Senators pushing slavery apology

Sen. Tony Hill, head of the legislative black caucus, is working with Senate President Ken Pruitt on a resolution to have the Legislature apologize for the history of slavery in Florida.

Hill said the move is inspired in part by the 2006 film "Amazing Grace," a story based on the life of antislavery pioneer William Wilberforce, who fought in the British Parliament to end the slave trade in the British Empire.

Other states have made such apologies, but this would be a first attempt for Florida. And it's notable because the Senate leadership is involved, and is in talks with House leaders.

"Sen. Hill and Sen. Pruitt have been working together on this issue, which is very important to Sen. Hill," said Kathy Mears, Pruitt's spokeswoman. "We are also working with Speaker Rubio and his office on this matter. The resolution is a work in progress and under review."

Meanwhile, Sen. Gary Siplin might have beat Hill to the punch. He filed a proposed apology resolution (SB2808) late Monday "apologizing for the wrongs of slavery and expressing profound regret for Florida's role in slavery."

Comments

They have nothing better to do than this?? What is this anyway?? Payback from the black legislators for Brown's confederate plate bill?
What about property taxes?? What about the budget??
No, let us instead push something that means absolutely nothing anyway.

“Hill said the move is inspired in part by the 2006 film”

Great… a bunch of ill reputes fixated on a big screen, popcorn and pretty colors.

HEY! I’ve got a thought!… what say you morons work on something “inspired in part by the 2006”… ELECTION!

YOU KNOW…. LIKE INSURANCE!

Good freaking God! No wonder we’re called Floriduuuuh!

Unbelievable. Guess what? I really don't give a rat's butt about slavery. I had nothing to do with it. People need to move on. If the Senate doesn't have anything more important to work on than this kind of drivel, maybe it's time they move on out to something else. Stop wasting my taxpayer dollars on this junk. SLAVERY IS PART OF HISTORY. IT IS WHAT IT IS. GET OVER IT AND GET A DANG LIFE.

[Over it!]

I never owned a slave, my parents never owned a slave, and my grandparents never owned a slave… STOP ACCUSING ME, BLAMING ME, AND HOLDING ME ACCOUNTABLE FOR RACISISM!

GET TO WORK ON SUBSTANCE YOU LYING, SELF-SERVING, PANDERING, USELESS FREAKING MORONS!

Love,

People who were born after 1960, and ARE OVER IT ALL!

Join us; it's really cool to live without unjustified guilt.

Just for the record, the Seminole Indians deserve a little mea culpa, too.

And the mastodons. Don't forget the mastodons.

A bunch of white guys groveling to us by apologizing for something that happened hundreds of years ago.

Idiotic and insulting to African Americans.

We'll never get ahead in this country if we keep applauding this idiotic and blatant pandering.

I am still waiting for Rome to apologize for sacking Britain. And don't the Visigoths owe me an apology?

i am constantly amazed by the "i didnt own no slaves" crowd, who seem to forget that this nation is a COMMUNITY with a HISTORY.

do you celebrate july 4?
why?

you werent there and didnt do anything to risk your lives and property to declare indepencence, were you?

doesnt keep you from firing up the grill, roasting a few burgers and draining a few brews, does it?

NOPE!

well, folks, slavery is/was as much a part of our history as july 4.

WE ARE ALL part of that history.

take a note from our jewish ancestors in our mostly "christian" faith:

the day of attonement is a day for the WHOLE COMMUNITY to acknowledge its sin and repent.

in short, the civilization we enjoy today was built by both good and bad people doing both good and bad things, creating both good and bad institutions.

morally honorable people recognize and repent of the the bad people, bad things and bad institutions as well as celebrating the good people, good things and good institutions.

that is, if they are truly interestd in a just and moral society!!

otherwise it is just empty, hypocritical blather.

11:01 owes us all an apology for that post which has made us all dumber.

11:01:

If you don't have a sense of humor, at least cultivate a sense of irony. The notion here is that at some point the links to the past become so tenuous that it becomes absurd to issue an apology. Almost 150 years after the Civil War, we're probably at that point. Rather than appeasing the victim culture that amounts to a monumental distraction from real change, maybe we should focus on offering solutions rather than politically correct but ultimately useless symbolic gestures, once again, in the vain hope that they actually will appease anyone.

you were dumm enuff already, 11.06

Let me know when the Hootoos and Tootsies, who continue to engage in slavery of each other, apologize for introducing the western world to the concept.

