Saturday, March 24, 2007

How sorry can you be?

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the banning of the slave trade by the UK parliament. There are loads of activities, exhibitions and edutainment. There are also lots of calls for apologies for the slave trade.

Enslaving innocent humans, a system that encouraged and institutionalised casual cruelty and brutality cannot be endorsed or condoned. It was filthy and dehumanising for slave and slave-holder and everyone who participated or looked on without speaking up against the vile practice. And slavery continues today - through human trafficking, through "forced labor", foreign "sex workers" and systems of indenture through illegal immigration - that we still haven't stamped out.

Let that be said.

But sorry? I'm not sure. I wouldn't be here today - I wouldn't be me - if it weren't for the slave trade - if it weren't for my black ancestors deep in my genetic past - no doubt brought to America in chains. My baby cousins, a quarter black, wouldn't be them without the slave trade.

Sure, there would be different people in our places. But we wouldn't be us. And I'm glad we're here.

No comments: