Replies

I agree that white people alive today do not owe black people alive today an apology—much less reparations—for slavery. I, as a white person, have never enslaved a black person and, indeed, my ancestors fought for the Union to free the slaves. That said, I don’t see anything wrong with building a memorial like the one being proposed here. Slavery was an evil institution that robbed many people of their freedom, their families and their lives. There’s nothing wrong with commemorating and remembering that, if for no other reason than to serve as a reminder that it should never happen again. The author argues that the proposed slavery memorial will be nothing but a “a symbol of victimhood.” Is the Holocaust Museum in Washington nothing but a symbol of victimhood? Those killed in the holocaust were nothing if not victims. How about the Lincoln Memorial? Lincoln, like so many slaves, was also the victim of a white Southerner. No, both the Holocaust Museum and the Lincoln Memorial are places of reflection and healing. And a Slavery Memorial could be one, too, for white Americans as well as black Americans.

And a bit off topic, but in the same way I am not responsible for the sins (and slavery was a sin, in my opinion) of past generations, neither am I responsible for the good deeds of past generations. That is why I don’t feel comfortable when many of my fellow Americans say things like “Europe owes us for saving them twice in the last century.” There are a few Americans left alive who fought in World War One, and more who fought in World War Two. I’m proud of their accomplishments and perhaps they feel they are owed something by the people they saved from fascism, but no American under 70 years old or so can claim to be owed anything by Europeans because of what older Americans did back in the first half of the last century. We can’t disclaim the misdeeds of our forefathers while at the same time claiming responsibility for their good deeds.

Yep, Sowell has, as usual, hit the nail on the head. And driven it flush with one pop.
I have relitives that fought on both sides. The ones that fought for the Union had owned slaves about 20 years before the war, and did not care much for blacks.
The South Carolina bunch were hillbilly crackers and were almost as poor as the slaves. They had sheltered escaped slaves and also hunted them depending on how tight the money was.
The moral is.
They are all dead.
The issue is dead, as far as I'm concerned. I will never support "reperations". I will never support the erection of some sort of monument, because it would be an insult to all of us, black and white. Sharpton and Jackson and the rest of their self serving ilk need monuments.
Headstones.

I am sure Cliff Stearns has good intentions. But if there's a more offensive way conservatives can get black support, I have yet to see it. And as Tom Sowell points out, the GOP can't beat the Democrats at the game of race baiting and establishing quotas nor should it try. The very worst thing the Republican Party can do is reinforce black victimhood, that's destroyed a lot of lives. Sure, slavery was a blight on America's Founding but its not something people need to remember at government behest. Most white Americans never owned slaves. A slave memorial would leave that fact out and it would perpetuate the worst evils of racial division and resentment. Of which we've had enough of already. Appalling idiocy? Yes, and shame on some Republicans for signing up with the Randall Robinsons and John Conyers of this country who want to do nothing better than to portray all white people as forever wicked.

There was and still is, if I have the name right, a black entertainer who went to Africa on a tour in the 60's. On her return to the States she was asked on how she felt about going back to "The Motherland". Her comment was, "My forefathers weren't sold into slavery, they were rescued, I am so glad to be back in this country". I want put the name because it could cause some problems.

Slavery at that time was an accepted institution in most of the world. As bad as this statement sounds, and I suggest if you don't agree, do a little research, the blacks who were shipped to this country ended up far better off instead of staying in Africa in the constant tribal wars.

I suggest also that you read the true story of the ship "Armistad". Not a single person on that ship was hunted down by the white man or captured by another tribe, everyone of them were sold into slavery by the OWN families. If you want to look for evil in the slave trade. Start in Africa.