How do you feel now that the House of Representatives apologized on YOUR behalf for slavery and Jim Crow laws?

Question

I did not enact Jim Crow laws, I did not own slaves, and I did not support either one. However, the government of the United States has found it necessary to apologize on my behalf for something I did not do. Personally, it infuriates me. Your thoughts?

Answer 1

It would p**s me off as much as Obama appologizing to a bunch of Germans for America's conduct!!!!  What an idiot!!!

Answer 2

When did this happen.

Answer 3

Bleak hates the fact we freed 50 million people from tyranny-In his little mind he thought it was glorious when Saddam's rape squads were pulling girls off the streets. What a useless skin sack.

Answer 4

It's long overdue.

You have a misguided view of the US Federal Government. The Founding Fathers saw the Federal Government as a living evolving entity. That is precisely why the Constitution is amendable. No one really argues this point. Unlike other countries like France, Spain, England and Germany, our nation's government has remained the same since it's inception. It has not died. It has not been replaced by another government. Yes, it's citizens die and are replaced, but the US Federal Government remains the same. Not only is that something to be proud of, it has allowed us to become the greatest nation the world has ever seen. So in other words, the government that exists today is the same government that existed during slavery.

Suffice to say, it is not relevant whether or not you were alive during slavery. Of course, you are not personally responsible for things that happened before you were born. That's not the point. You are not personally making an apology either, nor is the Federal Government making an apology for you and the rest of it's citizens. Our government is a collective group of elected officials operating as a perpetual singular entity. The government apologizes for itself only.

Bottomline? The same government that exists today is the same one that made the mistake of allowing slavery for too long. It is noble and righteous to apologize for past sins. You should be proud that your government did so.

Answer 5

Pressure and influence. But like you said ><><> This generation was not responsible.  But the gesture is to admit

that this country was racist and bigoted beyond a doubt.

But I am German American and I have not been subjected to

this discrimination (yet) but I see a time coming where my

own heritage could be held in contempt by some groups or

religions as the demographics is changing..that's all for now

Answer 6

Not bad. Now if they apologize to the Iraqi and Afghani people we'd be getting somehwere.

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Yes Maddog we freed the Iraqis by occupying and oppressing them, kicking in their doors at night, rounding them up in detention centers, raping and torturing them and refusing to leave despite the fact that 87% of them want us gone... (not to mention killing 600,000 thousand innocent people.) You're right Maddog.. you're right...

Answer 7

Yes it makes me really mad actually. I too never owned slaves, my family never owned slaves, nobody alive today was a slave, and only 1% of the Southern Population even owned slaves. Not to mention that it was the whites that freed slaves but the Africans who started slavery to begin with. We need to move on. A lot of people have had race problems including my family. (Actually they were mostly killed because of their race). And we moved on and don't let it hold us back.

Also I think all the scholarships are enough of an apology. How much more do people want? It's the 21st centry. People need to move on. The Jews did, the Irish, the Chinease, the Japanesse, and everyone else. They are fine. They don't let things hold them back either.

PS: Yes we should apologize. But I think that's already been done a long time ago. There is no reason that people still dwell on such things. That really infuriets me. We have special scholarhsips, special schools, we have to make sure to always be politically correct (which is good), we have a holiday for Martain Luther King's birthday, we have black histroy month, we have clubs just for black pride. WHAT MORE DO PEOPLE WANT!

Also I just want to say (to all the thumbs down). My view is not racist. It's the truth. I think people need to move on.

Answer 8

Hi my friend. I agree with you They should apologize on behalf of the folks who owned slaves etc..

this brings me to the question of this

On whose behalf should they apologize to all my dear g*y & L*****n friends who want to get married?

Surely not mine..I support everyone's right to live and love as they please while harming none..

Answer 9

Personally, I am fine with the apology.  I think there is nothing wrong with apologizing for an event that took place many years ago.  In fact, I think it is better than just ignoring the horrendous crimes against humanity committed by the government and the citizens in the past.  Why should the apology infuriate you?  Several countries have officially apologized for past bad acts.  Australia officially apologized to their indigenous population for the crimes committed in the past.  I think an apology was owed (which came several years to late).  And I personally believe that somewhere in my ancestry someone probably benefited from slavery and Jim Crow, and I would apologize for my ancestors prejudice.

Answer 10

Abraham Lincoln is rolling over in his grave. He died to abolish slavery. Millions of Americans died to abolish slavery. I do not pay my Reps. for this bs. They should be focusing on the other problems this country is facing Now! Not something that happened 140 years ago!

Answer 11

I think if I had nothing worse than this to worry about I wouldn't waste my time b*tching about it on YA

Answer 12

That was the existing scheme of things in this world, when slavery was accepted as  legitimate by the majority. The same can be said for burning witches, slaughtering native Americans, goon-squads beating up union members, discriminating against women, Yankee imperialism, stealing the resources of other countries, killing off other species, polluting the planet,  and employing children in sweatshops. ---Should we apologize to EVERYBODY for EVERYTHING bad our government has done in the  half civilized world that existed at that time?

Feel the shame if you like, but feel, also, the pride in the improvements we have made in our moral and ethical values.

We have recognized our mistakes and corrected them;---no need to apologize to victims who are long gone.

Answer 13

I don't feel nearly as infuriated as I do knowing that our government invaded a country and killed it's people, supposedly on my behalf.  This pales in comparison.  

PS  Are you sure you didn't do any of those things?  Just kidding friend!

Answer 14

maddog you rock my world!

and yes, this apoligy is infuriating!

what gives??? this is our heritage, take it or leave it but apologize???? soon we'll be begging for forgiveness that we had the audacity to join world war two

Answer 15

Perhaps you did enact on Jim Crow or own slaves. However the descendants of those who did, benefited from it greatly. Just as those Whites GI's given GI Housing Grants, while the same soldiers who were Black, denied in WWII. For you to make a mockery of such; is inflammatory, insensitive, and illustrates the reckless atrocities and the failure to learn and comprehend US history.