The story of Roots, although true as an individual occurrence, did not represent the societal norm of the day. Slavery was an “introduced”, and therefore “learned” behavior.

Stay the hell away from political posturing and read a freaking book for God’s sake.

[terminator]

11:01
so what's the broader agenda beyond the apology?
let me guess, then it will be reparations so we can pay a bunch of negros who never experienced nor lost anything some free taxpayer money?
if we weren't part of the act we need not repent for anything.
sound like you have guilty conscience my friend.
incidentally, Hill and Siplin are both buffoons who haven't accomplised a thing during their time in Tally.
Hill is currently working on an important study about why black males can't compete in school and how come so many end up in the penal system (duh), like that's a big secret.
Siplin, well just check the crime blotter for his past record.

guess u missed out on that step in the 12-step program, 11.09, as well as the christian "formula" for repenttance and absolution.

FIRST, YOU CONFESS to all you have injured......without the confession, absolution is empty and meaningless.

guess you missed that in catechism class or whatever you attended, too, eh?

ahhhh, 11.11!

what i call the EIGHTYEAROLD whine!

"everybody else is doing it!"

well, i imagine that wouldnt work for your 8-year-old kid, would it?

why do you think it would work for a nation or community.

unless that community is morally bankrupt?

11:01 - get over it. As you can tell from this blog, most of us are sick and tired of the excuses used by the 'african american community' for their short comings. What can every other person blame their failures on? Celebrating the country's independence from rule by another country is quite a bit different from issuing an apology for something that WE NEVER PARTICIPATED IN. If you want to spend your money embarking on that endeavor, be my guest. But I do not wish to have MY hardearned money being used for this kind of junk. Maybe if everyone in society stopped thinking they were OWED something and got on with living, something of use would get done.

whats the word for a person with no conscience or sense of anyone but herself?

"sociopath", thats it!

sociopath!!

you live in a nation built by free hands and slave hands.

none of us are without guilt and responsibility...save for those with no sense of conscience

This might be a good time for these Senators to apologize to their constituents for being wholly ineffective in Tallahassee.

I don't care if an apology is made by the legislature as long as the state doesn't have to get the checkbook out.

I like the bumper sticker that said, "If I Knew It Was Going To Be This Much Trouble I Would've Picked My Own Cotton".

11:39 - That's weak. Very. If you choose to issue an apology, feel free. Taxpayer dollars and the legislature's time should be better spent. Spare us all your bleeding heart judgments.

[Barbara]

My mother came over from Italy and my father from France. They didn't bring any slaves with them. I am sorry for whatever was done back then. I am also sorry for what they are doing in africa now. They can always go back to Rawanda,or just be thankful that their forefathers were brought over here when they were. Now they sit around here and complain about how bad they have it!

[Bob]

Well shoudn't they also discuss apologizing to the indians, the illegal aliens, haitians, cubans....OK I AM SORRY TO EVERYBODY! Now can we fix the State's problems

[Simon]

Uh, 11:11. It is not Hootoo and Tootsie, it is Hutu and Tutsi and they do not engage in slavery. There was a hell of a massacre, and the world was shocked because Rwanda is a very progressive country, but they live in apartment buildings, drive SUVs and go to jobs that require ties.

[steprazor]

I thought this mess was settled last month when we dropped "darkies" from the Suwannee River song?

If the "slaves for sale" sign wouldn't have caught America's eye in the first place all the generations of blacks who were slaves would have lived out their lives in Africa and their grandchildren's grandchildren would still today be born into the horror that is Africa.

Are we happy to be Americans?

Can we all just move on now and stop wasting our time with this subject?

[keith]

Wow - this is our government at work, seeking atonement for something that happened long before any us were born.

They should spend sometime reading history, they might be interested to find out that slavery was not the number one reason for the Civil War, money was at the root of it.

Then maybe they can see the issue at hand today is ...... MONEY.

