Should the government apologise for the slave trade?

Should the government apologise for the slave trade?

No need, I've done it for them:

Dear Apology Seeker,

On behalf of my country, I'm very sorry that a century before I was born some people I didn't know made some decisions I wasn't involved in that led to some actions I don't approve of.

Regards,

Britain.

It would make a lot of people happy so i dont see any reason why not

I look forward to an equivalent apology from the Scandinavians for the Vikings, along with a return of their loot.

When i first moved to Scotland , a kid in my class had a right go and threatedned to beat me up because the english stole the Stone Of Destiny

its not quite the same though.... A large proportion of the economy was generated through the slave trade and the affluent standard we live be is directly linked to our involvement in the "people industry".

Surely an apology from us now would be a hollow one? How can we be truly sorry for something that happened so long ago? We can be sorry that it happened, but we can't be sorry for doing it, because we didnt.

if your father murdered a five year old girl... would you brush your hands of it cos it had nowt to do with you?

That's a stupid analogy.

I wonder if peoples opinions on this board would be the same if they were black

how?

Our current lifestyle is directly linked to the actions of your forefathers... your current situation is a direct consequence.

And shared guilt is shared guilt, whether its one generation away or 5 generations away.

if slaves were black?

It's unsurprising that the media has wound this up in to a PC crazy black v white issue.

Much less mention is made of the black slave traders who were rouding up the slaves before selling them to the white people, or the white slaves rounded up in Ireland.

How about the white people in parliament who abolished it? Yes it shouldn't have been there in the first place, but I'm proud that our nation took a stand against it (and before anyone says, I'm not taking any credit for it because I am not responsible for it )

theres much less mention of african slave traders for a variety of reasons; the greatest being the african empire wasn't built upon the riches generated from the slave trade.

It could also be argued that the responsibility lies within the hands of the progressive society... not the tribal one.

The media haven't turned this into a black v white thing... it is a black v white thing.

Our lifestyle may be directly linked to it, but it's through no fault of our own. I feel no guilt about it, shared or otherwise. Wrongs were righted (legally at least) centuries ago.

Bleating on about an issue like this only serves to cause/highlight a divide.

and i draw you back to my first analogy... if your father murdered a 5 year old girl would you feel any guilt.

by your logic you wouldn't... but unless you were a psychopath most of us would feel guilt in some shape or form... and you havenb't even profiteered from that murder.

It's an absurd thing to say.

How can I possibly be held responsible for the actions of someone else? If my father commits a crime should I get sent to prison?

I'd refer you to my first post - whats the point in issuing an empty apology for something you're not respnsible for beyond having been born on the same arbitrary land mass as the people who were?

i suppose it comes down to where do you draw the line.

IF my father did wrong, i'd probably feel some guilt or maybe shame but i wouldn't expect to have to PAY for his crime.

Should we make an apology for our part it in - maybe - BUT would an apology be enough? Would legitimate decendants (very difficult to prove) then want monetary compensation?

i think it makes very little difference. empty apoligies years later from ppl completly uninvolved in the slave trade (tied to it only by ancestorail coonections) will make little difference

however african men screaming and shouting scary living fuck out of the queen aint really going to help either is it???