March 06, 2007

America to admit mistakes?

Official Apologies to Blacks, American Indians ProposedSen. Sam Brownback and Rep. Stephen I. Cohen are proposing two of the most sweeping apologies in American history.

Cohen, a Tennessee Democrat, has introduced a resolution apologizing for all of the wrongs suffered by blacks at the hands of the U.S. government, especially slavery and segregation. And Brownback, a Kansas Republican, is pushing a measure offering "an apology to all native peoples" for hundreds of years of government hostility and oppression.

Neither resolution is binding. And neither would require the United States to offer reparations to those wronged, although they would be powerful statements if adopted by either the House or the Senate.

2 comments:

Rob said...

Someone satirically suggested that we should apologize to indentured servants too. But since these people chose servitude voluntarily, the situations aren't comparable.

Rob said...

Everyone who comments here is free to leave if they choose.