Stop wasting ours and do something about rising costs of, let me see, ummmm, EVERYTHING!

11:39 "Taxpayer dollars and the legislature's time should be better spent."

I agree, however someone needs to
tell that to Rep. Don Brown and all of the Bigots... who by the way didn't fight in the Civil War. Just like we Floridians of today didn't own slaves.

Maybe if Rep. Brown drop his bill (which won't see the light of day anyway,)
Then Sen. Hill and Siplin will drop this bill as well.

[joef]

Okay, we don't care, but the one's who should appologize are dead and the ones that deserve the appology are also dead. So, who gets the appology? We don't have any ex-slaves,alive, in Florida who are Negroes or any other race. This is a waste of time and must be a joke, right?

[newres]

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
Have I made myself clear?
An apology would do no good for anyone. Whites need to get rid of their guilt complex - and their prejudices - blacks need to clean up their act, hold the family together and stay in school.
Can anybody say PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY?

[cutter]

We also had to apologize to the japaneese for atrocities during the war, now we have to apologize to blacks about slavery issues. ??? dont apologize foe me, I had nothing to do with it...

If they wanted to do something relevant to civil rights today, they could enact laws and put on the ballot for adoption as a state constitutional amendment rules that require political parties to honor every primary vote equally and in full.

Florida can refuse to certify any electoral college vote for any party that does not honor Florida primary votes.

There are dozens of contact points where the law can injure political parties that disenfranchise Floridians--don't run primaries, don't allow use of public facilities for any purpose, don't put their candidates on the ballots.

All such actions will have the good and simple effect of making the political party national committees toe the line.

It is not unamerican to require Americans to count their fellow citizens votes and punish those who do not.

Now that's a modern day civil rights issue--ensuring the individual remains important in the democracy we pass on to our kids.

[Cheryl]

Althought the thought of salvery is repulsive, it was commonplace in other countries in history. When one country or tribe conquered another the losing country usually became slaves.

The ugliness of slavery did not start with this country (unless you refer to one indian tribe taking over another). There was slavery in Africa, Europe, Asia, Middle-east, etc. Read a history book. Read African history, I'm sure you would be surprised how many slaves different tribes had.

Instead of spending time on an apology (which will seem contrite) what about spending it on appreciation. There are also families in our country who lost husbands, sons, and brothers fighting to stop slavery. Also, be concerned about the countries that still have it.

I like to think of it as social Darwinism...apropos considering the recent discussions concerning evolution.

I honestly think the Legislature has better things to do in 2008 than issue this apology. People can argue that an apology should have already been issued, but the moment has passed. All those who were so unfortunately enslaved have met their maker. So, who exactly are we apologizing to and what help can this be to anyone?

Now, in 2008 can't we all just agree to get rid of the "Legislative Black Caucus"? I don't see a Cuban Caucus, an Asian Caucus, an Indian Caucus, or a Caucasian Caucus. I don't see how a Caucus based on Race is helping to heal the racial division in this country. Am I alone here?

[Jim Johnson]

The whole thing is absurd. My Florida ancestors owned hundreds of slaves.

Today I have biracial grandchildren who descend from these same slaveowners.

I suppose they can apologize to themselves.

[Edward]

Whatdayasay elected politicians spend their energies on policy that works for their constituents (and not this baloney, sheeesh, who cares about this bull)

I don't see what the big deal is. I sold off my slaves many years ago. They're too much trouble. I now use Mexicans. A whole lot easier.

[Wasn't around then however,]

...I apologize! Can I foot another bill? Thank you Sir, may I have another!

[Dr_Dug]

Its no wonder we have an economy problem; our leaders would rather stay fixed on the past(over 100 years ago)than concentrate on the future. When will we stop voting for politicians and instead vote in finance experts? In fact, alot of Policies were put into effect as a gesture to help Blacks regain position and at the time that was considered an apology.(Affirmitive Action) Lets stop looking for apologies and start preparing the world for our children. Enough of the Slave crap already!!

[Lenore]

Yes, whites did own black slaves. However, people seem to be forgetting that it was also the white man that gave his life to help free them.

