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American slavery was one of histoys greatest crime?

Not for nothing: but why is that? What makes slavery in America a WORSE crime than the THOUSANDS of years of slavery that preceded it, or for that matter the slavery that has been practiced in other countries since american abolition and to this very day? One can refer to slavery grenerically and be understood to be speaking of the United States. Funny, since the humans enslaved in America's history don't amount to one one hundreth of one percenrt of the enslaved in world history TO THIS VERY DAY. Oh, sorry, there I go repeating myself. I'm sick of "slavery" I don't care about it anymore, I don't want to hear about it any more, at least until OTHER infamies in history get at least as much as an airing. We can start with the potato famine of the mid 19th century!

Potato Famine of Ireland 1847?
Armenian holocaust
Jewish holocaust
Rawanda

- I am sorry I engendered such a reaction to what I said. I was being very specific. Actually I agree 100% with you. I've said to my black friends how is slavery any worse than what happened? You know we only think US slavery and segregation is awful because it's in our recent memory. We've all been enslaved in our various histories. I met a customer who was raised by his great grandmother,the daughter of slaves, and at first he really did not like me too much. He had to hide from the Klan, and all of that. So... human memory is a good thing, then again it can be a bad thing.

What makes slavery in America a WORSE crime than the THOUSANDS of years of slavery that preceded it, or for that matter the slavery that has been practiced in other countries since american abolition and to this very day?

You're so right. Additionally, I would put Stalin's purges, the Maoist's purges, Pol Pol's and Hitler's genocides, and on and on throughout history, on a long list of more repugnant atrocities.

Peoples have been capturing and keeping slaves throughout history. It is a time worn, if not time honored tradition. The Isrealites were alternatly keeping and being enslaved. Native American tribes kept slaves, captured from other tribes. Egyptians, Chinese, Romans, Babylonians, Greeks, Persians, you name 'em, they kept slaves.

I have difficulty seeing the importation of slaves (which ended in 1810, in the United States) or the keeping of slaves (which ended in the United States in 1865) as anything even nearly on the list of "greatest crimes". Don't forget that the nation was only 34 years old (or thereabouts, give or take a few additional years of unplesantness with the British Crown after we actually declared independence) when it made importation of slaves illegal. And the nation was only 89 years old when it foreswore slavery, as an institution, in its entirety. The continent of Africa has yet to foreswear slavery, entirely!

American slavery was one of histoys greatest crime?

Not for nothing: but why is that? What makes slavery in America a WORSE crime than the THOUSANDS of years of slavery that preceded it, or for that matter the slavery that has been practiced in other countries since american abolition and to this very day?

Simple: because America, unlike any country before us, was dedicated to the idea of freeedom. To those whom much is given, much is required. We were and are the greatest country in the history of the world - not because we're the richest (which came from freedom), and not because we're the most powerful - but because we're the free-est! We knew all along that liberty was more precious than safety or comfort. Many knew at the time that slavery would need to be ended, but they lacked the political power to end it in the 1700s. It took another 80 years and the deaths of a heck of a lot of white men to bring freedom to all - and I'm extremely proud that America was willing to pay the price.

Bush's 'apology' isn't a sign of weakness - it is an admission that the road to freedom is difficult, slowed by human error and painful to travel - but infinitely worthwhile! It is a sign Bush understands how wonderful the goal of 'liberty for all' is. I'm proud of him and his statement.