Florida officially apologizes for slavery

Parent Cafe
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<p>The Florida Legislature unanimously approved the following statement:</p>

<p>* WHEREAS, African slavery was sanctioned and enforced through laws enacted by Florida’s first Territorial Legislative Council in 1822, and</p>

<p>WHEREAS, the Council and its successors did, over four decades, construct a legal framework that perpetuated African slavery in one of its most brutal and dehumanizing forms, and</p>

<p>WHEREAS, this legal framework included such lawful punishments as the following: “That any negro or other slave duly convicted of robbery & or burglary shall suffer death or have his or her ears nailed to posts and there stand for one hour and receive 30 lashes on his or her bare back at the discretion of the court,” and</p>

<p>WHEREAS, in 1827, free Africans were denied the right to vote and in later years were, by law, so repressed, restricted, and harassed that by 1850 most had been driven from Florida, and</p>

<p>WHEREAS, African slavery was entrenched within the plantation culture of Middle Florida to such a degree that by the year 1860, 73 percent of the total population of Leon County were slaves, and</p>

<p>WHEREAS, there were early political leaders in Florida who advocated a vigorous defense of slavery, and</p>

<p>WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature has identified grave injustices inflicted upon African slaves and freemen by the state, and</p>

<p>WHEREAS, even though the laws permitting such injustices have been repealed, it is important that the Legislature express profound regret for the shameful chapter in this state’s history and, in so doing, promote healing and reconciliation among all</p>

<p>Floridians, NOW, THEREFORE,</p>

<p>Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida, the House of Representatives Concurring:</p>

<p>That the Legislature expresses its profound regret for Florida’s role in sanctioning and perpetuating involuntary servitude upon generations of African slaves.</p>

<p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature calls for healing and reconciliation among all residents of the state.*</p>

<p>Governor Crist is open to paying reparations to traceable decendants of former slaves according to this article: [Politics:</a> State: Florida apologizes for role in slavery](<a href=“http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article432823.ece]Politics:”>http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article432823.ece)</p>

<p>Question: </p>

<p>Are reparation payments necessary? How would they be determined? How much would be appropriate? What linkage to Florida would need to be proved to establish a payment(s)?</p>

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<p>I don’t favor reparations because it would be impossible to make them fair. But I do applaud the legislature’s statement and recognition that an apology may be healing. Good for them.</p>

3

<p>Germany paid persecuted persons and former slaves reparations. But how would Florida approach such questions with events that occurred well over a century ago?</p>

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<p>I know this will sound terribly cynical, but it’s becoming a regular part of political theater to have various governmental bodies loudly and publicly apologize for 1) internment camps in WWII, 2) slavery, and 3) treatment of Indians. I’m sure that the Florida legislature meant this in the most positive possible way, and that it has nothing to do with this being the most volatile election year since 1972…</p>

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<p>I apologize for slavery too.</p>

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<p>The question is reparations…;)</p>

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<p>I will pay reparations. I intend to go to the homes of every person I can find who is not a descendent of slaves and take that person’s vehicle. I will sell the vehicles and deliver the proceeds to the decendents of slaves. It is the only fair thing to do.</p>

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<p>I don’t understand the concept of reparations for African Americans who were the descendants of slaves. Descendants of slaves benefited hugely by being born in the US. Whereas a case could be made for choosing to be born in the UK over the US - I doubt very mainly would choose to be born in Ghana over the US.</p>

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<p>

that’s debatable…</p>

<p>oh, and for the record, there won’t ever be reparations for slavery, so don’t worry about it… </p>

<p>this:

won’t be necessary, thanks :/</p>

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<p>There has been considerable discussion (see the attached article from the St. Pete Times) that reparations are essential to race relations, especially in Florida. The governor of Florida is receptive to this idea as he said, also in the article.</p>

<p>I’m not being funny by posting this information - I am very curious to see what people think is appropriate.</p>

<p>From the article:</p>

<p>As news of the vote spread Thursday, public reaction on the St. Petersburg Times’ Web site, tampabay.com, varied. Some readers accused lawmakers of “wasting” time and questioned why an apology was needed when all slave owners were dead. Others said it wasn’t enough; reparations are in order. Some commended lawmakers, saying they hoped it would help heal society’s racial strife.</p>

<p>So, would a one-time payment of $10,000 be enough or too much?</p>

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<p>it’s about $10,000 too much, IMO… everyone from the days of slavery is dead :/</p>

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<p>It’s not such a big deal - Quakers paid reparations prior to 1785. </p>

<p>If one WANTS to do it, it can be figured out. If one doesn’t, there are plenty of reasons why one can’t. It would certainly cost less than the Three Trillion Dollar Bush Boondoggle, and would be much better for the economy.</p>

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<p>As a financial planner it would be ok with me if the funds were held in escrow or managed somehow. While some people will be responsible with the funds and build a life that their families (possibly) could have obtained 2 or 3 generations ago, others will squander away any funds and find themselves in the same economically oppressive society they claim held them back for years. Except, after the payment of reparations who can one blame for not advancing? Abusing credit and sqaundering money is not exclusive to one race or nationality. I have witnessed for years clients of different backgrounds inherit rather large sums only to find a few years later that they are in the same boat that they were in previous years. A sinking boat that is taking on water!</p>

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<p>I disagree with reparations, but not for the same pathetic reasons some of the above do…</p>

<p>I just don’t think slavery is something you can “pay for”. You can just kinda apologize and try to facilitate recovery from it (which is far from over)</p>

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<p>A.S.A.P, for many Black folks, it would be fairly easy to verify their lineage to the enslaved. Slave owners, particularly those who held large plantations, kept meticulous records, as did census-takers in many counties in the Antebellum South. Unless General W.T. Sherman or others burned down a particular Southern courthouse (many were destroyed), its records are intact. All there need be is a thorough investigation of such records.</p>

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<p>See the book “Slaves in the Family,” which describes the revelation of a young white man, discovering that his direct ancestors were one of the largest slave-holding families in America. He also discovered his contemporary African-American relatives, descended from the same plantation owner. The author’s last name is Ball, I believe.</p>

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<p>I’d like to know two things from this discussion:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Would some form of reparation payment(s) and an apology like the above end forever the claims of victimization due to past societal racism, allowing African Americans to better participate and enjoy the fruits of American opportunity as so many other immigrant groups have and</p></li>
<li><p>How would a full-paid public undergraduate university education for every bona-fide descendant be as one optional form of payment?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Once paid, then all society becomes colorblind after 20 years - no more Affirmative Action or derivative programs from then on out.</p>

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<p>

</p>

<p>I think he would also be receptive to being reelected.</p>

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<p>I don’t think the idea of reparations are in the forefront of the minds of most African Americans, so try not to get your knickers in a knot over it. I personally do not support the idea of reparations, even though I certainly would stand to benefit financially from it. I think that most AfAms would be more than satisfied with full social, not just legal, equality.</p>

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<p>

Poet, you gotta definition for what that means?</p>