I live in one of those states that have already "apologized." You should have read the gloating of the Black newspaper columnists. Yes, I celebrate Independence Day and it is, in no way, the same thing. It's for everybody - black, white, red, yellow, or even polka dotted.I am not a Native American but why don't we all make an official apology to them. After all, my great grandfather - 20 times removed - may or may not have personally had something to do with taking their land. We can not undo history. It is what it is. We can only go forward. In order to do that we have to put past history behind us and stop dragging it back into present day. Am I a racist? Absolutely not! I don't care what color you are - I look at you for your actions. I say we need to bury the past. This whole apology thing is nothing but another political ploy to garner more votes in an election year.

You can make all the apologies in the world but it is not going to stop the black on black crime. It's the fault of slavery of their ancestors. Apologies will never make a black person take pride in themselves and what they have accomplished if they won't even try - slavery made them what they are. If anyone else did the same crimes - well, they're just evil. If a white person sits on their duff and let's the state dole out money to them - they're just white trash.

That's why it is so hard for many people to feel sorry for what happened 200 years ago.

As we used to say where I come from, I grew up by the hair of my haid and the grit in my craw. Nobody gave me anything. Nobody gave me a job just because I was white - and in my 60+ years, I have never taken a single welfare penny from the state.

I don't care what color you are - put down that crack pipe, that beer can, that gun, that knife and do an honest day's work for a change.

[Bland]

It’s great to know that the pressing issue of our state today is slavery.

I guess all the major and real problems like spending and tax relief are resolved?

Photo ops and PC language does not solve our problems.

Get off it and get back to the real business of the people.

[hoshi]

I do not owe anyone an apology. I was raised in abuse at the hands of the State of Illinois as I was their dependent from 9 months to the age of 18, I don't except nor will I ever receive an apology from any of them. I do not know anyone who was a slave nor did I have anything to do with slavery. Also are we ready for the lawsuits that will accompany these apologies, who is going to pay for those, we the taxpayer???

[Bob]

Ahhh, how about apologizing for not fixing the tax problem, the illegal immigraion problem, the insurance problem, the PORK spending problems, the special interest problems, the ethics problems, the credability problem, the fact you are totally disconnected with everyday people and think this kind of junk makes you look like your sensitive instead of like idiots.

Bland aka Problem Solved - I doubt you even live in Florida.

[TechRider]

All together now, "I am whitey, and I APOLOGIZE!!"

[Bland]

1:15 PM,

Lived her, Pinellas County, all of my life since 1956.

You have got to be kidding! What does Mr. Hill expect to accomplish by doing this? Is this going to improve quality of education, reduce crime, solve the budget crisis?? If the our elected officials have nothing better to do, I can find a few things for you to work on...

[pfg]

So when are the blacks going to apoligize for the crappy neighborhoods you don't dare drive through. Destroying several communities... starting riots etc... Oh then soaking money from the goverment for "assistance" while they sit and have about 10 kids!

Why do we need to say sorry for something that ended in 1834?? Quit living in the past! Move on... quit blaming the white man for your woes! You destroy your own communities!

Off topic slightly, but why and when was the Confederate war memorial removed from the courthouse square in Quincy? Just curious.

This is exactly why this country is going to hell.We are going to be a third world nation within 1 decade.Where have all the GOOD Normal intelligent people gone????These public officials wiol do WHATEVEr is necessary to stay in office ith big salaries while the people SHAME ON YOUsuffer.SLAVES/INDIANS/etc //That was then people.Your GREAT GREAT GREAT grandparnets did not even go through it!

[jack]

I must not understand politics as well as i thought. no doubt an apology should be issued. Simply issue the apology and lets move on. I don't see why we have to spend hard earned tax payers money to debate this. Slavery is part of our past. not one of our finer moments to say the least. unfortunately, it is taking us way to long to get over the racism brought by slavery and ignorance. the movements by leaders such as Dr. MLK, Jr. and his peers were steps in a great direction. However, if you look at where we are today would they be proud? doubtful. is the black community as a whole proud? I don't know. Will issuing an apology help in the fight against racism? Will it help to get the black youth to strive for a better education? Will it help to get the chip off the shoulder of blacks and whites? Is it worth a try?

