As a white person in the United States, I'm often made to feel guilty
about slavery.
Since my ancestors all imigrated to Canada in the early to mid-1800s,
never owned slaves and never had anything to do with slavery in any form I
cannot feel any guilt.
Another line is used that even so, you have benifited from slavery.
Well so have the decsendents of the slaves as they live in a country far
better, far freer, more prosperous and with a high standard of living when
compared to any of the present day countries of Africa their ancestors may
have come from. By the reverse you can also say the troubles in Liberia
have been caused by freed American slaves (curious history there and my
first experience that African Black people did not like American Black
people).
There isn't a country on this planet that hasn't been responsible for
wrongs commited on another country or its own people. The far better thing
for all of us to do is to stop apologizing or trying to inflict guilt on
others, work to live together in peace and harmony.
Dave (whew!)
"Victor Manta" wrote in message
...
Peter,

Therefore, as I understand your opinion, the First Minister of Mongolia
should indeed present his excuses to Russia, China and to dozens of other
countries, because the atrocities committed by his ancestors in the
distant
past *did* happen.

And that, consequently, the official, elected representatives of different
native tribes worldwide should officially present their apologies for the
massacres that they permanently perpetrated in the past against all who
happened to live on the same territory (natives like them or not)?

I just wonder if I speak here about a third category of massacres and
injustices, about which any remembrance is politically incorrect...

I continue to think that a country shows its respect for the humans of the
past, present and future by implementing a proper political system and not
by (thousand of) reciprocal excuses for times when the individual rights
weren't properly observed (by nobody!).

Victor Manta

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"Peter Aitken" wrote in message
.com...
"Victor Manta" wrote in message
...
Our current Prime Minister hasn't the bottle
to offer a simple apology. (Rodney)

Hi Rodney,

Of course, it is your right to "feel in my heart, not my head" or
anyway
else. :-) You are also free to present your excuses to anyone you wish
for
anything you wish (as long as you do it in your name).

It isn't the same for a Prime Minister to present excuses, as long as
neither s/he nor people that s/he represents directly participated in
these
crimes.

It is necessary and sufficient that the Constitution of a country
qualifies
these kind of behavior as crimes and enforces the corresponding laws.
As
much as I know, this is the case for your country.

This hopefully answers your second posting too.

Greetings,

Victor Manta


Victor,

I think you nee to realize that apologies fall into two categories. One,
the
kind you are talking about, is when there is direct personal
responsibility.
The other is simply a way of expressing regret. For example, if your
friend's mother died you might well say "I am sorry that your mother
died"
even though it had nothing to do with you. I think this is the sort of
apology that is being discussed here. If the prime minister made such an
apology it would not be an admission that present day white Australians
bear
any personal responsibility for events long ago. Rather it would be an
acknowledgement and expression of regret that this wretched treatment of
the
native people *did* happen.


--
Peter Aitken