“The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed a resolution apologizing to African-Americans for the wrongs of slavery. The nonbinding resolution sponsored by Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, is similar to a House resolution adopted last year that acknowledged the wrongs of slavery but offered no reparations. The House will have to vote on the issue again because the composition of that chamber changed after last November’s elections. The resolution was approved on a voice vote. Because it is nonbinding, it does not have to be forwarded to the president for his signature.” [CNN]
U.S. Senate On Slavery: Yeah … Sorry About That
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Orpheus_lost
While I believe this was the right thing to do, I also believe that current discrimination should take precedent over past discrimination. If the House and Senate could find time to create, lobby for, and vote on this non-binding resolution, then it had time to do the same for DADT and/or DOMA. So now when you hear “IT’S ONLY BEEN ___ MONTHS!” you can point to this and ask whether our human rights aren’t worth as much or as important as a non-binding resolution.
Fitz
Apologies are illegal in our home. Action speaks louder than words. Apologies are just a way for the perp to feel forgiven.
Random Gay Guy
@Orpheus
The difference between this and other lgbt issues is that this does not have to go through all the things that a potential Dadt/Doma repeal have to go through. Each of those bills would require intense debate and massive lobbying to even bring them to vote. Also, this isn’t politically damaging as a vote on a doma repeal/ dadt would be. They need to be done, but they are not resolutions and require a hell of a lot more work.
Orpheus_lost
@Random Gay Guy: Then wouldn’t it be wise to get moving on DADT and DOMA and stop fucking around with symbolic gestures that just take up time that could be used to ensure human rights? There’ll be time for that kind of thing when REAL issues are taken care of.
Random Gay Guy
@ Orpheus
First of all, sorry if your people weren’t enslaved for hundreds of years. DADT and DOMA are extremely important issues that need to be taken care of, but they require a ton of work. Unfortunately, lgbt rights are not always viewed as human rights issues as they should be. It is going to take a lot of work, from us, from congress in order to get them repealed. We need to make these human rights issues.
jOSH
@Random Gay Guy: yap I know what you mean. Unfortunately people see our pleas as “gay issues” and lump them up with abortion issues or gun rights issues. They are not seen as human rights issues and NOT civil rights issues. You have no idea how many people around me don’t see our rights as civil rights issues, and I live in LA.I’m getting tired of telling people otherwise.
Secondly. I am proud of the senate for passing the slavery resolution.
Brandon
I am fine with an apology because I know there is nothing much they can do at this point, but a recognition of the injustice is great and an apology is acceptable. I am only 25 years old and obviously did not live through slavery but I know my ancestors did and the thought of what they went through often pains me, so I accept their apology.
InExile
I see this vote as just a big waste of time at a time they could have been passing meaningful legislation. What I mean by this is “how is this legislation going to help anyone today”? The slavery issue has long been settled and the congress passing this law in no way makes up for those that ignored the issue in the past!!! This is just another meaningless vote to try to score points with voters.
If they really wanted to do something meaningful with their time that helps people TODAY they would have voted on Hate Crimes or ENDA or something that actually helps someone in this country today, at this moment.
Too little to late again. Why was this not passed 45 years ago when it would have really had serious meaning? Because they just want to score political points without brings us REAL CHANGE!
Write these politicians and ask them to quit wasteing precious time and do something to better peoples lives. Like honor the promises made by the President for example.
J. Clarence
I don’t get the point behind these worthless symbolic gestures. Like I am suppose to say “thank you,” or something?
Saying “sorry” is all fine and good, but why doesn’t the Senate do something to address the legacy of slavery that is still alive and well in our country that manifests itself in the education, economic, health gap facing African-Americans.
And since this is Queerty, when can I also expect my apology for calling queer people communists and Anti-American during the McCarthy Era. Based on the timeline it took them to apologize for slavery, I’m assuming I’ll be dead and gone by then.
Bummer.
Orpheus_lost
@Random Gay Guy: My people were decimated then left to starve on tiny, barren reservations for hundreds of years so I think I can make some small claim to historical oppression if I like. However, while resolutions of apology are not a bad thing, they do nothing to fix the crimes of the past.