We need solid leaders in the black community. It is shameful to think a man like Bill Cosby was shunned simply for stating the obvious. Oh and you bet if we get this apology out ... the great reverends will show up....what has Sharpton and/or Jackson done to help the black community? aren't they supposed to be inspirational and lead by example? if so, how is it that Jessie Jackson had children out of wedlock and didn't even get a slap on the wrist by the media?

Sorry for the long post....simply set up a press conference tomorrow and apologize. Yes, none of us had anything to do with slavery however we do have to recognize our past and if this can help our future than lets get on with it.

[TechRider]

Hey Bland. Guess you went to school here.

[TechRider]

We are all living in a great country that was built on the backs of slaves on land stolen from murdered Indians. Honestly, we should at least say thank you.

[Jessica]

Its always good to remember history for the sake of not repeating it, but this apology is 100+ years too late. Then it would have meant something, but now its just perpetuating the idea that there is some difference amongst people, and for some reason the ancestors who never were slaves deserve an apology from ancestors who never owned slaves.
How about the fact that our welfare system is so skewed to only help minorities, and you have caucasians footing the bill for the same ignorant people who would want this apology. I bet if you asked a hundred well-educated african americans, they don't want this and they resent the poorly educated oafs that would require this to make their historical identity worth something.
How about we just have a clean start and get along because we are all human beings and we deserve respect?

And on a personal note, I don't know if its just generational, but I think if we let go of this angst from the past we can become a better community. I have friends of all races and only when I read this kind of news does it even occur to me. I think its sad that we would even considering undoing all the positive progress we've had as a community by apologizing for something when we have no personal guilt.

[Joe]

Politicians DEVIDE us however they can, by race, sex, age, income... they must stir up this hatetred every so often so they can perpetuate the need to vote for whomever you sympathize with.

[Simon]

PFG, slavery did not end in 1834, it ended with the ratification of the thirteenth amendment in December of 1865. And to everyone else...how much do you think this will cost? Most of you spend more on Old Milwaukee's Best Ice and pork rinds.

FIND A BETTER CAUSE TO FIGHT FOR...

Please, don't apologize for me! My parents immigrated from Europe in the 1970's and I absolutely LOVE cotton! No need to be apologetic here. Plus, without slaves, the weak ones would have survived and basketball today as we know it probably wouldn't exist. Rap music just wouldn't be the same if it reeked of positivity either...

[Ernest Lane]

I am opposed to this sort of thing in general. None of the legislators, or anyone alive, as far as I know had slaves, and therefore have nothing to apologize for here. Slavery was a despicable historical fact, but it's just that.

I wonder if Charlie Crist was around to comment on this...oh wait, that's right - he's too busy campaigning with John McCain.

That empty chair ad he ran against Jim Davis seems funnier by the day.

I saw Forrest Gump. Can I push for more ping-pong tables?

What we need to do is apologize to our children for electing such a moronic, pandering, corrupt group of self-serving, do-nothing pinheads… who will surely continue to screw up our world and its’ future.

Beware Floridians...this is the first step towards a reparations movement. Why whould you, me, or anyone else make a formal apology for something that we had no control of, endorsed, & existed generations ago?

[Over it, still!]

I never owned a slave, my parents never owned a slave, and my grandparents never owned a slave… STOP ACCUSING ME, BLAMING ME, AND HOLDING ME ACCOUNTABLE FOR RACISISM!

GET TO WORK ON SUBSTANCE YOU LYING, SELF-SERVING, PANDERING, USELESS FREAKING MORONS!

Love,

People who were born after 1960, and ARE OVER IT ALL!

Join us; it's really cool to live without unjustified guilt.

[paul]

meanwhile the illegal immigrants flood the gates her e in good "ole" flori-DUH!.
unfreekin believable. you gotta be kiddin me.

If they do approve an apology, it will be written by a group of lawyers hand-picked by these politicians, so that noone will be able to understand it anyhow. All it will do is confuse the issue that much more. People will be saying, "Was that an apology, or did it say that due to global warming, you need to have a license for every cow you have to pay for more carbon offsets".

