Racial Reconciliation Begins with an Apology

I agree with your friend. I want to see an apology in the House, in the Senate, in the Executive and Judicial branches. I want to see corporations, education institutions and every one else who has benefited from free Black labor and creativity to apologe. And I want those apologies to come when political aspirations are not at stake.

CONFUSEDSPELMANITE, well said.

I was born well after the slaves were freed and the abolishment of the Jim Crow laws, but I have experienced all too well the effects of racism in this country. My children have experienced the effects of slavery (racism) in this country. While the apology does not help me physically, I do believe it is a start in the right direction. Our mindset must be changed both black and white before racism is abolished. We must recognize the wrong before we try to make it right.

The apology does represent one man's venture to "say something" that sounds as if he is "saying something." I am a native Memphian and familiar with the glacial politics of the city. My father would often say about such things, "They said it with their mouth."

The apology is a good gesture, but does nothing for me. It cannot remove my experiences of the Memphis City Schools as a student receiving hand-me-down textbooks from "east" Memphis. It does nothing for the Thursday-only days to visit the zoo and a plethora of other injustices. It sounds nice, but cannot erase the graffiti from my psyche of being born and raised in the city known as where Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed. Having said all of this might make me sound like another "angry black man," but I am wiser as a result of growing up in such hubris. I'm not sure one man's apology or legislation will do anything other than involve the usage of paper on which to print it.

Perhaps it is good that Cohen, the AMA, and others seem to be "coming around" these days, but there is a healthy suspicion in me that asks why. Could this be flavor of the month political posturing? Will this make a difference in the heart of these yet to be United States? Admittedly, I am jaded by the facts of being born and raised here. Once interviewed by a Memphis organization which shall remain nameless, to describe Memphis, I said, "It is a tale of two-cities, separate an unequal." Of course, my application was rejected as that truth could not be handled then. I believe that God has made me begin to forget the problems of the place of my birth and caused me to be fruitful as a result of those misfortunes. No person's apology can do that! Thus, apology accepted, but not exactly heard as intended.

Sincerely,
Ozzie Smith

620,000 People died apologizing during the civil war, including my Great Great Uncle from one of the Iowa Regiments. He died In the battle of Vicksburg, Miss. as "he topped the parapet” into the fort trying to do his part in freeing slaves.

I wonder what he would think about his sacrifice when we see today 9 out of ten African Americans coming from broken families. Of interracial crime 2,000,000+/year black on white crime 80-90% of interracial crime is B/W. That the number one killer of young black men is other young black men. Do you think he would sacrifice his life again if given the choice?

Compiled from an 1860 census. But why let the truth get in way of a good story.

"The census also determined that there were fewer than 385,000 individuals who owned slaves (1). Even if all slaveholders had been white, that would amount to only 1.4 percent of whites in the country (or 4.8 percent of southern whites owning one or more slaves).
According to federal census reports, on June 1, 1860 there were nearly 4.5 million Negroes in the United States, with fewer than four million of them living in the southern slaveholding states. Of the blacks residing in the South, 261,988 were not slaves. Of this number, 10,689 lived in New Orleans. The country's leading African American historian, Duke University professor John Hope Franklin, records that in New Orleans over 3,000 free Negroes owned slaves, or 28 percent of the free Negroes in that city.

To return to the census figures quoted above, this 28 percent is certainly impressive when compared to less than 1.4 percent of all American whites and less than 4.8 percent of southern whites. The statistics show that, when free, blacks disproportionately became slave masters."

They know it’s true why haven’t your leaders told you.

Why because it keeps Blacks believing they are victims. Politicians and ministers need, to keep the money flowing, for people to be victims that of course they have the cure. This victim hood mentality is key to their survival. Drop the chip on your shoulders and lets talk.

There can be no apology for slavery. From the first black brought to America in 1619 to the last officially freed slave in Alabama in 1928 all of whom are dead there can be no apology. What would be acceptable would be the admission by the government on the effects of slavery on black America.

The truth should be taught that the majority of blacks in America could not get a decent education until 1954. The truth should be taught that blacks are redlined discriminatorily to this very day when it comes to jobs, insurance, credit etc. The truth should be told that the underlying reasons blacks distrust police and other authority is because these people enforced the laws of slavery.

Bring out into the open the true reasons why blacks of today have trouble competing educationally with the rest of the society because of the historical effects of slavery. There was a time when blacks in America took their lives in their hands if they attempted to educate themselves. When the painful results of slavery are taught in schools so that all of America can understand the harm done to blacks in America by slavery maybe then things can reconcile themselves. END THE WAR IN IRAQ.

lets begin with "SL" and "to aver"

sozluk.com/sozluk.php?kelime=sierra
www.metacafe.com/watch/1191380/the_chronicles_of_riddick_teaser_trailer/

rid-dick
Le-One

sozluk.com/sozluk.php?kelime=dick
sozluk.com/sozluk.php?kelime=rid
sozluk.com/sozluk.php?kelime=nick

www.specialtyinterests.net/ugarit.html

www.pantheon.org/articles/b/baal.html
www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2017
www.pantheon.org/articles/e/el.html

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Leone
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghana

I am an African-American, and I take this apology as a sincere step to reconcile the atrocities committed against my ancestors, my great-grandparents and myself. (And no I was never enslaved, however I still suffer from the effects that deplorable institution has stained the fabric of American society with.)

While most European Americans are on this board ranting and raving that Blacks have already received enough and need to quit complaining, you still fail to realize the bigger picture.

1. A white politician passed this bill. So no, blacks were not lined up demanding an apology as some of you insist.

2. Only FIVE states have officially apologized to African-Americans for slavery.

3. While most white people will state that African-Americans have long received anything owed to them, they fail to recognize the continued reverberations of slavery. Slavery begat Jim Crow which begat institutionalized racism. Of course you don't see it. Because for you, "white privilege" is all too real, inherent. You believe you were just born with the rights of a (wo)man that was truly free and that us Black folks need to "get over it". But when I see how racism is endemic in American society (from the prison system to inequality in the educational system) it makes me sick, and sad.

4. If you have nothing to apologize for, then why all the hate? Just let it go, and leave it be. (As a point, I do not blame all white people for slavery. But for this government which claims that "all men are created equal" I think an apology is acceptable considering the fact that this government enslaved African-Americans and has remained complicit in the discrimination and racism that persists in society today.)

Randall Young - as to your 11 point posting and your hyperbolic republican apologia. You'll recall how the Dixiecratic South all became republicans in one feel swoop back in the 1960s, with avowed racist Strom Thurmond of South Carolina leading the way - they just didn't cotton to those pesky new integration laws!

Who can forget Gov. George Wallace and his outrageously racist behavior in response to the civil rights movement down in Mississippi!? The very epitome of the southern democrat.

Turns out Strom had been secretly dabbling where he shouldn't have - and had fathered an undeclared black child...all unbeknownst to his redneck faithful followers until near the end of his very long Senate career.

As to democrat Robert Byrd and the KKK, this ancient history is no secret - he apologized publicly for these early mistakes, and has now exceeded Thurmond's tenure in the Senate - and remains an independent and productive legislator who has done much for the nation and the state of West Virginia.

Yes, it's true - racism was abundant among democrats in those days, but my how the times have changed with the wholesale transformation of southern democrats into rightwing republicans ...these southern republican neocons of today are not Lincoln republicans by any measure!

There is simply no way to twist history in order to make the republican mindset (eg. dixiecrats)
anything other than complicit in the overt racism still extant in this country today.

Another poster referring to racism summed it up when they observed that folks just 'can't get over it' when it's still pervasive and ongoing.

Public apologies from offical government representatives do no harm and justly express a sentiment that should be widely held - as Americans we simply need to recognize that racism still exists, although often in more subtle formats and forms. Nobody is expecting guilt here, only the recognition of a past and present reality.....denial is no solution for anything.

