Sanders: 'We have got to apologize for slavery

[Kutnupe14]

The only parties with the power to apologize are those who are guilty of the offense. Since those who are guilty of buying, selling, and owning slaves are dead, it is axiomatic that an apology by nonguilty parties would be of no effect.

You know this how? What makes you so confident, in your belief, that the gesture wouldn't be appreciated?

 

[mrjarrell]

I'm not referring to the apology as "picking at a wound" Like I posted before. There are some entities that are interested in picking at the wound to prohibit the healing. Apology or not. Do you honestly think an apology will make a difference?

What harm would it do? If a million or more people took it to heart we'd be better off and it would go a long way towards easing race relations in this country.

 

[cce1302]

You know this how? What makes you so confident, in your belief, that the gesture wouldn't be appreciated?

The definition of the word "apology."

Apology | Define Apology at Dictionary.com

first definition: a written or spoken expression of one's regret, remorse, or sorrow for having insulted, failed, injured, or wronged another:

There is no entry for an apology that allows the expression of one's regret for a third person having insulted, failed, injured, or wronged another.

Also, in the study of interpersonal communication, conflict resolution, marriage & family counseling, it is understood that one cannot apologize unless one admits that he has wronged the person to whom he is apologizing.

This article isn't peer reviewed, but it explains in layman's terms the elements of apology. Here is the one that cannot be fulfilled by a nonoffending party:

1. Responsibility: Taking responsibility involves acknowledging a precise role in the offense without attempting to diminish that role in any way. In order to truly accept responsibility, the offending party must also be visibly affected personally by what s/he has done --to be troubled by it. Those who have tried to explain this experience variously name that sense as "regret" and "shame."

I cannot acknowledge a role in any offense that occurred more than 100 years before I was born; ergo, I cannot apologize for it.

Another article says it this way:

An acceptance of responsibility for your actions. This means not blaming anyone else for what you did and not making excuses for your actions but instead accepting full responsibility for what you did and for the consequences of your actions.
---------
Beverly Engel is author of The Power of Apology: Healing Steps to Transform All Your Relationships (Wiley). This article printed in Related Matters and www.umass.edu/fambiz with her permission.

Another one from Forbes:

“This is what I did.”

As Benjamin Franklin said, “Do not ruin an apology with an excuse.” Own your fault. Avoid the “fluffy” apology and the defensive posture. Saying, “I’m sorry, but … but … but …!” is irritating to the recipient and gets you nowhere fast.
Don’t give people the run around. It is manipulative, disrespectful, and degrading. Make a clear and precise admission of where you were at fault, and accept responsibility for your shortcomings.

I hope that answers your question.

 

[Kutnupe14]

The definition of the word "apology."

Apology | Define Apology at Dictionary.com

first definition: a written or spoken expression of one's regret, remorse, or sorrow for having insulted, failed, injured, or wronged another:

There is no entry for an apology that allows the expression of one's regret for a third person having insulted, failed, injured, or wronged another.

Also, in the study of interpersonal communication, conflict resolution, marriage & family counseling, it is understood that one cannot apologize unless one admits that he has wronged the person to whom he is apologizing.

This article isn't peer reviewed, but it explains in layman's terms the elements of apology. Here is the one that cannot be fulfilled by a nonoffending party:



I cannot acknowledge a role in any offense that occurred more than 100 years before I was born; ergo, I cannot apologize for it.

Another article says it this way:


Another one from Forbes:



I hope that answers your question.

Ok, one more time.....What makes you so confident, in your belief, that the gesture wouldn't be appreciated?
Has no bearing on the person making the apology, only those receiving it.

 

[KG1]

Howbout just one mass apology for everything and we can start over? Where's that reset button?

 

[cce1302]

Ok, one more time.....What makes you so confident, in your belief, that the gesture wouldn't be appreciated?
Has no bearing on the person making the apology, only those receiving it.

The fact that whatever is said would, by definition, not be an apology.

Is there any way to make it more clear that words said by a non-offending party cannot possibly be an apology?


