But there are those who don't see it quite that way. I don't know who Delegate Frank Hargrove is, but I think I like him. He has a different opinion but he makes good sense. Even if he is going to be strung up by his neck for saying it:
Slavery apology legislation ignites 1st spark... apologize for killing Christ. Good line.
Republican Del. Frank Hargrove said blacks should "get over" slavery.
By Michael Sluss , The Roanoke Times
Richmond -- A resolution that would have the General Assembly apologize for Virginia's role in slavery has aroused passions in the legislature even before the measure gets its first hearing from committees in the Senate and House of Delegates.
A Hanover County lawmaker's published comments that blacks should "get over" slavery were denounced on the House floor Tuesday by two black delegates who are supporting a resolution of apology. The comments by Republican Del. Frank Hargrove lit the first spark in what figures to be an emotional debate in coming weeks.
Hargrove made the remark in a story published Tuesday by the Charlottesville Daily Progress. In explaining his opposition to the resolution, Hargrove said today's Virginia has no responsibility for slavery and added: "I personally think that our black citizens should get over it."
The same story also quoted Hargrove saying: "Are we going to force the Jews to apologize for killing Christ? (link)
Now we all know that Frank here is in big trouble for saying what 70% of Virginians think. Despite that, he's right. You all need to get over it. And move on. Apologies serve absolutely no purpose (above exception noted) other than to promote modern-day slave traders - those who capitalize on such meaningless idiocy. Al Sharpton comes to mind.
Bill Clinton apologized for slavery. Tim Kaine has already apologized for slavery. Neither made a difference to those who demand more and more and ...
Beyond that, 800,000 Americans gave up their lives to end the institution of slavery. And the entire South was laid to waste because of its transgressions. I'd say that's apology - and punishment - enough.
Get over it. The rest of us moved on long ago.
11 comments:
Nothing like the truth to sting a little, huh? Let Bill Clinton tour the nation and have his apology express stop at every hamlet. He is good at useless crap like that. Anything that makes no sense and has no value, he is king at.
Let me see if I understand. Blacks should just "get over" slavery while you can't seem to "get over" Bill Clinton. He's done, he's no longer president, and will never be president again. Get over it!
doug, I don't know if you've heard, but Bill IS running for President again. "Vote for one and you get both of us" - Bill Clinton 1992.
If there are any blacks alive today that were slaves, or even the children of slaves, then I'd say they have legitimate complaint. But what actual good does it do for people who never owned slaves to apologize to people who never were slaves, for the slavery that ended almost 150 years ago?
Good point Tugboat but I think the "vote for one and you get both" is yet another reason that Hillary will NOT be President.
As I understand it, the resolution is not for individual people to apologize for slavery but rather to issue and apology on behalf of the Commonwealth of Virgina. I don't see what the big deal is.
If you became aware that you harmed someone wouldn't you offer an apology, even if the harm was unintentional?
If I am aware that I harmed someone, I do offer an apology. But what we have here are representatives of ALL the people, apologizing to some of the people, on behalf of some other people, to make themselves appear to be more compassionate, all to try to win votes. And since these are Democrats catering to a voting bloc that usually goes 90% for them, it is really pandering at it's worst.
Maybe if Republicans showed more support for programs that helped to undo past injustices they would make headway into this voting bloc. I am not in favor of nor am I advocating more and more spending on useless social programs. At the same time it seems obvious that blacks were harmed by slavery and government sponsored segregation and inequality that followed. Conservatives complain about confiscatory taxes. Slaves were robbed of everything, even their ability to accumulate wealth so I find it distressing that a state representative would say that they should just get over it.
4 trillion dollars in transfer payments to help the War On Poverty (most of which came from wealthy Republicans) is a sign of support. Your contribution?
So the fact that Democrats pay taxes indicates that despite all their supposed opposition they really do support the war in Iraq?
How much should each "slave" be paid to compensate for the past wrongs, doug? And how are you going to determine who is black? In the Jim Crow South, one drop of black blood made one black. What percentage of black lineage would qualify for payment? What about blacks who have immigrated to the U.S. since slavery was abolished? How much should the single white mother on welfare pay towards Oprah's restitution?
What is your plan?
I didn't know that I needed to submit a plan to address hundreds of years of racial inequality in order to comment about Hargrove's remark.
I think all of your points are valid and I don't know what the answer is but saying "just get over it" in response to a proposed apology doesn't move Hargrove up on my likability list.
Isn't this all about creaating a sense of collective 'white guilt', keep the pressure up in the public forum so that whites, as a group, will not dare to assert themselves as an ethnic group?
I see the push for the apology legislation most aptly described by Tugboat Phil. I see the ensuing brouhaha over Hargrove as a way to keep the pressure on, keep reminding whites they should feel guilty. Only briefly after 9/11 were whites allowed to live guilt free.
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