Farnaz - as always, your posts are light years ahead of so many others in terms of offering the unvarnished truth in a way that only the most obtuse readers could ignore. The truth is always painful, and always necessary. My personal thanks to you!

last post meant for Barneby Feder et al;

agir ve buyuk kapilarin gacir gucur ederek
ardlarina kadar acildigini duyarsaniz eger
isildiyorsa sayet calistikca pas gidererek
kabahatin cogu senin, emek verdigine deger

biri vardi yediyordu kagnisini ucunda umut
ve elinde avucunda olan, bir saman balyasi
tarladan kaldirdigi mahsul, goklerde bulut
eli cenesinde, yurudu bir okuz ile arabasi

bir tutam percemin kokusu sardi da gogsunu
bir kartal gibi suzuluverdi ufuklara bakip
ustunde basinda harmandan kalmis, ortusunu
duzeltti dusen yagmur damlalariyla islanip

L.A. 4 August 2008

Jesus was on the cross with his flesh and blood, historians, please note this yom kippur as this land has been on the cross with her earth and water.

what about an apology to native americans too

Nothing anyone can say will make things that have gone on in this country right, or okay. To dwell on the issue of slavery as opposed to the issue of economic greed itself seems silly to me.

We should teach our kids that money isn't worth hurting others. That's the problem.

Sorry Arminius,

I believe your first post was directed at me.

I stand by what I wrote initially....... I offer African Americans NO apology for slavery as none of my ancestors or I were involved in slavery.

We did not own, trade or ship Africans to North America.

Nor do I believe in collective guilt. (I'm guilty because I'm white. Nope!).

Ergo, I offer no apology.

I do offer African Americans *RECOGNITION* that slavery was and is an intrinsic evil to which they were cruelly subjected.

Wondering,

I share the dream of MLK. If I have said things wrongly, if I have offended you, please accept my apology. I meant no offense. Ever.

Arminius

"Two Republicans co-sponsored the bill."

Uh...and the names of those two Republicans were??

Talk about one-sided.

But now that I think about it, the Democrats do have a lot to apologize for. Everyone seems to forget that it was the Democrats who fought the hardest not to give slaves equal rights.

ARMINIUS-

Its because:

I have a dream that children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

and you have said:

"You are not white, so I apologize"

Wondering,

You are not white, so I apologize for what I said.

I do not understand why you said what you did in your first post. Could you elaborate?

ARMINIUS-

I'm not white. So you can KMA..

Now that you have your apology, what's next? Nothing. It's meaningless political garbage. Those who want an apology will just find something else to whine about after the apology has been issued.

To Wondering:

It is obvious that you are hiding behind your white sheet halloween costume. In the last major Klan march here, a protesting black woman held a sign that summed it up: "KKK - Drag Queens from Outer Space".

Yonkers, New York
03 August 2008

No apology passed by the United States Congress NOW for slavery, Jim Crow laws, and the Dred Scot decision of the Supreme Court could ever atone completely for the brutality and the injustice suffered by blacks in America for ages.

Even as I write these lines, the equality promised to all Americans in the Constitution is still far from being a reality for millions of black Americans.

White America still has a long, long way to go before it could do full justice to black Americans.

That is not to say that black Americans have not achieved many of the civil rights due them as a result primarily of the herculean efforts of many black leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Andrew Young and others, as well as the sincere efforts of many well-meaning white Americans.

The fact that Senator Barack Obama is now the Democratic presumptive presidential nominee is solid proof that black Americans have gone a long way, indeed, since Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation of 1863.

But the struggle for equality goes on.

Mariano Patalinjug
MarPatalinjug@aol.com

"Some people here are missing the point. Just because your own ancestors did not own slaves does not excuse you from an apology. My own ancestors fought for the Union. But I applaud the apology issued by Congress - we do not apologize for ourselves, we apologize for America."

ARMINIUS-

Is there any butt on the face of the earth that you have not personally bent down to kiss?

Dear ALLAREBIGOTS/ARMEN/ANON/BOGUS:

From your first RACIST post: ALLAREBIGOTS:: "Jews in America love to apologize on behalf of the Anglo-Americans for 'slavery' in order to get ahead politically and financially."
August 2, 2008 8:32 PM

Farnaz's question: Which Jews in America "love to apologize?"

Kindly name them and give specifics on how, when, and where they have apologized.

Ditto, how they have gotten ahead politically and financially in so doing.

ALLAREBIGOTS/ARMEN/ANON/BOGUS:
Since you pride yourself as supposedly an "intellectual", honestly, is it hard for you to figure out that since your tribesman COHEN is a JEW and introduced this nonsense about apologizing for slavery (presumably on behalf of us Anglo-Americans) that this is, in fact, what I may be talking about? Get real.

FARNAZ: First, I don't pride myself on being an intellectual and did not say I did. Obviously, you couldn't pride yourself on being an intellectual because you are a RACIST. Rep. Cohen is not my "tribseman" since, unlike you who belong to the TRIBE of RACISTS, I have no tribal affiliation. (You refer to "us Anglo-Americans," meaning you are either a practicing or cultural Christian/Catholic, let us just get that straight. I guess that is your other TRIBAL affilitation.)

Second, you write that "Jews in America love to apologize," and when I ask you which ones (see above), you answer with Cohen and me!!! Congressman Cohen did not say he "love[s] to apologize," any more than your fellow House Tribesmen did when they passed the resolution. Neither did I. Further "presumably on behalf of us Anglo-Americans," is an incorrect assumption, which you could correct by reading either my post or the bill or your Tribesman Smith's blog.

Third: there are a few million Jews in America. You mentioned two.

Fourth: you did not answer my question about how I will "benefit politically and financially." Rep. Cohen was an extremely successful attorney before he took a drastic cut in pay by becoming a member of the House. He introduced this bill a year and a half ago, so obviously, he is not benefiting financially or politically.

PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON, a CHRISTIAN TRIBESMAN of yours introduced this notion of apology and went around apologizing all over the country. At first, I thought it was silly and politically motivated, but again and again, friends (African American) and others said they didn't think so, and they're saying the same thing now. Yes, they would like an end to racism, prefer it to an apology if there is a contest to be made. In the meantime, the harm done to many throughout the centuries, that remains with many, THEY think, should be addressed.

THE REST OF THE HOUSE, with all its predominantly
PROSTESTANT members (YOUR TRIBE) passed the bill.
SENATOR HARKIN (SENATE is MAJORITY CATHOLIC, YOUR TRIBE) IS THINKING OF INTRODUCING A SIMILAR BILL IN THE SENATE. See the link I gave in my post above, or read Anon's post. He/She evidently went to that link. Oh, and christian Tribesman, 42 members of the BLACK Caucus co-sponsored the bill. See Anon's post above.

SUSAN SMITH (YOUR TRIBE, PROTESTANT), THOUGH with an agenda, put this matter on this blog.

ALLAREBIGOTS/ARMEN/ANON/BOGUS: "Get real."

Farnaz: Get help. Get to a hospital. Get thorazine. Get a brain transplant.

ON THE MIDDLE EAST: Much more to come later. FOR NOW, please tell your Christian Tribesman president, your Christian Tribesman vice president, your Christian Tribesmen House of Representatives, your Catholic Tribesmen Senate to get the hell out of IRaq. Tell your relatives who control the US government to stop bombing innocent men, women, and children. Aren't hundreds of thousands of innocent people enough for you and your relatives?

PLEASE TELL YOUR CHRISTIAN/CATHOLIC OIL IMPORTER TRIBESMEN RELATIVES, BEGINNING WITH YOUR TRIBESMEN IN THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE, THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE THE OIL, AND SHOULD STOP THE BLOOD THEY ARE SHEDDING.

PLEASE TAKE YOUR LOUSY OIL AND TELL YOUR RELATIVES TO STOP THE GENOCIDE IN IRAQ, BRING BACK THE IRAQI REFUGEES, FEED THE HUNGRY.

Tell your relatives in the government and the ones who own the oil companies.

