Juneteenth, when the last of slaves were finally free, makes 150 years of being around. Today, Barack Obama, the first black president to live in the White House could make one of his biggest movements in his presidency: apologize for the land of the free. Obama being the son of a Kenyan father and a white mother who passed away years after slavery ended, has some ancestral baggage on slavery. Therefore, many believe no other man could make a more inspiring apology about America’s past sins. Many may argue that an acknowledgment of the wrongs done by the nation have power all alone. However, an apology about something that happened centuries ago does not go far enough, unless it is entailed to reparations to the descendants of slaves.
Today, …show more content…
Most Americans today have very little relationship with slaveholders. So why apologize? Apologies do not solve anything, not today and not years ago. Apologizes are more of a feel good measure, hence why many believe the first step in healing is to apologize. And for anyone who has ever felt discrimination before, has a small sense of comfort when hearing an apology; however, it does not change what has been done.
The saying “All men are created equal” had an empty meaning when even Thomas Jefferson whom wrote the quote, owned slaves, which was during that time. Again, so why apologize now? An empty apology is a pointless apology. Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain apologized in 1997 to the Irish, Pope John Paul II apologized to Jews, Pope Francis apologized to victims of sex abuse, etc. However, at the end what difference did it make? Yes, we all own our past and to an extent we should condemn it; yet, nothing is going to change the …show more content…
Yet the reality is way too much time has passed for this apology to really mean anything. Perhaps one should look at the slavery apology as an opportunity for all Americans to finally close a painful chapter in history, but sadly it does not do that. Apologies are usually only meaningful, when they come with something. But if African Americans think they will be recieveing money, they should think again or as the saying goes; “not even the 40-acres and a mule”. All African Americans can do with the apology is maybe take pride in knowing they were survivors and despite all the challenges today with racism, they are not victims. They are standing tall thriving, with the pride of having their first African American
Today, …show more content…
Most Americans today have very little relationship with slaveholders. So why apologize? Apologies do not solve anything, not today and not years ago. Apologizes are more of a feel good measure, hence why many believe the first step in healing is to apologize. And for anyone who has ever felt discrimination before, has a small sense of comfort when hearing an apology; however, it does not change what has been done.
The saying “All men are created equal” had an empty meaning when even Thomas Jefferson whom wrote the quote, owned slaves, which was during that time. Again, so why apologize now? An empty apology is a pointless apology. Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain apologized in 1997 to the Irish, Pope John Paul II apologized to Jews, Pope Francis apologized to victims of sex abuse, etc. However, at the end what difference did it make? Yes, we all own our past and to an extent we should condemn it; yet, nothing is going to change the …show more content…
Yet the reality is way too much time has passed for this apology to really mean anything. Perhaps one should look at the slavery apology as an opportunity for all Americans to finally close a painful chapter in history, but sadly it does not do that. Apologies are usually only meaningful, when they come with something. But if African Americans think they will be recieveing money, they should think again or as the saying goes; “not even the 40-acres and a mule”. All African Americans can do with the apology is maybe take pride in knowing they were survivors and despite all the challenges today with racism, they are not victims. They are standing tall thriving, with the pride of having their first African American