U.S. Senate apologizes for slavery
The U.S. Senate unanimously to apologize for slavery. Is this the back door to reparations?
I don't know about reparations, but a good reparation would be to have the subject of slavery included in all school history curriculum, beginning at the 6th grade. And I am talking about real details, actual accounts. Not watered down, politically correct, we don't want to offend anyone versions.
Here is an interesting comment from one of the posters on Nola.com in response to the news story.
"Posted by metairie75 on 06/18/09 at 11:57AM
Oh come on! How pathetic and sad and this only shows the weakness of the US senate not only to us americans, but to others around the world.
I mean seriously now, this is soooooooooooo old and lets just get over it ok? Also instead of the US senate apologizing, how about the senates in african countries (if they have a senate) apologize first for being the ones that acutally sold their own people to the white man. But no, its ok, we the USA will take FULL responsibility for our forefathers, whom none of us are related too, for this. Get Real!
Also, my ethnicity and my people were enslaved for over 500 years! I'm from a european descent and I have studied about the enslavement of my "forefathers" but hey now!...we havent gotten an official apology from the country and government! Should I cry and be upset for this? Should I walk around the rest of my life thinking I am owed something for this, and also walk around with a chip on my shoulder? NO! I move on in life, study the past, and hope it doesnt happen again and leave the past to be just that...the past.
Can we please move on from this slavery issue?? Its old now! And I for sure as a european caucasion will NOT be made to feel "guilty" in any way for something that took place over 100 years ago. No white guilt here people. Now get over it and move on!
As for our US senate...come on now...we have other serious things to worry about and this is not one of them."
I remember reading about deaths of American Indians and stories of Gettysburg. In sixth grade back in the late 80s, I barely understood the world history that we were reading about. I was a good reader, but I just really didn't understand all that yet. I probably would have understood things more in eighth grade as opposed to sixth. Maybe the sixth grade, but try to keep the gore, killing, blood n guts out until later. Rather give us the reasoning, or pathways to the irrational ways of slavery. Kids understand Hanging and drowning. But as a civilized society, don't we want to teach the kids the good things about humanity first, that is what makes us great? Aside from culture and monetary clash? Then when the kids are a little older, teach them the clashing and strife and pain of the unhealthy Civil War and Jim Crow times and plantation life and slave trade and Gibson Girl and religious persecution. Just my take. I can be wrong.