Some people here are missing the point. Just because your own ancestors did not own slaves does not excuse you from an apology. My own ancestors fought for the Union. But I applaud the apology issued by Congress - we do not apologize for ourselves, we apologize for America.

i never owned any slaves and bever wanted to. these people would do better to concentrate on the three generations of young they have abandoned to the city gangs. let alone the fact they are killing one another. is that the white mans fault? i don't think so.

I believe you are all missing the point. Through out our history, man always has found a way to discriminate each other and as “The People” we should reject it. Men build coalitions to stay in power by leaching and dividing others into groups in such a way to stay strong and on top(color of your skin, country of origin, etc). This stills happens today, sometimes within a country and other times countries are taken advantage of. So let's make it personal because it is the only way that we can change. We as people are different and we should be able to celebrate those differences, but there are a set of values that we must share and that is respect for each other, don't consider yourself above any other human being, be fair and just with each other. I strongly believe that if apply this values in your daily life, pleople will respect you.
Some people ask themselves “What should I apologize for something that I did not do, or those were my ancestors?”. The only lesson to be learn here, is not apologizing but striving to learn for the mistakes that other have committed through our history and correcting the injustices that are still prevalent today. Consider this a personal journey, if we all do it then we may be able to eradicate discrimination, but my personal experience shows me that other challenges will arise from our changes.
In terms of government apologizing, I will hope, that it was done to express outrage in discrimination and injustice, but I would rather have the government create an environment where differentiation is not tolerated and same access to any kind of programs is given to all no matter where we come from.

Nicely done, Rev. Sue. I will be featuring remarks about this in my weekly "justice page" in our church bulletin, and your column here will be highlighted.

You are right that this is a first step, and that it was long overdue. If it was not significant, it wouldn't have taken so long, right? You know what King said about the arc of the moral universe...

The U. S. Constitution was amended three times after the Civil War in an effort to level the playing field, now referred to a reparations. The people of the United States abolished slavery, made citizens of the United States of all individuals born in the United States, and allowed all (men, 21 years old or older) the right to vote.
N.B. Women were allowed to vote after adoption of Amendment XIX, (1920). The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.

Amendment XIII [Abolition of Slavery (1865)]
Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
Amendment XIV [Privileges and Immunities, Due Process, Equal Protection, Apportionment of Representatives, Civil War Disqualification and Debt (1868)]
All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Amendment XV [Rights Not to Be Denied on Account of Race (1870)]
The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Ohh why I iz jus so happy naah! Dem white fokes iz opolojizin to me fo' 3 hunit yeeahs of slavery and jim crow laws. Oh I iz so happy Iz goin to do a little jig an sang zipity doo daah.

We don't talk about slavery?

When was the last time you were in a public school!? Half the history curriculum is learning about slavery, from elementary school to high school. Frankly it's a bit much, they cover it more than any other subject in history, which seems to be a bit unscholarly, more like a guilt-wallowing session than a history class. And why should I feel guilty? Most of my ancestors weren't even in America yet during slavery's heyday. I'm tired of slavery being thrown in my face due to the color of MY skin. Irish were persecuted for 800 years, and many other cultural and ethnic groups that are now thriving. Instead of wallowing in a horrific past, they are striding forward with determination and purpose and creating a wonderful future.

Remembering the past is one thing, but throwing it around all the time tends to belittle it, and distracts from the possibilities in the present and future.

I have nothing against an apology to our black citizens regarding the slavery to which their ancestors were forced to endure. I myself am very sorry it occurred. So were my ancestors. My grandfather's six uncles fought for the North in the Civil War. They and their familiies suffered greatly during this period of our nations's history. One was captured by Southern sympathizers and all were injured in one way or another. Their families suffered robberies and injuries by bushwhackers who knew that the husbands and fathers were away fighting the war. These soldiers were not drafted, they voluntarily chose to fight for the North because they took a stand against slavery.

Over three hundred thousand soldiers who fought for the North were killed during the Civil War.

My point is that while I think an apology is appropriate, I personally do not believe myself or my family should be held accountable for slavery. We were against it and shed blood to end it.

OMBUDSMAN: You wrote - "People looking for an apology for what happened 200 years ago are probably people who I wouldn't care to apologize to anyway."

This is not about something that happened 200 years ago. Slavery didn't end until 1863. Jim Crow didn't "end" until 1965, and I put "end" in quotes because while Jim Crow officially came to a close in 1965, state sponsored discrimination still exists in many alternate forms today.

As a African-American Male, I for one don't need an apology for slavery. If you want to make amends, just treat us fairly and allow us equal access to what you have....then apology accepted.

No words can make amends for slavery.

Bogus column,,clinton and several other presidents have already "apologized",,as the sfricans were sold by their own people to the arab traders before being brokered to the shipping types let the apologies begin there. the best chance would have been repatriations back to africa after the civil war to return the forner slaves to the life they were denied.

As a white person who came to this country relatively recently, I talked this over with my black neighbor.

I told him "I don't offer an apology, I had nothing to do with it"

He said "It's okay, I don't accept it, since I was never a slave"

And then we had a beer together. It seemed a better alternative than mowing the lawn.

People looking for an apology for what happened 200 years ago are probably people who I wouldn't care to apologize to anyway.

As a white man, I cannot say how such an apology would affect me if I were black. As I am however, it strikes me as something that has no real revelance. The apology is being given by those that had nothing to do with the incidents for which apology is for.

Slavery and the racism that follow through the years was bad and should have never happened, but it did. Slavery happened in America and at the same time it was happening all over the world and that included Africa where most of the American slaves originated. The happening and history of slavery and the racism of America should never be forgotten. It should never be anything but a prominent part of our history and always be a teaching part of the learning years of all American youth. However, it is time to stop looking back in casting blame or finding excuse for a failure because it did happen.

How a man in Minnesota can provide a sincere apology for a situation that happened before his time and beyond his control makes no sense. What makes more sense is for this man and others like him forget about ineffective words and political stunts but to apply more effort to the recognition that all Americans as just that, Americans. No more a nation of races, just one nation of Americans.

PLEASE!!!

Stop the whining!!!

There have been more economic and social oportunities in this country than anywhere in the world for the entire history of mankind and the blacks still grasp for this type of crap. No wonder why its an issue. Everyone is tired of the incessant whining. Get over it YOU WERE NEVER A SLAVE. NOone here ever owned you. We are tired of your racist, skin toned induced rants. If its so bad here then go somewhere else. You would be begging to come back within a month.

Americans are sick and tired and I mean very, very sick and very, very tired of the continual whining about slavery, racism and any other ridiculous item that the new multiculturalism has infused into our society. From direct knowledge of polls that I am privy to this issue is one of the underlying issues that will keep Obama out of the White House. The continual ranting and raving about how evil white America is will never put a black man in the White House. The Black community needs to get over it and simply grow up. Using race as a political issue is old, I am surprised that Obama's pollsters have not caught on to this.

Honestly? Give me a freakin' break. So many apologies have been issued over slavery that it's like a scab that someone keeps picking at. I'm willing to bet that not a single person in that Congress is responsible for slavery, Jim Crow laws, or facilitating discriminatory complicity within the government - so what are they personally apologizing for? Once again, the apologies have already been issued, and laws have already been enacted; this constant demand for apology is not helping anyone.

It appears as if there are two issues being debated here. 1) should individuals (especially those without an ancestral link to slave owners or slavery sympathizers) apologize for the atrocities of slavery; and 2) should the US government (the institution that allowed for slavery) apologize. On the first account, I am satisfied with letting individuals make that choice given their specific family background, environment, beliefs, etc. On the second point, however, it seems apparent that if an insitution was directly involved with such horrible actions, then an apology is a necessary, albeit merely an initial step in mending this division. One last point: if the House decides to introduce a bill apologizing for slavery and Jim Crow, it should include within the bill practical alterations to current legislation to improve the conditions for the average African American individual (i.e. housing laws, mandatory minimums, inner city education funding, etc.). Without any true changes in policy, an apology seems to simply dismiss the historical effects of slavery and Jim Crow that still exist today.

