Do you think someone should be responsible for his/her ancestors mistakes?

Question

Just curious how other people feel about this. I've always been surprised that white people seems to still be paying quite a price for slavery even though generations have removed them from such injustices done by their ancestors. Christians are also paying for the prosecution of atheists as perhaps their Mothers/Fathers did. Men it also seems are paying for the Women's movement at times (such as women always get custody of children, or are arrested during domestic disputes even when the women are as much to blame). Do you ever think that the world will become perfectly equal to all at some point in the future? Or is it hopeless?

Please, anyone bent on bashing me for any of these questions, please refrain. I don't mean anything but love to all, just curious if there are other views like this. I would yell to to top of my white, Christian lungs for the black Atheists right to his or her choice, o.k.? I don't agree with a lot of things, but that doesn't give me the right (morally) to push my views or condemn anyone, so please, afford me the same.

Answer 1

No I don't think we are responsible for our ancestors actions.  It was them not us.  I think a lot of people hold on to the past because they need something to blame others for their lives when they should be looking at their choices.

Answer 2

It is sad, but people seem to have to blame! When life is not equal, they have to have a reason. Will it ever become equal, I wish I could say yes, some day, but I honest don't believe so. People can not even agree on what to have for dinner, they will not be able to agree to not put blame. We are all sorry for what our ancestors did, but no, we should not be blamed for past generations and the buck should stop being passed along.  

Answer 3

No I don't. But I can see where other cultures feel like they do. If you stick a knife in far enough it leaves a scar. And a scar will always bring back memories. It's not other cultures that put us in this state. Our ancestor's brought this on to us. So yes we made not like it but we do have to live with it. Good Question.

Answer 4

The better question is; who gave these people their freedom and their rights.

A black man did not free the slaves.

A woman did not sign equal rights into the constitution.

And it certainly was not an atheist that ordered the persecutions to stop.

Answer 5

We carry the brutality of our ancestors.

Ever hear of liberal guilt?

Answer 6

If everyone was equal, you're right there would be no problems.  But it is not just the white "ancestors" that have committed the crimes against blacks and others, there are current ones too.  Here are a few:

1. You go for a job and the interviewer wrinkles his nose although you are dressed better than everyone else, you're more qualified than the others, you have a resume that the others don't have and he tells you he'll get back to you (he never does).

2.  You're walking down the street and the cops are looking for a "black or Hispanic man" and you are picked up, beaten half to death or killed (this might be better than what happened to Abner Louima).

These are the worst, I could go on about the women who pull their pocket book away from you (most black men don't steal:  Obama, Denzel Washington, LeBron James, etc.), the numbers unjustly imprisoned, the black women raped, the white woman accusing the black man of rape, the destruction of our families due to slavery that still hasn't truly been gotten over today (do research if you want to know more:  clue:  "Willie Lynch's idea about how to destroy the Slave's family, I believe).  

Blacks, women and others have it bad.  If we would all admit there was and is a problem of inequality we can work to make things equal.  Affirmative action is weak and most say it causes reverse discrimination though that only gives me an extra point while those who know or are related to the boss, those who are a man (for women), those who are white and maybe light (other races) slip in ahead of you.  

I am not condemning you, but you are not asking the right questions.  The question is not when will the enmity between both sides end.  Because it will not end as long as injustice whether real or perceived continues (and it is very real).  It will end, however, when we (without being forced to do it with strikes, boycotts, avoiding places where they sell racist stuff, etc.) can have an honest discussion about why they were mistreated in the past, (women, blacks, Asian, Hispanics) why it continues today and what steps we will take to ensure that it ends today.

As for religion, atheism is not a religion.  And, no I'm not condeming them.  If every religion has the right to be taught, why is it that every religion isn't taught in the schools then?  Atheism is by way of science.  In order to have true equality and for everyone to have a fair chance to choose, every religion should be introduced or at  least discussed briefly.  Then one can make an informed choice.  Because everyone can't be right.  There can't be a world where Jesus, atheists, Allah, the Greek gods, Hinduism, etc., are all right.  They do not teach the same things.  If scientists and others wish to find out who is right, they should conduct unbiased research into all of these religions, their own teachings on evolution, reincarnation, witch doctors, psychics, TV healers, and others.  I mean, suppose one of these is right.  Would you want to discover this now, or when you find yourself dead and awake in maybe one of these h***s?  

Answer 7

Yes, I also believe that a person should not be responsible for their ancestors' mistakes. Just look at WWII. Some people still hate Germans because they remember the genocide done during the war. But we shouldn't blame the current generation. It was their ancestors' faults, not theirs.

Everyone is given a clean slate to begin with in life. Sometimes, we are even given second chances when we make mistakes, right?

Let's keep being optimistic. If you review our history, the world is actually progressing in attaining equality for all. We're on our way. :)