House apologizes for slavery, 'Jim Crow' injustices

[DaemonSeid]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a resolution apologizing to African-Americans for slavery and the era of Jim Crow.


The House on Tuesday evening passed a resolution apologizing for slavery and Jim Crow laws.


The nonbinding resolution, which passed on a voice vote, was introduced by Rep. Steve Cohen, a white lawmaker who represents a majority black district in Memphis, Tennessee.

While many states have apologized for slavery, it is the first time a branch of the federal government has done so, an aide to Cohen said.

In passing the resolution, the House also acknowledged the "injustice, cruelty, brutality and inhumanity of slavery and Jim Crow."

"Jim Crow," or Jim Crow laws, were state and local laws enacted mostly in the Southern and border states of the United States between the 1870s and 1965, when African-Americans were denied the right to vote and other civil liberties and were legally segregated from whites.

The name "Jim Crow" came from a character played by T.D. "Daddy" Rice who portrayed a slave while in blackface during the mid-1800s.

The resolution states that "the vestiges of Jim Crow continue to this day."

"African-Americans continue to suffer from the consequences of slavery and Jim Crow -- long after both systems were formally abolished -- through enormous damage and loss, both tangible and intangible, including the loss of human dignity and liberty, the frustration of careers and professional lives, and the long-term loss of income and opportunity," the resolution states.

The House also committed itself to stopping "the occurrence of human rights violations in the future."

The resolution does not address the controversial issue of reparations. Some members of the African-American community have called on lawmakers to give cash payments or other financial benefits to descendents of slaves as compensation for the suffering caused by slavery.

It is not the first time lawmakers have apologized to an ethnic group for injustices.

In April, the Senate passed a resolution sponsored by Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, that apologized to Native Americans for "the many instances of violence, maltreatment and neglect."

In 1993 the Senate also passed a resolution apologizing for the "illegal overthrow" of the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1893.

In 1988, Congress passed and President Reagan signed an act apologizing to the 120,000 Japanese-Americans who were held in detention camps during World War II. The 60,000 detainees who were alive at the time each received $20,000 from the government



http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/...ion=cnn_latest

[DSTCHAOS]

Good. It's the least they could do.

Originally Posted by article

The nonbinding resolution, which passed on a voice vote, was introduced by Rep. Steve Cohen, a white lawmaker who represents a majority black district in Memphis, Tennessee.

Of course. Now, this may all be sincere or this may all be political pandering. Is it reelection time or something? "If it don't make dollars, it don't make sense."

[LightBulb]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Of course. Now, this may all be sincere or this may all be political pandering. Is it reelection time or something? "If it don't make dollars, it don't make sense."

This is the first I've heard about the resolution, but I wouldn't write off Cohen because of his timing.

First of all, he's a genuine liberal, but that's not the issue here. If the issue is his timing, he has always tried to represent the city's significant African-American constituency, albeit in unorthodox and controversial ways.

Yes, he is running for reelection against a strong candidate. However, this type of resolution is not out of character for him, election season or not.

[Kevin]

Great. Now we can put all of that behind us.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Great. Now we can put all of that behind us.

yeah ok pallie...if you think that is all it takes...please tell me you were joking.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

yeah ok pallie...if you think that is all it takes...please tell me you were joking.

There's a reason why I didn't post this story on here.

[DaemonSeid]

I almost decided not to...but...what they heck....it IS news.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

I almost decided not to...but...what they heck....it IS news.

Message boards are for messages not just news snippets. I reserve my messages regarding this news for people and places that are ready for such discussions.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

yeah ok pallie...if you think that is all it takes...please tell me you were joking.

Of course.

I think these resolutions are pretty inane. I'm sure it's nice to recognize that bad things happened, and at this point, I don't think there are many folks left who think that Jim Crow, etc. was a good thing, but other than a bunch of mostly white men in suits feeling affirmed that they passed this resolution, nothing happened.

I felt the same way when the Pope apologized for the inquisition and all of the other bad things the Catholic church did in the past. I'm a Catholic if that makes a difference.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Of course.

I think these resolutions are pretty inane. I'm sure it's nice to recognize that bad things happened, and at this point, I don't think there are many folks left who think that Jim Crow, etc. was a good thing, but other than a bunch of mostly white men in suits feeling affirmed that they passed this resolution, nothing happened.

I felt the same way when the Pope apologized for the inquisition and all of the other bad things the Catholic church did in the past. I'm a Catholic if that makes a difference.

My question has been sufficiently answered....I am satisfied.

[madmax]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

yeah ok pallie...if you think that is all it takes...please tell me you were joking.

The bros are just looking for another handout.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by madmax

The bros are just looking for another handout.

they get it from ya mama

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Great. Now we can put all of that behind us.

Not until the remnants of slavery and systemic oppression disappear.

Let us know when that happens.

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Great. Now we can put all of that behind us.

I'm 99.99% sure this was written with sarcasm dripping all over it, following up on Chaos' observation that the bill was introduced by a white lawmaker representing a majority minority district just months before re-election. At least that's how I read it.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by nittanyalum

I'm 99.99% sure this was written with sarcasm dripping all over it....

Either sarcasm or he literally meant just putting the apology part behind us.