There are two problems with an apology for slavery:

The first is the idea of collective, inherited guilt. An apology on behalf of millions of people who did not commit the crime of slavery is inherently wrong. It expiates no sin, because those millions of individuals committed no sin and don't feel that they did. It "acknowledges" an historical wrong already admitted.

The second problem is that such an apology, far from leading to increased dialogue about race, is just going to be used as a club. It's primary purpose is to establish moral superiority over the argument - not simply to establish a point of record, but as a basis for future actions. In effect, it says, "See here, now that we've established that you're wrong, the only question is how you'll make it up to me."

Rather than lead to greater understanding between the races, it will enable those who specialize in victimology for profit and cause resentment in those who are labeled guilty for crimes they did not commit.

Thank you for that reflection.

My ancestors were Irish indentured servants. They worked on plantations right next to black slaves. Oftentimes, they were worked to death before their seven year term was up. They were either ejected from or fled a crumbling European monarchy that was leaving millions of people starved to death. They had little to know choice but to take their chances on America.

Irish and blacks were left standing together outside of establishments that allowed neither inside. And I'll tell you something, neither of our groups is whining, or asking for any apologies; save for the shiftiest of lobbyists. All this ersatz guilt about the crimes of yesterday is just a smoke screen for the crimes of today.

Politicians and social engineers need to apologize for the Iraqi occupation, the systematic humiliation of the Palestinians, the daily threat of genocide against the Iranian people. Better yet, why don't you politicians stop apologizing for everything, and just stop causing harm in the first place?

That's fine about apologizing to the African Americans, what about the Native Americans and the Atrocities committed against them?

This apology remains to be hypocrisy unless Congress abolish the Evolution Theory.

Evolution depicts that white people are on the highest rung of the evolution ladder.

Does it matter whether Rep. Cohen had ulterior motives or not? Unless I'm grossly mistaken, he didn't pass it all by himself--indeed, he had 120 cosponsors and the resolution passed by voice vote.

Seems like a good first step to me.

All you other clowns here, it is obvious that your mental capacity is that of a soft rock from all the vandalism I see. Repeatedly copy-paste gibberish with upper and lower case letters reversed (obviously an angry descendant of the so called slaves of America), numbers, "clinton" etc. What a great place for a debate. Here thrive the spaced-out fools, misguided, brain-washed, and belligerent degenerates. What a waste of time.

I disagree with your comment. "This country" did nothing to the African Americans. Dutch slavetraders employed by plantation owners brought slaves here. They were assisted by Africans who rounded up other Africans, usually members of rival tribes, and sold them to the slave traders. Where is the cry for an apology from the Africans who sold their countrymen to the white slave traders?

African Americans have opportunities galore - affirmation action has allowed them to go to the front of the line in college admissions, training programs, graduate school, med school, law school and job hiring. First, they have to choose to put the work in to take advantage of those opportunities.

This political stunt of an apology is not going to do anything to move us toward racial reconciliation. That is never going to happen. Wake up and see what is happening in this country. While politicians and media blah-blah about the racial issues between blacks and whites, the "minorities" who are neither black or white are becoming the majority in this country. They do not give a hoot about slavery and the black-white racism. In another 1 or 2 decades, those new minorities will be in power and they will not give one hoot about the black-white issues. There will no apologies or reparations for slavery from them.

African Americans are not being macheted to death and having their babies ripped from their arms and killed in front of them - this has happened to at least 3 million Africans in the last 15 years. This is where focus should be, on today's problems, not what happened 300 years ago. We should be apologizing to the people of modern Africa for doing nothing to help them.

Faith Seeking Reconciliation
Prejudice is such an ugly word. It means to judge beforehand based on some bias; an adverse opinion formed without just grounds or without sufficient knowledge. Still, 3 out of every 10 Americans confess to some form of prejudice. I think if most people are honest they would admit that many times we are socialized to have prejudice. Our humanity often betrays a quick impulse to judge before we know more. Sadly, this prejudice when mixed with power leads to racism, sexism, ageism, classism, ethno-centrism, xenophia. When human prejudices go un-checked and unchallenged the world suffers.

This weeks question is a poignant one: Why does prejudice remain even among people of faith?This question needs to be asked in every generation, "Why did people of faith (Christians when speaking about my faith) own slaves, initiate Crusades, participate in the Salem witch hunt, etc.? Perhaps, the reason why 9 in 10 people can confess a faith conviction while still confessing to prejudice is because we do not often ( I too am implicated) the deep work of justice and reconciliation. As a Christian I believe if faith is truly to be transformative and healing it must challenge our worldviews and character.
If as a Christian leader I am only concerned with what happens during my worship service as a community I have not understood the totality of the Gospel of Christ. The message of faith must continously challenge our way of being in the world and how we treat each other and all of creation. If our faith does not challenge prejudice it is a poverty-stricken conviction that is in need of resurrection. St. Anselm of Canterbury once described theology as "fides quaerens intellectum" (faith seeking understanding). I would add that theology and true faith should also be "fides quaerens iustitia" (faith seeking justice). Genuine faith seeks justice and reconciliation for all, absent this we can succumb to the temptation of selfishness and bigotry. Love of God and prejudice are incompatible. Even when our humanity and brokenness leads us to prejudice, faith should call us to a higher standard.

The truth is that the tragic relationship of faith and prejudice cannot be resolved in this short blog but I will point to some possible areas that need to be addressed:

1. When our teaching on faith does not confront us with the following: How do you love your neighbor as yourself? Our faith supports prejudice anytime it seeks to escape the ethical dimensions of faith. We cannot love God who we can't see and not love our neighbor who we can see. Actually the Christian gospel challenges us to love not just our neighbors but also bless those who persecute us.

2. When faith does not challenge us to remember that all of humanity was created in the "image of God" we can too easily dehumanize anyone who does not look, think, vote or worship like us.

3. Any faith that does not challenge notions of superiority and ethnocentrism is announcing its own poverty.

4. People of Faiths must honestly tackle our histories and confess where we have contributed and endorsed prejudice against others in the name of some myopic theology or philosophy.

5. Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, "Christ is the human for others." He added, "The church is only the church when it exist for others." If we deny that faith calls us to love unconditionally and without prejudice then we must really revisit our confession, "That God loves the world (John 3;16)..."

Please e-mail On Faith if you'd like to receive an email notification when On Faith sends out a new question.

Email Me | Del.icio.us | Digg | Facebook

Posted by Gabriel Salguero on August 2, 2008 9:50 AM

Imagining God in Color
It's very hard not to see God in color. From childhood everyone is taught to imagine God as a person, and inevitably that person has skin the color of those who worship him. Not that the gender "him" is any more accurate than the color black, white, or brown skin would be. A humanized God in any faith is a projection, not a reality. Blue-skinned Krishna is symbolically to Hindus but not to believers who see that image as pagan and primitive. Cultural judgments abound in religion, and these quickly deteriorate into the inane argument over whose God is better than someone else's. Matters grow worse when the argument turns violent.

Religion has always been linked with conversion, and conversion with "lesser" races. For centuries the map of the world had two kinds of blank spaces: the places yet to be explored and the places yet to be Christianized. The moral duty to spread one's faith doesn't always imply using force, but the whole enterprise of converting the heathens was tied up inextricably with empire and conquest. And so, if military power was needed, squeamish missionaries and monks could avert their eyes until persuasion had cost enough blood. Generally they didn't bother to avert them, however, since God had damned the lesser races anyway, salvation being their only hope. Kipling thought he was being supremely moral when he wrote "The White Man's Burden." (This isn't to say that other religions didn't convert by force, since of course they did.)