[Bland]

TechRider,

Yes I went to the oldest elementary school, Anona, Largo Jr. and High School. Plus SPJC and finished my last two years at the University of Florida. For what is worth I went to school at night and received an MBA from University of Tampa.

You can take the two years I was away at Gainesville if you want to.

Now about apologizing, how far does one go back? For all I know my ancestors were once Roman, Greek, or Egyptian slaves, I personally have no idea. This whole thing is silly.

If you go back 200,000 years they say we all have cousins in the shadows of Kilimanjaro on the planes of the Serengeti. So those Indians, our European cousins killed, where our cousins, way back. Get my point.

This is all victim politically correct feel good silliness from my perspective. Yes, I suppose from your perspective I am old white Florida dinosaur or Neanderthal.

[Rodney]

Can't we all just get along?

[Dave]

While a noble gesture, I do not think that slavery in this day and age should take up so much of anyones time, let alone the Legislature. But since it was brought up, who is going to apologize for the Civil War Vets (white AND black)who lost their lives fighting against slavery..or who returned home crippled, maimed or a nutcase? To whom shall an apology be extended and BY whom, on the part of the black community representing the black slave owners? Whites were not all guilty of this. African Tribal leaders, and free blacks aided and encouraged the sale of their people for compensation...Never say that Africa did willingly participate in the sale of blacks into slavery. When Slavery ended, a great deal of former slaves remained on the Plantation till death, on their own accord. Slavery is not justified, but should not be "blamed" on any one particular race.

[Robert]

Absolute nonsense!!! No one alive today had anything to do with slavery and to ask us to apologize is a farce.
Our legislators have much better things to do than spend time on left wing tripe!

[Reality]

Seems like the people have spoken on this thread. Any lawmaker that votes for this bill deserves to lose come re-election.

Work on Property Taxes!!!! Do Something that matters!!!

[Craig]

It is time the blacks got over it. Why don't they ask the African Tribes who sold them into slavery for an apology. Politians will suck up to anybody and anything for a vote rather than do the job they were voted in to do.

Where have all the Southern Gentlemen gone?

[J]

Im sorry my legislators are idiots. SORRY!

[Jane]

Well I'm glad they've solved all our real problems! I'll sleep well tonight.

[Jack]

I'm waiting for an apology from all the snakes in the world for tricking Eve into eating the Apple from the tree of life.

[needtoknow]

IBM is going to apologies to all the multi-hard drive computer systems ever made in the past, present and future. Unbeknown to many of these multi-drive computer owners, some of their drives are relegated as slaves. That's right ... a slave! And guess what, some are called Masters.

[Waste of time]

The only people keeping slavery alive are blacks and Al Sharpton. Umm, has anyone noticed that our two frontrunners in the election are a WOMAN and a BLACK MAN????? (No, I'm not going to say "African American". Black is NOT insulting, racist or deurgatory. If it is, then I want to be referred to as an Anglo-Saxon-American.
MORONS.

[Givemeabreak]

You have got to be kidding! I think that there are sooooooo many more important issues that everyone - black & white - needs right now --- and the legislators need to focus on them - such as lower insurance, taxes, jobs --- the things that put bread on the table.

[Paul]

ok, we're all really sorry. now can you straighten out my ding dang taxes and insurance and please build something that will create valuable JOBS in this state?! and i'm not talking hotdog vendor jobs or retail jobs at a new megaplex ballpark or 'residential and shopping' boondoggle plans on the Trop site either.

[Gilbert R. Ford]

As an African American, I can only sit back and look at this gesture. Why are we looking for an apology? We know slavery took place. Loooong ago, before the vast majority of us were born. History has told us, and our Grandparents has confirmed it. This is so much to the negative, I cannot believe we would even waste time and energy on this long ago topic. Try this:

When our children ingest crack, they become slaves to that drug!
When our children kill one another, they become slaves to the demons of thier own souls.
When our children refuse to become educated, they become slaves to ignorance.
When our children rob one another, they become slaves to indefference.
When our children produce children, they become slaves to an early adult life.

