__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
Why at this time and and date would it be necessasry? It would appear to me that as a Nation we have done quite a bit to make amends. There comes a time when closure must come. How much longer are apologies going to be required?
Why at this time and and date would it be necessasry? It would appear to me that as a Nation we have done quite a bit to make amends. There comes a time when closure must come. How much longer are apologies going to be required?
Pinckney
Freedom is something that must be claimed. Once claimed it must be preserved and defended. An apology won't create an attitude nor the fact of freedom. A man who would be free must stand and let it be known.
__________________ Ancestors in US Army: 13th TN Cav; 10th TN Cav; 3rd NC Inf
Ancestors in CSA Army: 48th VA; 63rd VA, 5th NC Cav; 37th NC
Wife and Grandson's CSA: 15th AL, 51st GA, 41st TN; 36th TN; GA Mil 1197 Dist
Larry, I was directing my comment to UNIONBLUE, I was just interested as to why he felt an apology might still be needed.
Slavery was a stain on this nation, but there must come a time to move on. I agree with your post, the American opportunity is there for all. It is more difficult for some to grasp than for others but it is there if you want it.
Don't worry, there are plenty of 'claims' coming. As noted on another board, The apology has almost certainly been filed away in the NAACP and Native American legal offices, for future reference.
Va. has not seen 'regret' over this matter yet, but it is coming.
The Irony is how much ammunition Va. is supplying to it's detractors. To some,this apology is indeed way too little, But, it is not Too Late. It will probably be seen by various interest groups (lawyers, among them) as one more step on the road to Reparations.
Too much on the negative side of the Virginia legislature's passage of a resolution of regret, at least, in my opinion.
The man who submitted this resolution, dropped his desire to have anything about reparations because he felt it was more important to deal with the emotional side of the issue, rather than put a dollar amount on it.
I agree with him. As for the issue being 'too late' I think that is very debatable. I had a friend put this issue in somewhat fundamentalist terms. When is too late to gain Salvation? I had a old friend of mine complain that he just couldn't get the concept of salvation, as he pointed out, a man could be evil all his life, doing much harm and destruction, and yet on his death bed, gain forgiveness and enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. What was fair about that?
It seemed to me, God was looking at the heart and not the timing of the thing. Should timing really matter if one is sincere about asking for forgiveness?
I too, agree with all here, that if this resolution is about a legal foreplay to gain money/reparations, then this isn't about atoning for the past. I am of the opinion that Union and Confederate dead have long paid any monetary price required.
But the Civil War did not end in 1865. It continued on until the Civil Rights unrest in the 1960's and beyond. It will continue for as long as we continue to ignore parts of our history and claim that slavery was not a cause of the war thereby denying a huge part of our history and the causes of some of our most persistant social problems of today.
No, gentlemen, an act of remorse is not too late, an acknowledgement, a real one, not implied, is never too late.
As for trying to make a few bucks off the suffering of both white and black lives of 144 years ago, I agree, it is too late 'to pass the buck.'
Sincerely,
Unionblue
__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
Sir for an Army guy you are elequent. I doubt if this question will ever be answered to every one's sastisfaction. We must each find our own salvation for what we have done. As for my ancestors I would imagine they have already answered for their deeds. I believe as you do, those brave men in the Blue and the Gray paid most of the price.
I agree that the cost of the Civil War itself in blood and treasure was sufficient payment for slavery itself, but the continued oppression and denial of justice after 1865 may well be up for grabs, to a disatisfied constinuency and its lawyers.
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Virginia Apologizes for Role in Slavery 
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