In the aftermath of colonialism, deep scars remain, and the question of racism is entangled in people's minds along with religion. Outright condemnation of the British empire, for example, doesn't erase how successful Livingstone and less famous missionaries were -- the Anglican church today is dominated by Africa, not the home country of England. In the U.S., outright condemnation of slavery can't erase the tradition of black churches and their stabilizing role in the community. Sadly, the general tendency remains the same: defining yourself by your faith also defines who you aren't. Racism won't disappear from religion until religion stops being exclusionary, a profound flaw that modern believers (some of them, at least) struggle to overcome.

In any system of organized religion, belief trumps first-hand experience. Such an experience, when it is truly spiritual, brings a sense of universality, far beyond our concepts of race and creed. In the most liberal denominations, one senses the color-blindness is real and sincere. but as long as other denominations preserve the concept of "pagan," the specter of lesser races will hover over the altar.

Please e-mail On Faith if you'd like to receive an email notification when On Faith sends out a new question.

Email Me | Del.icio.us | Digg | Facebook

Posted by Deepak Chopra on August 1, 2008 10:27 AM

Racial Reconciliation Begins with an Apology
I had a debate with a friend of mine this week.

I was saying that I was glad that the United States Congress , the House, specifically, voted to approve a resolution which apologizes for what this country did to African Americans.

The measure, which was introduced by a white man, Steve Cohen, a Democrat from Memphis, Tennessee, apologized for slavery and Jim Crow laws, and said that slavery was a "fundamental" injustice, which resulted in "cruelty, brutality and inhumanity."

My friend dismissed the apology, saying it was political. Cohen is running for re- election in the Democratic primary on August 7 against an African American.

"He did that to appease the black folks who might not vote for him," my friend said. "He knows that there are a lot of black people who will think he's a 'good white man,' and vote for him."

Political or not, I am glad Cohen introduced the measure and the House passed it. His bill was co-sponsored by 42 members of the Congressional Black Caucus, though none of those Caucus members have endorsed him in his reelection bid.

Two Republicans co-sponsored the bill. Sen. Tom Harken, the Democratic senator from Iowa, is thinking about introducing a similar measure in the Senate.

Why am I glad the House approved this bill? Because it is long overdue and African Americans deserve the apology. The issue of slavery in this country is the best-known "dirty little secret" in the world, and Americans have acted like if they don't talk about it, it will go away.

But the reality of slavery will not go away. Slavery and its rootedness in racial hatred and economic greed, were like a Tsunami, and the ripple effects are still being felt.

Slavery was wrong. Racial discrimination in education, housing, and economics was wrong. The compliance of the United States government in discriminatory practices was wrong, and an apology is long overdue.

It is only when "one side" or "the other" gives in that real discussion and dialogue can happen, which results in healing. The person wronged doesn't forget the incident which caused a breakdown, but at least he or she can let go of some of the angst, anxiety and anger once he or she sees that the "other side" acknowledges that a wrong has been done.

There are some people for whom an apology will make no difference, but for the vast majority, an honest and intentional apology goes a long way.

"That's just my point," said my friend. "The apology isn't honest. It's intentional because the man is trying to get reelected. This apology means nothing to me."

Well, it does to me. It's a first step. America has seemed too ready to just ignore the cries of the people who built this country. There have been too many instances of cruelty and fundamental injustice, just like Cohen's bill says. There was no reason for it, other than arrogance and economic greed.

My friend and I left our conversation amiably disagreeing. He has thrown the apology into the trash. I have lifted it to the hills, from whence comes my help.

Please e-mail On Faith if you'd like to receive an email notification when On Faith sends out a new question.

Email Me | Del.icio.us | Digg | Facebook

Posted by Susan K. Smith on August 1, 2008 11:43 AM

Farnaz writes: Which Jews in America "love to apologize?"
Kindly name them and give specifics on how, when, and where they have apologized.

Since you pride yourself as supposedly an "intellectual", honestly, is it hard for you to figure out that since your tribesman COHEN is a JEW and introduced this nonsense about apologizing for slavery (presumably on behalf of us Anglo-Americans) that this is, in fact, what I may be talking about? Get real.

And since you and this clown Cohen are supposedly such humanitarians, without ignoring and hiding and diverting from important facts, answer for all of us, that if slavery is so important to apologize for since it got abolished nearly 150 years ago, then what about the bombings of innocent men, women and children by your relatives in Israel TODAY?

You love talking about how whites came to America and took mostly empty land, and brought slaves, but when it comes to talking about how your relatives stole the land from the Palestinians and continue to oppress them, then you run away back into your holes like a bunch of rats.

Oh yes let's forget about that, after all they are "terrorists" and deserve to die, but it is sooo important to put the Christian whites of this country through guilt trips and shove the slavery card in their faces every chance you get while holding hands and exploiting the black community.

Some humanitarians, what a joke. All you care about is political and financial gain at the expense of Christian America.

Susan K. Smith
Senior pastor, Advent United Church of Christ in Columbus, Ohio.
The Rev. Dr. Susan K. Smith, senior pastor of Advent United Church of Christ in Columbus, Ohio, is a 1986 graduate of Yale Divinity School. She received her BA in English Literature from Occidental College and her D. Min. from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. A former reporter, Rev. Smith worked for newspapers in Baltimore and Texas before entering seminary. She also served as an associate producer for WJZ News, as an on-air news reporter for WEAA, the radio station affiliated with Morgan State University in Baltimore, and as a talk show host for “Columbus Today.” Rev. Smith is a co-president of BREAD, (Building Responsibility, Equity and Dignity). She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, Inc. She is the author of four books, "Carla and Annie," "From Calvary to Victory," "Forgive WHO?" and "Crazy Faith for Everyday People." Close. Susan K. Smith
Senior pastor, Advent United Church of Christ in Columbus, Ohio.
The Rev. Dr. Susan K. Smith, senior pastor of Advent United Church of Christ in Columbus, Ohio. more »
Main Page | Susan K. Smith Archives | On Faith Archives

« Previous Post |
Racial Reconciliation Begins with an Apology
I had a debate with a friend of mine this week.

I was saying that I was glad that the United States Congress , the House, specifically, voted to approve a resolution which apologizes for what this country did to African Americans.

The measure, which was introduced by a white man, Steve Cohen, a Democrat from Memphis, Tennessee, apologized for slavery and Jim Crow laws, and said that slavery was a "fundamental" injustice, which resulted in "cruelty, brutality and inhumanity."

My friend dismissed the apology, saying it was political. Cohen is running for re- election in the Democratic primary on August 7 against an African American.

"He did that to appease the black folks who might not vote for him," my friend said. "He knows that there are a lot of black people who will think he's a 'good white man,' and vote for him."

Political or not, I am glad Cohen introduced the measure and the House passed it. His bill was co-sponsored by 42 members of the Congressional Black Caucus, though none of those Caucus members have endorsed him in his reelection bid.

Two Republicans co-sponsored the bill. Sen. Tom Harken, the Democratic senator from Iowa, is thinking about introducing a similar measure in the Senate.

Why am I glad the House approved this bill? Because it is long overdue and African Americans deserve the apology. The issue of slavery in this country is the best-known "dirty little secret" in the world, and Americans have acted like if they don't talk about it, it will go away.

But the reality of slavery will not go away. Slavery and its rootedness in racial hatred and economic greed, were like a Tsunami, and the ripple effects are still being felt.

Slavery was wrong. Racial discrimination in education, housing, and economics was wrong. The compliance of the United States government in discriminatory practices was wrong, and an apology is long overdue.

It is only when "one side" or "the other" gives in that real discussion and dialogue can happen, which results in healing. The person wronged doesn't forget the incident which caused a breakdown, but at least he or she can let go of some of the angst, anxiety and anger once he or she sees that the "other side" acknowledges that a wrong has been done.

There are some people for whom an apology will make no difference, but for the vast majority, an honest and intentional apology goes a long way.

"That's just my point," said my friend. "The apology isn't honest. It's intentional because the man is trying to get reelected. This apology means nothing to me."

