Va apologizes for slavery...

**imported_trumpet1988** · February 26th, 2007, 08:07 PM

Well we should admit that we were wrong in slavery.

But how do the effects of slavery continue to influence black people? I mean I don't know what it's like to have my family sold into slavery. The majority of us are not promoting slavery and we acknowledge that it happened and that it was wrong. And we know there is still racism.

I mean, look at Rome. The Romans used to persecute Christians quite often. That was nearly 1500 or so years ago. I don't see any Italians trying to feed me or my other fellow Christians to lions. They should acknowledge that it happened, but if I lived in Italy I wouldn't go around demanding affirmative action from employers because I'm a Christian.

The British should acknowledge some of the junk they put the Indians through when they barged in over here. I'm part Cherokee. I'm not gonna go around demanding every British person do something to repay me because of how they treated my ancestors.

My point is, while opressors' descendants should acknowledge that their ancestors were wrong, the opressees' descendants should learn forgiveness.

As conservative as I am, I do think VA did the right thing by at least acknowledging that they were wrong. But things such as demanding people to repay you for what their ancestors did to your's is only going to cause more racism.

Like I said before, I'm not going to go to some Italian person and start assuming that I'll be fed to the lions and start demanding to be repayed for the way they treated my fellow Christians nearly 1500 years ago.

We are just going to have to learn to forgive.

**sup-rbeast** · February 26th, 2007, 08:16 PM

Tell me trumpet...how were "we" wrong?...Were you walkin the earth back in 1860 ? "We" don't take credit for sailing to the New World. "We" don't take credit for establishing this country. "We" don't take credit for settling the frontier clear to the Pacific. So, How were "we" wrong in slavery. Maybe the folks that lived then were wrong. But it's not an institution of our lifetime, so "we" owe no one anything.

**Shoe** · February 26th, 2007, 08:18 PM

Hell my ancestors counted afford slaves even if they wanted too. They came from Ireland because that [censored] potatoe famine (sp). Also I think if we are going to say sorry, my bad, to one race then we might as well say sorry to all races.

**plantsman** · February 26th, 2007, 08:39 PM

Good articles all three. These students write better, and more concisely and thoughtfully than a majority of the editorialists in the stable of most mainstream newspapers. Thanks for posting these.

**NotSoSilentBob** · February 26th, 2007, 09:36 PM

Just something else to keep the race baiters in business.

**swvacsas** · February 26th, 2007, 09:40 PM

I am a descendent of slaveholders. I am also a descendent of indentured servants and of transported criminals. I feel no compulsion to apologize for any of them. The culture in which they lived did not regard slavery with the same degree of repugnance that is now attached to it. Virtually all of the cultures of West Africa at the time of the slave trade practised some form of slavery- so did much of Europe. It does not bother me that the General Assembly passed a resolution condemning the practice as long as due respect is shown for all periods of Virginia history- something which has not been done of late- witness the SCV licence plate. Attempts to ban a flag my ancestors fought under in the name of political correctness are vile and uncalled for. I would support a dead skunk for political office before I would support a politician or educator who banned the display of Confederate battle flag

**starbuck** · February 26th, 2007, 10:11 PM

anyone see the story in the Kingsport paper today about the lost side or the lost stories of slavery? It was about Black slave owners. pretty interesting, it focused on one family mostly.
well, it could have been yesterdays paper. I read both today

**NotSoSilentBob** · February 26th, 2007, 10:24 PM

There were many black slaveowners.

There was one black who came over as an indentured servant. Once freed, he amassed quite the collection of slaves. His name escapes me at the moment.

**imported_hhstigerfan** · February 27th, 2007, 12:53 AM

Well just think if we never brought black people over here. Most of the descendents of the slaves today would be living in some poor village in Africa.