I don't know if any of you read this, but yesterday New Jersey became the 5th state to officially apologize for slavery. You can read the resolution HERE, but be sure to come back after you do!
In case you aren't terribly interested in reading the entire 5 page document, I'll post what I feel are the "highlights."
"The Legislature of the State of New Jersey expresses its profound regret for the State’s role in slavery and apologizes for the wrongs inflicted by slavery and its after effects in the United States of America"
OK, that's warm and fuzzy, but offers nothing more than lip service. Personally, I think we've apologized for slavery more than enough and I also believe that no matter how much we apologize for slavery, it will never resolve the issue for some people.
"expresses its deepest sympathies and solemn regrets to those who were enslaved and the descendants of those slaves, who were deprived of life, human dignity, and the constitutional protections accorded all citizens of the United States"
Again, lip service. Now they are not only apologizing for slavery, but to the descendants of those slaves for how many generations? Does this somehow make people feel better?
"and we encourage all citizens to remember and teach their children about the history of slavery, Jim Crow laws, and modern day slavery, to ensure that these tragedies will neither be forgotten nor repeated."
Does New Jersey actually believe that slavery will somehow be forgotten? I guarantee there are far too many people out there unwilling to move past this for it to be forgotten.
Don't an overwhelming majority of U.S. Citizens already deem slavery as an abomination? Does New Jersey feel that somehow this resolution makes it official? Why are people who immigrated to America AFTER slavery was abolished lumped in to this apology? Why do they even need to apologize? Most importantly, how can New Jersey honestly apologize for slavery when those apologizing were in no way responsible for it?
Wait! I believe I can answer that question. This is one of the final paragraphs of the resolution:
"It is the intent of the Legislature that this resolution shall not be used in, or be the basis of, any type of litigation."
There you have it!
25 comments:
That's the answer - they are saving their asses from future lawsuits.
I've always wondered how Black people felt about these type of things. Like, do they get happy that a state apologizes or do they not care...or somewhere in between?
I does sound rather sincere until that last paragraph...
Nice try, NJ.
Yeah, but have they apologized for Bon Jovi? I think not. Losers.
Obviously I can't speak for blacks on this issue, but I can't see how they would take an apology from a state legislature as anything other than symbolic.
Didn't the African tribes sell each other into slavery? Why aren't they demanding an apology from each other?
I am with you Dana on this one. It's a litigation stop gap measure at it's best. I bet you there were a ton of billable hours spent by legal suits reading over every word of this puppy.
However I was amazed that they actually got as specific as mentioning:
and we encourage all citizens to remember and teach their children about the history of slavery, Jim Crow laws, and modern day slavery, to ensure that these tragedies will neither be forgotten nor repeated."
The old "Those who don't know history are bound to repeat it" line. Now lets see if the state does anything alse to encourage it's citizens to educate "their children".
BTW - I would love to hear what my blogging partner the Mt. Cat thinks on this one considering he actually lives in New Jersey.
-Doc
I never enslaved anyone. My Dutch immigrant family wasn't even here yet. Their story of struggle is a whole post and then some. I have never brought up race as an issue, and never will. I take people on their merit-not race, colour, or creed. I mean this with all my heart- as I have met good people from every one of those "groups" Not one to judge, I take people on an individual basis- who could presume to judge anyone they don't know?
What I read:
"We're sorry our forefathers were morons. It is perfectly fine for you to be pissed off that this happened to your great, great, great grandfather, but please don't take it out on us."
What a colossal waste of the taxpayers money this is.
Am I prejudice? Hell yes I am. I will go on record here and now to shout from the rooftops, "I HATE STUPID PEOPLE!" OK I said it, now the whole world knows.
Does it suck that slavery happened? Absolutely! But come on, how long do we have to keep apologising for something no living person on the planet today had anything to do with? AAARRRGGGH!!!
Deep breath...exhale...I'm OK now.
RockDog, I was thinking the same thing - kind of a nice "symbol" of sorts - then it became clear it was a cover your ass moment.
Jay, like you, I can't speak from a black perspective, but I can't help but think that those who believe they deserve an apology would find this almost offensive.
Hammer, you didn't get the "all slavery isn't equal" memo, did you?
Doc, I thought that educate their children thing was a bit odd myself. It seemed almost out of place.
Buffalodickdy, I am much the same, only it was my German great-grandparents who came here about 125 years ago - long after slavery was abolished, I owe no one an apology.
Jeff, I still believe they way to fix global warming is to eliminate all of the stupid people. I'm guessing the planetary temp will drop at least 10 degrees if we do that!
my ancestors were the spanish who came here and enslaved the native americans....what can you do?
DoggyBloggy, how can you live with yourself?? Actually, I find it quite interesting that we feel "resolved" with the American Indians, but not with slavery.
Well I'll say this, if somebody deserves an apolodigy its the indians. The blacks in my mind have been apologized to enough. It was shitty, what they had to endure, I understand that, I hate it,I'm sure that my people had slaves and I'm against that. Damn people, let it go. When you let things from the past go you can focus on the future. Focus on what is coming. Goddang people pull your big girl panties up and get 'er dun'.
I mean everyone in this, the greatest country in the history of the universe, has shot at the title, take it, go for it, let the past go.
Good luck and carry on!
great post Mrs. Dana
ss
Dana: Idiotic. Yet on the upside, a few people somewhere feel that they have accomplished something. And damn, the legislature sure earned their keep working on this one. Cheers!!
(Pulling up my big girl panties as per Southern Sage's advice)
I agree...but what will the people that use it as an excuse blame their shortcomings on? That's the real problem.
I'm from the South and my ancestors did have slaves, but I'm not sure why *I* need to apologize. Just sayin'.
Well, what I came here to say has already been said!
Voila! My job is done! :)
My family came in from Ireland, when slavery was already part of history. I have no ancestral apology to make.
I think it is more important to focus on the present situation for many black people, than to keep bringing slavery up...
SS, we (generally) were quite ruthless to the American Indians, and we never did quite make it right.
Matt, isn't the governmental process wonderful??
RLL, it's all about accountability, isn't it? Oh my goodness! What if I had to be responsible for where I am in life??
Leighann, you could have at least blown me a kiss or something!
R.E.H., although I understand wanting to insure history does not repeat itself, its the constant need for apologies and reparations that drives me batty.
Slavery never existed and neither did the Holocaust.
I'm with Corky! And the US government brought down the twin towers with bombs from the inside, not militant psychos with a death wish. It's all true, I saw it on the internet!
You've got to love NJ being on the cutting edge these days lol
*kiss* *kiss*
*pinch* *pinch*
Corky, and can you believe they spent all of that money on a museum??
Birdman, don't forget, we've never landed on the moon either!
Leighann, now that's what I'm talking about!
We tend to forget that a large majority of the population of America back then was ignorant- not stupid, or bad. The I.Q. was there all along, and when the education started being given to more people- things changed. I heard this once, when being a W.A.S.P. was a bad thing.
White males freed the slaves.
White males gave women the vote.
White males passed most of the legislation that made white males less important! It was the smart thing to do- it was the right thing to do...Disclaimer- I didn't even know these guys!
Interesting post and great comments! :)
Are you the Arcey Sauce voter???
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