want sustainability? Start by changing things the classic way: one person at a time.

You jumped into this conversation with fine effect, hs. “Amends”? I like it. Well stated.

OK, I am truly pleased that a formal apology has been issued.
Now with that behind us I hope our Congressional leaders can move on to addressing, other issues of real importance like: The war, where our children are being killed daily, the ecomomy, where our neighbors are being forclosed on and being laid off, our standing in the world in general, issues in Iran, and Korea, and the ever dropping status of our school system.
Just as an aside, while we are apologizing, has there been any thought to apologizing to our Native American citizens for the injustices which were perpetrated against them during, and after the Trail of Tears?
Their Chiefs did not sell them out.

hs touched on it, but I guess it is worth repeating again as we have so often in this blog that it will take an effort by all, black and white and inbetween, to truly make a difference and move forward…

FTPD,

Justifying I think that it was because whenever one brings up a tit for tat type scenario in order to make light of another’s wrong, It is justifying. In this case by stating that slavery in America wasn’t any worst than what Africans did, so yes that is justifying. However, I know that we all would benefit greatly if we follow the guidance of hs above concerning amends. I could not agree with him more concerning this reparations ideal. There is much to deal with already concerning racism and hate against groups of people including crimes and other behaviors that are actually happening today that must be dealt with and laws enforced concerning, lets prove now with action that America is willing to do better as a people and government.

Thanks, has.

I feel so bad about slavery even though I personally never owned any. It makes me sick to think about it. Just awful! Is there any organization out there that takes donations from caucasians like myself that suffer from the guilt of slavery and really want to make a difference by giving reparations out of our own pockets to ease the terrible burden of guilt…even though I personally never owned any slaves. I would also encourage others to do the same…especially those descendants of the Africans and Arab slave traders that kidnapped and sold their African brothers into slavery. How guilty you must feel…even though you personally never kidnapped and sold anyone.

Trail of Tears? The American Indisn is STILL being enslaved on reservations against their will. Yet NOONE ever says anything about reparations, freeing them, or making an apology for stealing their entire country from them! WHY is it ALWAYS about blacks? NO ONE BLACK PERSON ALIVE TODAY EVER SUFFERED SLAVERY IN ANY FORM BY ANY ONE - NEVER!!! Now, if you can bring a survivor of slavery forward we’ll discuss an apology and maybe a stipend, BUT, since there aren’t any, and hasn’t been for many years, NOTHING IS DUE THEM! NOTHING~! It’s ALWAYS a ploy to get something for free and the stupid politicians fall for it and the more they give the more these people want - they are never satisfied. When this one is over they’ll think up another one! They know of every freebie the government has out there, and they’ll do what ever it takes to take advantage of it, then start yelping for more, more, and then more. It’s like feeding a tape worm! It won’t EVER be enuf, doesn’t anyone realize this?

Does it EVER enter into a black persons mind that no one owes THEM an apology for what happened BUT the white people are owed one by the blacks simply because of the 625,000 killed to free your butts! You never ever remember what it took to make you a free person, and the only thing you remember is what you’ve only HEARD about, NEVER EXPERIENCED!! An apology?? Never, not in a million years! YOU say ‘thank you’ instead!!!!