Slave Abolition, Should we say sorry.

[northswell]

I'm not getting this whole thing. It's history and a long time ago. I really don't get it.
It was obviously so very wrong but how can you say sorry on your forebeares behalf?

[libby]

No i think its a slippery slope to go down, theres a whole heap of things we should be aplogising for.

One of my housemates is of jamaican descent, and the other one is half jamaican and they both think its silly too.

[Milo]

No, why should we appolgise for something that people who colonised these islands over 100 years ago, did. Maybe the familys of the politicians and business`s who carried out the slave trade, should give an appology.

[chris fixxy]

I think its almost impossible to say sorry without then getting into legal problems over paying repairations.

I dont think we should pay repairations but i wouldnt mind saying an official apology so its a bit of a catch 22.

[soops]

I agree with above. No need to apologise for something that no living person was involved with plus there is a danger of being sued if we admit we were at fault and that could be very costly

[Dr Rev]

Slavery makes me feel ashamed to be human !

[tomcat360]

Ya'll are having to apologize over there as well? I don't even know when ya'll had slavery!

(when did ya'll have slavery?)

[soops]

Ya'll are having to apologize over there as well? I don't even know when ya'll had slavery!

(when did ya'll have slavery?)

We invented it! I think it ended in the mide 1800s but feel free to correct me

Its still going on in most of the call centres that are left tho

[chris fixxy]

Ya'll are having to apologize over there as well? I don't even know when ya'll had slavery!

(when did ya'll have slavery?)

[CheeZee]

A very very deep subject .. and not for the faint of heart if you really want to go there.

[Sar]

I thought we would have already! Should there be a time limit? probably but its a tricky issue. I can see that it is silly - it happened ages ago! but at the same time I think that the countries who built their wealth from the enslavement of others should have to give something back to the comunities/coutries who lost out- do we already? and how on earth could you calculate the cost - I dont know.

Germany are still paying reparations for the wars - was that a short enough time ago? Im sure I heard somewhere that people were trying to get something back from volkswagen after the way people were forced to work in their factories during the war.
Also, dont a lot of countries feel there is an obligation to help out the African nations not just because of the poverty (which is spread all over the world) but because a lot of our wealth was built on the exploitation of their countries? This was years and years ago, we handed them back without ensuring that they could govern themselves effectively and the country slipped into turmoil so how much responsibilty can/should we all take?

Its a toughie but where do you draw the line? Im the type who holds a grudge and hate injustice so I would still want some acknowldgement, as for an apology - I dont think it would be necessary for me but if its still an issue someone must want an apology somewhere.

[soops]

I thought we would have already! Should there be a time limit? probably but its a tricky issue. I can see that it is silly - it happened ages ago! but at the same time I think that the countries who built their wealth from the enslavement of others should have to give something back to the comunities/coutries who lost out- do we already? and how on earth could you calculate the cost - I dont know.

Germany are still paying reparations for the wars - was that a short enough time ago? Im sure I heard somewhere that people were trying to get something back from volkswagen after the way people were forced to work in their factories during the war.
Also, dont a lot of countries feel there is an obligation to help out the African nations not just because of the poverty (which is spread all over the world) but because a lot of our wealth was built on the exploitation of their countries? This was years and years ago, we handed them back without ensuring that they could govern themselves effectively and the country slipped into turmoil so how much responsibilty can/should we all take?

Its a toughie but where do you draw the line? Im the type who holds a grudge and hate injustice so I would still want some acknowldgement, as for an apology - I dont think it would be necessary for me but if its still an issue someone must want an apology somewhere.

I just reckon whats in the past should be learnt from and left there. Nothing more.

I mean lets be honest, the african countries ran ok without famine or disease when they were under british rule and they wanted there independence.

I'm certainly not saying its a sad situation but maybe they are as much to blame as we are.

[tomcat360]

Ya'll are having to apologize over there as well? I don't even know when ya'll had slavery!

(when did ya'll have slavery?)

hey man, its not my fault that the teachers here are ignorant. All they talked about British slavery is that it ended before ours and therefore apparently we are evil bastards

[chris fixxy]

Ya'll are having to apologize over there as well? I don't even know when ya'll had slavery!

(when did ya'll have slavery?)

hey man, its not my fault that the teachers here are ignorant. All they talked about British slavery is that it ended before ours and therefore apparently we are evil bastards

sorry I am hungover and grumpy.

[CheeZee]

i may lock this subject by the end of the day .. i can see 'heated debate' turning into 'blind accusation' ..and i dont think here is the place for that

Many countries and cultures sold their own children without the need of western influence as it was an accepted part of their life and traditions ... many countries and cultures were abused by greed of another country or culture .... many countries and cultures have no choice but to accept forms of slavery as a lifeline for their families ... many countries and cultures are personally right and equally wrong for doing so ...

All of this was happening before man had the ability to make informed choices either way ... and it will continue to be a part of human life until mother nature/ god'S/ agenda'S/ either learn to deal with it or are extinguished, to make way for another lifeform to have a better go at things than we have .

APOLOGISE FOR NOT CARING ... NOT FOR WHAT TAKES PLACE.

[tomcat360]

i may lock this subject by the end of the day .. i can see 'heated debate' turning into 'blind accusation' ..and i dont think here is the place for that

haha, yeah i can see that pretty quick too......considering I've already started

[libby]

Cheezee please dont lock it, it could be an awsome thread! Nothing wrong with a bit of heated argument as long as its done with a smile surely

[chris fixxy]

i may lock this subject by the end of the day .. i can see 'heated debate' turning into 'blind accusation' ..and i dont think here is the place for that

haha, yeah i can see that pretty quick too......considering I've already started

is this what passes for blind accusation round here?

i think we've all been quite civilised?

Am i missing something?

[tomcat360]

Nah I was just playing, I just kinda laid it out there.

But it's pissing me off that everyone is spending all the time and tax dollars to decide wether or not we should apologize. And really what good does a formal apology do?

I honestly had no idea it was going around over there too. I'm not exactly sure, but I'm pretty sure it started pretty much where I live, we have a nice mix of southern conservatives still flying the stars-n-bars and then a nice mix of black activist. Richmond is big on Civil War History, since it was the capital, and then people will get pissed off because it's big on it.

They are trying to make an "official end of slavery day" in legislature or something. But seriously, 150 years ago?

[northswell]

My history is a bit sketchy but it was the slave triangle.
Ships from Liverpool would take goods down to Africa to trade for slaves, they would head over to the USA and Caribbean to sell them. They would then buy cotton or sugar cane, depending where they had docked, and take it back to Liverpool for use in the mills.
A lot of the plantations in the Caribbean were owned by wealthy English families. I think that and the fact that most of the ships used were also English is why we have the finger of blame pointed at us.