Well, it does to me. It's a first step. America has seemed too ready to just ignore the cries of the people who built this country. There have been too many instances of cruelty and fundamental injustice, just like Cohen's bill says. There was no reason for it, other than arrogance and economic greed.

My friend and I left our conversation amiably disagreeing. He has thrown the apology into the trash. I have lifted it to the hills, from whence comes my help.

Please e-mail On Faith if you'd like to receive an email notification when On Faith sends out a new question.

Email Me | Del.icio.us | Digg | Facebook

Posted by Susan K. Smith on August 1, 2008 11:43 AM

Reader Response

ALL COMMENTS (47)

To all the children of European immigrants: Look at the year your forefathers came to the this country and research the status of African-Americans at the time. Did African-Americans have rights at that time? Did they have access to decent jobs, health care, education and civil rights of any kind? The answer is NO.

If Blacks had equal rights and opportunities, then the Irish/Italian/Germans/Whatevers...who arrived here a long time ago would have had to compete and more than likely would be the Mexicans/Guatamalans/Equadorians of today.

Look at the total picture. Its not just about slavery. Its about an institutional system to support white people and to oppress and even kill blacks. Did the Irish build that system? No. Did they benefit from it? Absolutely!!

So as the children of European immigrants who believe that race issues have nothing to do with you, it would make sense to brush up on US History. Read about slavery, Jim Crow and racial terrorism (ie Emmitt Till, Medgar Evars) before forming an opinion.

I'm a little confused. I can't figure which part of me merits the most apologies: my indentured Scots/Irish ancestors; my Choctaw and Chickasaw ancestors; that portion of me that is almost certainly African slave; or the white Southerner in me whose ancestors' farms were burned during the War of Northern Agression.

Oh, and my Norman ancestors were terribly unkind to my Saxon ancestors. Come to think of it, my Choctaw kin were a bit rough on my Chickasaw kin, and then there were those issues between my Neanderthal ancestors and those elitist homo sapiens.

As long as we're having a "discussion", here are a few facts you need to process into your point of view.

1. The Republican Party was founded in 1854. It had one issue. Slavery. They were against it. The Democrats were for it.

2. The first Republican elected president was Abraham Lincoln. In direct response his election, the South seceded from the Union.

3. By executive order, Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican to hold the office of president, legally abolished slavery in the United States. For that order to remain the law of the land, the North still had to win the Civil War.

4. The number of white Americans that died in the war to end slavery was about 600,000. To put that into perspective, you can think of that as a dozen Viet Nams.

5. The percentage of white Americans that owned slaves was only about one percent.

6. The percentage of black Americans that owned slaves was also about one percent.

7. After the Civil War, Republicans passed laws allowing all male freedmen to vote. In 1867, black men in the south voted for the first time. Over the course of Republican Reconstruction, more than 1,500 African Americans held public office in the South.

8. The so-called Jim Crow laws were passed by the Democrats.

9. The Ku Klux Klan was founded by Nathan Bedford Forest, a Democrat.

10. In terms of both actual numbers and as a percentage of their total members in Congress, more Democrats voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1964 than Republicans.

11. To this very day, a former member of the Ku Klux Klan serves in the Senate of the United States. He’s a Democrat.

So if anybody needs to apologize for slavery and Jim Crow, let the Democrats stand up and take responsibility for the history of their party. The Republicans have nothing to apologize for.

Armen and Anon,

Perhaps, you missed this, along with everything else you missed, or, I should say missed out on, such as gray matter:

Keith English writes:
"I'm in Cohen's district and your friend is just plain wrong about Cohen's motives AND his timing. Rep. Cohen feels this issue is very, very important. And he introduced a version of this measure shortly after he was sworn in to this office more than a year and a half-ago.

Now of course reasonable people can and will disagree about whether the resolution is a good idea. But assuming that Rep. Cohen was pandering is unfair to him (and simply not the case, if you ask anyone who knows him)."

Also, from my post:

http://congress.org/congressorg/bio/id/8123

August 2, 2008 7:55 PM

If you have any brain cells left, go to the website, and check out Steve Cohen. Then check yourselves into the nearest mental hospital, or see if there is some other way for you to get your usual doses of thorazine.

Best to stay away from the internet unless and until you are able to assemble lucid thoughts.

Btw., maybe you ought to read Dave's post before you attack him, but read it after you've had your medication. Maybe, and one has one's doubts, you'll comprehend what he wrote.

Yet, I'm sure Dave thinks ALL GERMANS no matter what age owe the Jews an apology, and the rest of the world should go to any extent to put Jewish interests above all else.

Steve Cohen is a GENOCIDE DENYNG HYPOCRITE who is only interested in his own re-election. The voters would be FOOLS to fall into his ploy!

Dave,

My ancestors had nothing to do with slavery either. Indeed, I was not born in this country. The point is that the nation did have to do with slavery and that African Americans appreciated Bill Clinton's apology. Slavery happened. It has left a horrible legacy. This apology is a way of acknowledging it.

I can't see what harm it can do. There are those who need to be reminded of slavery and there are those who need to know that Americans know this part of history and that they remember.

I believe this apology is long overdue as is the public day of thanks by all blacks to the men who fought and died to secure their emancipation. Then G-d willing we will as a nation address the scourge of slavery that is rampant in the world today.

Here's what you have failed to realize: racial conciliation did not begin with this crap apology.

Blacks and whites have been working on mending fences and building bridges for years. This apology doesn't even take that into account.

I would like to apologize for slavery but can't.

Why?

My ancestry and I had nothing to do with it.

Nothing.

Three of my Grandparents came from Ireland between 1908 and 1920 ....... long after slavery had ended.

My Great Grandfather came from Germany in 1848 and settled in upstate New York where he owned a small farm. *HE OWNED NO SLAVES.* No member of my family ever did own slaves here or in Europe. Nor did we participate in the slave trade.

For me to offer an apology to Blacks for slavery would be strongly disengenuous.

ALLAREBIGOTS:

Here is what you quote from my post:

Farnaz writes: "Even the institutionalized nature of this racism would be bearable in this country if many gentiles could do something about their hardened hearts, intransigent bigotry, and that of their children."

Since your post is irrelevant to what you quote, I assume you intended your quote to show that you are one of those gentiles whose heart is so hardened, who is so intransigent in his/her bigotry, who has or will pass it onto his/her children that we can hold out little hope for you. Pity, we have to continue to teach our children how to deal with you, and we are, my racist friend. Worse for you, since you have tossed your intellect into the garbage, and I doubt you'll be able to get it back.

ALLAREBIGOTS:
Farnaz writes: "Even the institutionalized nature of this racism would be bearable in this country if many gentiles could do something about their hardened hearts, intransigent bigotry, and that of their children."

Funny how Jews in America love to apologize on behalf of the Anglo-Americans for "slavery" in order to get ahead politically and financially, while their relatives in Israel continue to run the world's largest slavery camp on the historical lands of Palestine in the 21st century. I guess that is not "intransigent bigotry".

Oops I take that back, not slavery camp because the people there are being starved, so let's call it a concentration camp. At least whites in America gave the slaves shelter and food; A 300 year old concept way more advanced than what you can claim on behalf of your own people.
------------------
I do so love chatting with racists! (Wouldn't have guessed that my last posts would have pulled you out from under your rock, though.)

Let's start here. Once you've provided me with factual information to back up your first assertion, we'll happily move forward.

A. ALLAREBIGOTS:: "Jews in America love to apologize on behalf of the Anglo-Americans for 'slavery' in order to get ahead politically and financially."

Farnaz: Which Jews in America "love to apologize?"
Kindly name them and give specifics on how, when, and where they have apologized.

Ditto, how they have gotten ahead politically and financially in so doing.

Farnaz writes: "Even the institutionalized nature of this racism would be bearable in this country if many gentiles could do something about their hardened hearts, intransigent bigotry, and that of their children."