A "kind gesture" might be appreciated, but it wouldn't be an apology, which is what some people are insisting must be done.

 

[BugI02]

The sun will come up tomorrow (Bug is patiently waiting for Kut to argue the obverse)

 

[Kutnupe14]

The fact that whatever is said would, by definition, not be an apology.

Is there any way to make it more clear that words said by a non-offending party cannot possibly be an apology?


A "kind gesture" might be appreciated, but it wouldn't be an apology, which is what some people are insisting must be done.

Oh, you have a problem with the definition. In that case, I have nothing further in opposition.

 

[cce1302]

No, I have no problem whatsoever with the definition of apology. Why would you think that? I'm the one who posted it.

 

[rhino]

Don't expect me or my descendants to apologize for the sun coming up tomorrow.

 

[Alpo]

Of course you won't.

But I'll bet that in two weeks, when you think of a snappy comeback, you'll slap yourself and say, "I wish I had thought of that two weeks ago!"

 

[hopper68]

The sun will come up tomorrow (Bug is patiently waiting for Kut to argue the obverse)

Wrong!! It is suppose to rain ALL day! No sun for days.*

*Note: This post was made without checking the actual forecast.

 

[hopper68]

Time to leave before the loctite is applied.

 

[Woobie]

Well, I for one would like to apologize for the actions of people from whom I am not descended. People my ancestors fought against and attempted to subvert by working on the Underground Railroad. People separated from my time by a century and a half. I would like to make this apology to those who have never lived in slavery, nor known a time of slavery in the United States. On behalf of my family which sacrificed for the liberation of slaves, my state which sent more young men per capita than any other state to fight the confederacy, and my nation which, after allowing slavery, made it illegal and gradually codified racial equality from a legal standpoint, please accept my sincerest apologies.

 

[jamil]

What if President Obama and all the governors of every state gathered in Washington, and with great pomp and circumstance, each issued a personal and comprehensive apology to all people harmed in some way by their respective governments.

Are we healed yet?

 

[rhino]

What if President Obama and all the governors of every state gathered in Washington, and with great pomp and circumstance, each issued a personal and comprehensive apology to all people harmed in some way by their respective governments.

Are we healed yet?

Hmm.

Okay, let's start with amending the US Constitution to repeal the 16th Amendment. They could get behind that and push the legislators to act. Once it's done and ratified, Phase 1 of the apology will be in the bag.

 

[Woobie]

At some point, it's time to stop feeling sorry for ourselves, stop finding bogey men and just live our lives in our place and our time. The past sucks, the past is great, whatever. It's done and over with. We're not the generation that beat Hitler. We're not the generations that enslaved people or fought against slavery. We're not the generation that won independence from Great Britain. We're us, and if we don't stop crying into our pillows about how we're not perfect, finding new ways to give free stuff to people who don't earn their keep, and grappling with the social cause celeb instead of providing for the common defense and restoring economic power, we will surely wind up as the mediocre nation we are quickly becoming.

 

[rhino]

At some point, it's time to stop feeling sorry for ourselves, stop finding bogey men and just live our lives in our place and our time. The past sucks, the past is great, whatever. It's done and over with. We're not the generation that beat Hitler. We're not the generations that enslaved people or fought against slavery. We're not the generation that won independence from Great Britain. We're us, and if we don't stop crying into our pillows about how we're not perfect, finding new ways to give free stuff to people who don't earn their keep, and grappling with the social cause celeb instead of providing for the common defense and restoring economic power, we will surely wind up as the mediocre nation we are quickly becoming.

Sir, you seek to subvert a core element of the existence of millions of Americans. If they can't wring their hands in imagined and co-opted guilt, they'll lose a part of themselves.

 

[KG1]

Sir, you seek to subvert a core element of the existence of millions of Americans. If they can't wring their hands in imagined and co-opted guilt, they'll lose a part of themselves.

We as a nation must apologize for past indiscretions to release us from the guilt.

 

[Woobie]

We as a nation must apologize for past indiscretions to release us from the guilt.

Go ahead. You start.