You may have heard in passing that the US Senate earlier this week approved a vote to formally apologize for slavery. Yes, slavery, slavery.
No one was more shocked than I to see this ball thrown into motion; I think the last time anyone in government even broached the subject of an ‘official’ apology, Clinton was in office.
Alas, Democratic Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa and Republican Sam Brownback of Kansas came together, setting aside party differences to send a unified message; we love Barack Obama, omg we feel like sh*t, please obsolve me of my White man’s guilt because I’m a good person, slavery was wrong.
Apparently the issue of slavery being bad is a strong enough issue to get two parties who really can’t stand each other to stand together, hold hands and sing. The state of the economy and the very infrastructure of our country- not a big enough issue. Our reputation abroad (and at home too, ish)- not a big enough issue. Healthcare (which should be considered a right, not a privilege)- not a big enough issue.
Slavery? Colasal issue. The world would cease to exist if the US government failed to recognize and apologize for slavery.
Give me a frikken break.
Do you really, really want me to believe that the timing of this apology has nothing to do with the fact that Barack Obama is the president of the United States of America? Really. Really? No.
I can smell white guilt a mile away. I was taught to be mindful to not accept when white people try and get me to obsolve them of their guilt. That’s not my job. If white people want to truly deal with their guilt or shame about their legacy (which, btw, is our legacy too), then they need to make the decision to spend the rest of their life understanding who they are as an individual, and how they as an individual impact issues of race, class, and privilege, and then take that knowledge and put it to action.
But suddenly the US government is preparing to apologize to every single African American on the planet for “fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery” of African-Americans…”
“acknowledges the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery and Jim Crow laws” that enshrined racial segregation at the state and local level in the United States well into the 1960s.
And the Congress “apologizes to African-Americans on behalf of the people of the United States, for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow laws.”
It also recommits lawmakers “to the principle that all people are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and calls on all people of the United States to work toward eliminating racial prejudices, injustices, and discrimination from our society.”
Well kum-by-fuckin’-ya!
Do you know what this really says, it says “we were scared the Black guy would win the election. He won, and by golly gee, it’s alright! Black people are great! We love this guy! We’d invite him over! I have his autograph! His daughters are adorable! His wife is the prettiest, smartest, funniest thing comin’ and goin’! We love the Blacks!”
Give. Me. A break.
As if this weren’t already a shake-you-head moment, it gets better (of course it gets better).
The far right wingers have decided that this is a grand conspiracy to give the wealth of the nation to Black people (damn that Obama!) via the ‘R’ word: reparations.
First of all, the Nation has no wealth. America is so far in debt she can’t rent a furniture set from Rent-a-Center without needing her bff China to co-sign for it.
Second of all, before ya’ll get giddy, I promise you, the closest you are going to get to your 40 Acres and a Mule is by watching the latest Spike Lee Joint at the movies.
No land. No mule. No cash, okay? It’s not gonna happen.
And just for the sake of clarification- apology not accepted.
No ‘I’m sorry’ from me.
I do not know anyone that is a slave or has ever been a slave.
I never owned a slave.
Any person that did own a slave has been dead 100 years.
What makes you or anyone else think that I have anything to apologize for?
Get an education.
Get a job.
Get a life.
Nationalized slavery in modern times? Inherited burden? Tough shite white (I say to myself). Americans are all going to be working this out for awhile.
Senate’s ‘relational’ apology is nothing until it’s backed with cash and action. Public Govt. investigation into racial disparity of prison system, assurance of post K-12 education, human services . . .big reveal and repair work.
Wow, pobept – I’m glad you got that off your chest.
Anyhoo. I guess we’ll see what the House does with it and where we as a nation go from here.
I had no idea this was on the table….thanks for enlightening me. Sable, I understand your points and position stated above. I’ll be tuning in to this information, so that I can understand the specifics of this debate.
Good Stuff!
“stand together, hold hands and sing”
Brilliant tongue in cheek, well done you!
Have to tell you though, being white and Irish, I don’t have a clue about your issues but I do recognise the sycophantic manoeuvrings of your politicians; that’s a world wide thingy. There’s profit in it somewhere.
So focus!
“…psychopathic maneuverings of your politicians…”
Oh, so true.
Reparations are never gonna happen. The more time that passes, the closer to impossible that notion comes. The US government has to issue a formal apology sometime, or continue to look bad and feel guilty, but it doesn’t really change anything. Heck, it took the Catholic church 300 years to acknowledge that Galileo was right and that the Sun doesn’t revolve around the Earth. So, the US government is about par for the course.
Unstranger: “There’s profit in it somewhere.” – I don’t think there’s much profit here, just a feelgood move that’s easy to support in a down economy – It doesn’t cost anything to say “sorry ’bout that slavery thing y’all”.
Pobept: “What makes you or anyone else think that I have anything to apologize for?” – I don’t believe the Senate asked you, Pobept, to personally apologize for anything or sign an official statement. No you weren’t alive 200 years ago and didn’t own any slaves, but the institution of the US government did exist 200 years ago and did support slavery, so it’s not unreasonable for it to acknowledge past wrongs – even if it takes a century or two.