Funny how Jews in America love to apologize on behalf of the Anglo-Americans for "slavery" in order to get ahead politically and financially, while their relatives in Israel continue to run the world's largest slavery camp on the historical lands of Palestine in the 21st century. I guess that is not "intransigent bigotry".

Oops I take that back, not slavery camp because the people there are being starved, so let's call it a concentration camp. At least whites in America gave the slaves shelter and food; A 300 year old concept way more advanced than what you can claim on behalf of your own people.

Farnaz writes: "surely someone with your academic pedigree can do more than report gossip on a blog."

That's putting a positive slant on it. Smith's essay contained a transparent false accusation intended to be divisive. Shame on you, Ms. Smith.

Susan Smith:

Keith English writes:
"I'm in Cohen's district and your friend is just plain wrong about Cohen's motives AND his timing. Rep. Cohen feels this issue is very, very important. And he introduced a version of this measure shortly after he was sworn in to this office more than a year and a half-ago.

Now of course reasonable people can and will disagree about whether the resolution is a good idea. But assuming that Rep. Cohen was pandering is unfair to him (and simply not the case, if you ask anyone who knows him)."
--------------------------
Thank you very, very much for the post, Keith. Actually, I went to the Congressional web site, which took all of 90 seconds to get a sense of what Rep. Cohen's tenure had been like. Most commendable! Would we were all so fortunate in our Congress persons.

Susan Smith, I can't for the life of me understand your indirect insinuations sans even a 90 second search. An additional 30 second search pulled up, for me, more results confirming what Keith English posted regarding the resolution. I recognize that this isn't the New York Times, which, btw., is almost as irresponsible as WaPo these days, but surely someone with your academic pedigree can do more than report gossip on a blog. All it would have taken was two minutes of your time.

http://congress.org/congressorg/bio/id/8123

I agree that the apology for slavery is long overdue, and regardless of when Mr. Cohen's ancestors arrived in this country, which, btw., could have been as early as the seventeenth century, he is to be commended for having gotten it through the House. There has been a lot of talk about such a bill, and it is high time that talk translated into action.

The only problem I have is with your suggestion that the bill was solely politically motivated. You provide no information about Mr. Cohen other than that he is running for re-election. You do not mention his political history with matters related to race, for instance, so we have no way of knowing whether the bill was a logical outgrowth of a long-term perspective. Neither do you mention when the bill was introduced.

As for Verde! Vamos! comments on the American Indians, who dislike being called Native Americans, they are still being genocided. Wikepedia describes American INdian Reservations as among the poorest of the developing nations. We are talking about people living in shacks with incomes under 6,000 a year. IN AMERICA. They are still fighting this government attempting to get it to honor just one or two of the many treaty obligations that it has yet to meet.

Personally, as a brown, Jewish woman, I could do without the apologies of all the world's anti-Jewish racists, if they would just find a way to keep their mouths shut and their hands off us and our children. Even the institutionalized nature of this racism would be bearable in this country if many gentiles could do something about their hardened hearts, intransigent bigotry, and that of their children.

Funny, isn't it, how some folks are just required to get over it while its still going on.

I agree that the apology for slavery is long overdue, and regardless of when Mr. Cohen's ancestors arrived in this country, which, btw., could have been as early as the seventeenth century, he is to be commended for having gotten it through the House. There has been a lot of talk about such a bill, and it is high time that talk translated into action.

The only problem I have is with your suggestion that the bill was solely politically motivated. You provide no information about Mr. Cohen other than that he is running for re-election. You do not mention his political history with matters related to race, for instance, so we have no way of knowing whether the bill was a logical outgrowth of a long-term perspective. Neither do you mention when the bill was introduced.

As for Verde! Vamos! comments on the American Indians, who dislike being called Native Americans, they are still being genocided. Wikepedia describes American INdian Reservations as among the poorest of the developing nations. We are talking about people living in shacks with incomes under 6,000 a year. IN AMERICA. They are still fighting this government attempting to get it to honor just one or two of the many treaty obligations that it has yet to meet.

Personally, as a brown, Jewish woman, I could do without the apologies of all the world's anti-Jewish racists, if they would just find a way to keep their mouths shut and their hands off us and our children. Even the institutionalized nature of this racism would be bearable in this country if many gentiles could do something about their hardened hearts, intransigent bigotry, and that of their children.

Funny, isn't it, how some folks are just required to get over it while its still going on.

I'm in Cohen's district and your friend is just plain wrong about Cohen's motives AND his timing. Rep. Cohen feels this issue is very, very important. And he introduced a version of this measure shortly after he was sworn in to this office more than a year and a half-ago.

Now of course reasonable people can and will disagree about whether the resolution is a good idea. But assuming that Rep. Cohen was pandering is unfair to him (and simply not the case, if you ask anyone who knows him).

I am glad that the House approve this Bill. Whether or not the apology was motivated by politics, it was way overdue. We have overcome so much, and racism is still alive, it just isn't as strong as it was back in the 50s and 60s. I will not let racism enslave me and keep from the purpose that God has intended for me.

Slavery should not be apologized for. First of all, it is traditional. Secondly, blacks are better off as slaves than as free people. I defy anyone to tell me that blacks today are better off economically, morally, medically, or in any other way than they were on the plantation. In fact, the only solution to the negro problem is to restore the plantation and the system of slavery.

American Joktan: regardless of what you are trying to say you need to stop your copy-paste nonsense. This board should be for simple, intelligent comments, and not for putting the reader through pain as they try to read an article from outer space.

VerdeVamos... you are so far from the truth I wanted to forget about what you wrote and move on... but I will give you a couple of points for you to chew on...

No the blacks would not be richer today because of their hard work: typical mentality of someone who understands very little about very basic economics. You actually have convinced yourself that in those times all people had to do was board the next jet plane to come to the promise land and set up shop without any issues. You must be in elementary school. Do you have any clue what was going on in the new world at those times? "Blacks would be paid more because they worked harder" LOL

I guess there was a thriving job market already established here (from the native Americans?) and the mean old whites took them all away. And who might I ask was doing the "paying"... the black plantation owners? Oh yeah that's right they arrived by the boatloads from Africa (provided they didn't end up in the south pole for lack of technology). Then they would proceed to take the land with sticks and arrows from the Europeans with guns and canons and establish their wealth in America. What a laugh.

As someone already pointed out, the fact that Mr Cohen, a Jew, is apologizing for slavery that happened before the Jews even started stepping foot in the US speaks volumes about his agenda. Also the blacks of America have actually angered themselves over nothing over an issue they know nothing about. In fact the lazy often use the term "slavery" in order to be unproductive members of society.

If someone feels good from it, fine. It's rather bizarre, though, that anyone feels oppressed by or guilty for something that happened 150 years ago.

We are only responsible for what we do, not for what our ancestors did. The fact that some benefited and some were harmed is the responsibility of no-one alive today.

I've never seen why these token apologies were necessary (and there seems to be a lot of them). There's nothing really wrong about the apologies per se, but we've already had government-issued reparations, presidential apologies, and every American History class taught in public school includes substantial coverage of both the Slave Trade and the Civil Rights Movement. We have minority scholarships, hate crime laws, and affirmative action.

As I see it, the United States is doing everything within reason to atone for the sins of its racist past. Why are token apologies necessary as well? Will the remarkable gains made by the Black community since the Civil Rights Movement suddenly dissipate without the constant reminder of ancestral bondage? Will White Americans all devolve into petty, racist monsters if they aren't reminded of their progenitors' crimes?