Do we apologize for it, NO, we learn as I suggest we do. Sure, I can go on an on, what will it solve? If we as a society in general, African Americans in specific, focused on the future and not the past, it is so much to learn. To view some of the negative comments on this particular topic, clearly illustrates the frustration and ignorance other races have with this very same topic! I must say that the mere mentioning of this House Bill, leaves alot to be desired. When you continually needle, prod and poke sooner rather than later hostility will resurface. If Rep. Hill or any other politician want to address this topic, I suggest they apologize for whipping up a euphoria that would cause MORE hurt and discontent. It is time to move forward allowing the past to be just that, the PAST!

[VOR]

No one living today is responsible for the actions, mistakes, or atrosities commited by those who lived before us. Our responsibilities are to learn from the past (history) and not commit, and purpetrate the same mistakes and atrocities of our ancestors.
An apology is a personal action made between the offender and the offended. Its impossible and valuless for the living to apologize for the dead.
11:01....Atonement is made to God not people. A community cannot atone for anything. Only the individuals that make up the community can make atonement.
As for your moral character bit, this is the most immoral generation of Americans since the DOI and that includes, all the peoples that make up this country, black, white, brown , red, yellow etc., all ancestoral nationalities, and ethenticities. Political posturing and pandering to any minority or ethenic group will not change the deplorable state of our national morality.
Living in the past and issuing hollow and ineffectual apologies, only adds to our woes, racial division, and prejudices.
Do the right thing today and yesterday will take care of itself. Apologies for the past are not needed but treating all peoples as you would yourself today and tomorrow is.

[Marigold]

If you do a little research you will see that in many cases, African Natives captured other Natives for the Slave Ships.

It is inappropriate to own others' actions and behavior. It is scientifically impossible for anyone who was a slave or slave master to be here and give an apology or accept an apology.

I am a direct descendent of the Abenaki's, who still cannot get recognition from the State of Vermont. Many of them died of the diseases brought over here from Europe and England and then their land was ripped off from raw deals. Is an apology warranted?

My 7th Great Grandfather came to Salem MA in 1629 with the Winthrop Fleet as an Indentured Servant.

Wow. We could be apologizing until the cows came home. It's a great way to dredge up conflict and negativity. Did you ever hear of healing?

So what is the point? The world is obviously a mess, and now that I live in Florida (I moved here from New England in November) I see that it is a bit of a redneck state. This just boosts it up a notch or two.

I think we should go back to the Garden of Eden and check out a few things. Maybe find out the whole deal behind the apple thing.

[CChrist]

OBama is the antichrist

[Rodger]

I bet african-americans are glad their ancestors were brought to america. Image what life in africa must be like. Im glad my ancestors came here from scotland in the early 1900's.

Hey Rep. Hill, maybe we should worry about fixing property taxes and addressing the insurance crisis in Florida instead of worrying about a moot apology.

What a waste. Moveon.org folks.

These idiots in the Senate are so out of touch with the people of Florida.

Get to work on the issues that the people expect solutions like property tax relief & homeowner's insurance reform.

If they can't get it done, they should resign. Marco Rubio & the House of Representative have a better understanding of the people's suffering.

What about the Chinese if we are going down the I'M SORRY ROUTE? They deserve an apology too. They were imported and slaved to build our railroads that made our industrial revolution possible.

A better idea is to get to work on Florida's real problems like property taxes.

Well put Gilbert.

Mr. Ford - Could you please make sure that you send your comments to folks in Tallahassee? Very well written.

You are my kinda black person, Mr. Ford.

I'm only against slavery if I'm the slave .. Oh! Wait! .. never mind.

Mr. Ford,
Thank you.

Give me a break. This bill is an insult. I have not been involved in slavery. I have fought for equal rights for all people. I agree with Martin Luther King who preached not for special treatment/affirmative action. He preached for equal rights. Many non blacks insisted in equal rights for all. The black community would have had sucha harder fight if they did not have help from them. So please stop this political posturing. You only put salt on a old wound that noone alive today had anything to do with. Doing this at a time when we see that the black community has decided to vote for a president based on the color of the candidates skin, is a very bad idea.

[Jimmy the Greek]

we should not apologize ... we should send a thank you letter to the decendants of slave owners!
how many gold medals would we win in track & field without the selective breeding process that slavery gave us?
How bland would the NFL be without the ape like chest-thumping gestures of the alpha negroe?