Yes, I sadly agree that pushing through meaningful GLBT legislation would be more difficult, but my point is that there’s no time like the present to start. Let congress spend the time they usually take for these gestures and use it to lobby and cajole other congress people into voting for our rights.
Bitch, please!
What about the two acres and a mule? I wonder how much is that worth in today’s money? This reminded me of that hilarious Dave Chappelle skit about this exact topic, but with remuneration, LOL! He is one of the best comedian, in my book.
Dabq
Why in the world is this on this site, I guess Obama must have not been in the office as this crowd is not the one for this sort of issue.
Rudy
I’d have thought the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Ammendments to the Constitution, the assassination of our greatest president, and the death of 350,000 Union soldiers would’ve constituted a pretty clear apology.
Strange they have time for this while they complain Obama has put too much on their plate.
strumpetwindsock
@Rudy:
If they had actually fought that war to free the slaves it wouldn’t have taken another 100 years to start changing things.
As to federal apologies, I think actions speak louder than words, and some of those I have heard have rung hollow.
On the other hand, as a white guy, I don’t think it’s up to me to judge what this means to a Native, African American or Japanese person. I have heard some people say these apologies are a necessary and important thing to hear.
And though it is only a gesture, that doesn’t mean it is always easy or simple. Case in point – the Japanese government and monarchy have never apologized to China, the Allies, or any other nation for their actions in world war two.
galefan2004
Just think, in 200 years, we might get an apology for homophobia. Nah, that will never happen.
galefan2004
@Fitz: Apparently, no one in your home has ever made a mistake and your family and you are perfect. Good for you. The truth is most people (apparently not your family though) fuck up and they feel bad for it and they change their minds afterward and try to make amends.
galefan2004
@strumpetwindsock: To my knowledge, the NA population still waits for an apology (not sure though). However, I am almost 100% sure that the US government not only apologized to the Japanese Americans for what they went through in WWII but also threw money at them.
strumpetwindsock
@galefan2004:
I was speaking generally, actually.
Our current Canadian government did just offer an apology (a really shitty one) to our native societies. Problem is they are trying to tear up our treaties with them with their other hand.
Canada also apologized to the Japanese for internment in WWII and to Ukrainains for internment in WWII.
And if the U.S. confiscated land and businesses like our government did to Japanese Canadians, then financial compensation was the right thing to do.
Like I said, I recognize that it may be an important statement for some of the people being apologized to; frankly I think it is often a callous election stunt.
strumpetwindsock
oops… Ukrainian internment in world war ONE, I meant.
galefan2004
@strumpetwindsock: The US government confiscated Japanese American owned land in WWII and sent them to determent camps. For that they got an apology and around 10,000 went to each person that could prove that they were affected by this WWII policy. I think it didn’t come till at least 30 years later though.
Fitz
@galefan2004: I fuck up plenty. I just thin apologies are BS– if you realize your error, acknowledge it and change your behavior. Apologies are used as absolution, a sociopathic idea that offends me. If my partner fucks up, I want him to change.. not feel really badly until I pat his head.
dlpca
As a Black American (not African, but All-American) I feel an apology is way past due. Considering that the majority of the homeless, poor, under-educated and under represented in the US are Black there should be reparations in the way of a major tax break or refund. Now is the best of times to offer such reparations. Slavery wasn’t just a mistake or a lapse in bad judgment, it was an industry.
An industry of labor which built the railroads, the cotton trade, the farm lands and nearly every other foundation for economic development since its inception. If you want glimpse of the remnants of slavery look into the American justice and penal system which is twice more likely to convict and imprison Blacks statistically more so than other races. There is so much wrong that has to be made right, done right for this beautiful people of color.
Hell yeah reparations should be offered. The sore backs of labor from the poor have for too long filled the pockets of the well-to-do, especially in the South, especially for the Blacks in the South.
fragman
cok guzel bir konu olmus tsklr