Houston Chronicle columnist Cragg Hines, a moderate Republican whose editorials have caused millions of Texans to claim this conservative daily a liberal rag, wrote a column last week suggesting a little word of national apology for America’s centuries of slavery.
Hines notes that the angry letters began pouring in the middle of the night before the ink was dry on the OUTLOOK page.
This week Hines talks about the response to his rather moderate request. He passes over the hard core racists and dwells in the standard Southern White Conservative angst regarding the issue.
Black Americans should consider themselves lucky they are here rather than there. We did them a favor.
African Blacks rounded themselves up for shipment, it’s their own fault.
Muslims profited from the slave trade, it’s their fault.
Britain and America ended slavery, English speaking countries should be saluted.
I did not own slaves. It’s not my fault
My family did not own slaves, it’s not their fault.
Only wealthy plantation owners owned slaves, its not our fault.
There was slavery in the North, its not the South’s fault.
An apology would cause not only Blacks, but Indians and the Irish to sue our government out of existence.
Sounds much like the famous Simpson’s episode where Bart became famous for saying “I didn’t do it!” A cartoon mentality. Like it or not, our historic endemic racism is why America has no national health care plan. We will not be forced to PAY IN to PAY OUT to people unlike us, Blacks.
Cragg Hines closes with one of the few positive responses he received. Must have been a visitor from Maine.
Slavery is the original sin of the U.S. An apology will not change past events but it will help the nation to heal open wounds. The gripe when topic is slavery