Robert G:

All of the groups you mentioned deserve apologies, especially the Native Americans. The Native Americans deserve an apology even more than black Americans! Blacks endured slavery, but even slavery is better than government-sanctioned genocide, which was obviously very effective (How many Native American's do YOU see every day? O.K., now how many black people do you see (including on TV)?) But I don't recall every seeing a boatload of Irish people stacked tall and wide shackled in the hold of a trans-Atlantic steamer. Japanese Americans who suffered in camps during WWII got reparations. The playing field was not level. Did the Irish do hard labor for centuries without ever being paid? Just imagine how much "old money" would be in the black community if our ancestors had actually been paid and given access to the same means of growing wealth as whites (i.e. EDUCATION and LAND OWNERSHIP). The current playing field would be level. In fact, black Americans would likely currently be wealthier than their white counterparts, because we would have made more money for all of that hard labor than the white Americans, because we worked harder for it but were never paid. White-owned plantations would have had to compete with the black-owned plantations that would eventually have been formed by successful black laborers (putting their education to good use, saving the money they EARNED from their labor and learning how to run their own plantations). With all those black-owned plantations, guess who would have gladly hired Irishmen when the WASPS would not? Black people! - the people who are kind and welcoming to everybody else (usually to a fault) UNTIL given a reason not to be kind and welcoming. See, all those mean, racist black people you see - history gives them a reason for being that way, as a foundation. Then, the current events in their daily lives build upon that racist foundation, so they can never just "get over it". The kind, less-racist black people you see - history also gives them reason, but they may not encounter racism as often as those other black folks, so they don't have the chip on their shoulder. I think even the Irish would have been better off had blacks not been enslaved! What reason would blacks have had to discriminate?

It is worth noting the following re another apology for slavery & Jim Crow racial discrimination that occurred this past month.
1. July 10 press release - American Medical Assoc. "AMA apologizes for history of racial inequality and works to include and promote minority physicians."
2. RB Baker et al. "African American Physicians and Organized Medicine, 1846-1968: Origins of a Racial Divide," Jrnl of Amer Med Assoc 7/31/08.
3. RM Davis. "Achieving Racial Harmony for the Benefit of Patients and Communities," JAMA 7/31/08
4. HA Washington. "Apology shines light on racial schism in medicine," New York Times, 7/29/08.

Id like the goverment to waist more time on stupid bills. I want an appoligy for how my Irish ancestors were treated. I also think the American Indians and Japanese Americans should get an appoligy also. OH BUT WAIT, Those groups of people actualy became something worked there asses off, chaulked up there bad experience as "Thats Life" and moved on. Id like an appoligy from the NEGRO Americans for there lack of willingness to move on and make something of themselves.

human bondage aka slavery has been considered an 'imhuman act' for less than 2% of literated recorded history. for 98% of that history - small nor large human societies had not one problem - at all - with enslaving there fellow human beings (no doubt: the slaves thought differently). it is always indicated 'in the most ilhistorical ways possible' that europeans or arabs invented human bondage - and perfected it on the backs of black africans: nothing could be more untruthful. black african nations, kingdoms & tribes were engaged in slavery at every level for thousands of yrs before european navies or arab merchants showed up to compete. humanity's turn away from looking at slavery as benige reached its zenith with the creation of founding documents of usa's independence & its present constitution as amended. in a very real sense: the genetic offspring of usa slaves owe a great debt of thanks for the continued existence of the usa -- rather than the usa government owes them something in return. ...priceless!!!

I think the apology was good too, regardless of possible underlying motives. It might help draw out into the open white fears, which have been with us for a long time, about what the other side really wants.

The fear that black Americans secretly desire to destroy or impoverish white society is there, even if it's taboo to speak about it. Let's start talking about it and remove the anxiety.

The silence hurts everyone.

Your friend is correct. The concenption for the apology was so politically motivated that it almost seems insincere. And just because the Congressional Black Caucus endorsed the bill also doesn't mean that much either because BLack Caucus members are also politicians and there endorsement carries the burden of some type of political capital whether we as African Americans care to admit or not.
The Black Clergy often times is often too accepting of these types of decrees too quickly. When are we as a people,expecially thru our religious leadership, going to stand up and discount or at least rebut these grand stand types of legislation that are obvious attempts of appeasing and glossing over social ills?? Black Clergy should use this bill as a referendum to obtain stronger admission of shame if not guilt from the federal government before accepting such feeble attempts at exonerating the consciousness of the government intitution that endorsed such a heinous period in our country's past. Black Clergy, step up again and lead us. Stop rolling over so quickly and showing the underbelly of acceptance. Please for our people's sake.

As the grandson in an Italian immigrant family, I have heard the many stories of mistreatment of Italian immigrants. I still receive "mafia" references (all in fun, of course!) when people recognize my name as Italian.

I was able to overcome that discrimination because by I had the advantage of being a white male in America. The GI Bill provided college education, and I became part of the white middle class in America. As such, I was unawarely accorded all the privileges accorded to white people in this society.

Then I read Peggy McIntosh's groundbreaking article on white privilege, "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack," where she states, "I was taught to see racism only in individual acts of meanness, not in invisible systems conferring dominance on my group."

Racism and white privilege most certainly exist in America today. I may not have caused it, but I have certainly benefitted from them. After many years of denial, I have resolved to use this privilege to make changes.

I believe that is part of what the white supporters of this House Resolution have done. One of the first steps in ending an oppression is to acknowledge that it has happened and IS happening. The House has taken that first step.

White Americans must acknowledge racism before we can change it. it is not a matter of blame. It is not a matter of guilt. It IS a matter of living up to a principle upon which this country is based: All people are created equal. That means we Americans must create a level playing field for all our citizens, and change the institutions and laws that prevent that.

I support that Congressional apology. And I accept the responsibility to work towards changing our country. This means opening dialogues, and it means ACTING to change the institutions that maintain inequality.

The apology is only one step, but an important one.

No one should feel the need or have the desire to apologize for something that they had no involvement in. There is no native-born citizen in this country that has ever bought, sold, or held a slave with Government authorization. Also, there is no one in this country who has ever been bought, sold, or held in slavery with Government authorization.

The US Government is "Of the People, by the People, and for the People." All citizens alive today in the United States are "The People". Since none its citizens have any need to apologize, it follows that the US Government, which is defined as "The People" does not have any need to apologize.

Okay, now let us introduce and approve a resolution which comprehensively abolishes persistent institutional racial structures.

Racism lives height on the hog in every nation. When some groups suffer disadvantage at law because of “past events” then, assets and rights decompose. In time, depravations increase. In 1945, properties taken from Enemy Alien persons were kept, and many persons disappeared. Still today, with trillions involved, no corrections come.

As some apply corrupt practice in administration then, depravations move upon other groups. With expansion of depravations the, civil and social dysfunction between the haves and have-nots expand into disorder. At this point, many of the have-nots are yesterday's creativity groups. In response to suppression then, the creativity groups refuse civil and social economic interaction. In the events that destroy civilizations then, administration applies aggressive or hostile suppression under cover of law.

The human kind is an interactive lot. The Buddhist have said, “Do not teach what you do not want learned.” However, some do not hear.

Ms. Smith's comments are right on the mark. It does not matter how the apology came to be or who developed it, the point is to hold the apology separate from its origin and let it stand on its own, simply as a long, long overdue statement.

Racial injustice is still with us in a big way, we are not by any means a "post-racial" America. The sooner that white people accept this reality and take responsibility for white privilege and the resulting institutional racism, (that still permeates like a poisonous vapor) the better.

Wise words - Ms. Smith! Thank you.

So, Mr. Cohen offers an "apology" for something that probably happened long before his immigrant ancestors ever came to America. He and his ancestors probably had nothing to do with it. He's merely apologizing for something somebody else did to gain votes. Who's going to fall for this? Well, apparently one person has.

I agree that apologies for slavery can help encourage a dialogue that might heal some of the hurt and anger and help us focus on the racism that is the inheritance of slavery.

The Episcopal Church will make a public apology for its involvement in the institution of transatlantic slavery Oct. 3 and 4. It will begin with presentations and exhibits from 1-5 p.m. Oct. 3, followed by a reception. It will be followed Oct. 4 at 10:30 a.m., by a Service of Repentance led by the presiding bishop, the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, at the African Episcopal Church of St.Thomas in Philadelphia.