Should Bristol (UK) apologies for it 's involvement in the slave trade 200 years ago?
603756
Tell me what would their apologies mean? Would it bring back the pride of the blackman that he was stripped off so long ago? Would destroying those buildings erase the memories? Please what has happened has happened and we are all trying to move on from there.The blackman was made to feel less of a human, now we are trying to get our pride and our place in the society.Let us leave the past where it belongs and concentrate on making a better place for us all lo live in.
1148226
Possibly at some time in its history. Read the linked article.
738113
At the time it may have been efficient for white people, but I certainly don't think it was efficient for the black community. Slavery is NEVER any good for the people who are being in slaved.
358942
Some possibilities are: \nPreoccupation with the present and its demands; \nsometimes a sense of shame (we Brits sometimes agonise over the Crusades/colonial exploitation etc) \nand a belief that the past doesn't matter, only the future - a view which I think leads to repeating mistakes we ought to be able to avoid!
936629
Christians spoke up for slavery, some still do.
143610
U.S. "legalized" slavery may have ended in 1861, but please do not let us fool ourselves -- slavery, in many forms, still exists today . . . and I'm not talking "slave to my job" kind either.    :-(
531247
America was only one of a great many countries that had African slaves, and had only a small percentage of all the Africans taken for slavery. Central and South America had more, so did the Muslims. In fact, slavery still exists in Africa.\n\nTruth be told, it was first England, then America that espoused the abolitionist movement. Because every other culture and society on Earth had slavery prior to that time. We fought a civil war over slavery. \n\nSo blaming all your problems on America shows substantial ignorance of history.\n\nAnd human rights is a white anglo concept, anyway. Have a nice day!
27333
I can not answer the question of factory slaves, but I did a research paper while in college on the subject of slave life in the south (field slave).  I was suprised to learn that it wasn't as bad as I had thought.  (NOTE:  I am NOT saying that it wasn't bad, just not as bad as I thought.)\n\nI would recommend a book called "Twelve Years a Slave" by Solomon Northup (Available from Amazon.com for less than $10.00).  This was, for me, a very easy read on the subject and I believe it to be a true account of his 12 years in slavery.\n\nWhile most people tend to think of the huge cotton plantations with the evil slave owner with hundreds of slaves, many of the slave owners owned less than 10 and worked in the fields along with them.\n\nThe rampant beatings (that go along with the huge plantation version) probably weren't as common as I thought.  You depended on this person for your livelyhood - why would you beat them to death?  I am sure that there were some beatings for escape attempts, disrespect and the like.\n\nI was also suprised to learn that there were instances (by some slave owners) to allow their slaves to make furniture, quilts and other things for other people.  Any money earned could be kept by the slave in order to buy their freedom.  (I am not sure how wide spread this practice was, but it is mentioned in the book I referenced and was also mentioned at a museum gallery I attended a couple of years ago).  Some were even allowed to go to "parties" to work - also getting paid for this.\n\nI am sure I will catch some flack from some people, so let me clarify:  I DO NOT condone slavery, I do not support slavery (and lets face it, it is still around in the world today), and I think that it was one of the darkest periods in our countrys history.  I think it was a product of its time in the US and for those who want to condemn the US for participating think of this:  The US couldn't have had slavery of the African people, if it weren't for the people of Africa selling their own people into bondage.\n\nO.K.  Let the flack come in.
835313
Historically people from UK have gone to other countries and taken advantage of the people and resources...just returning the favor. Y'all would have been here had we not kicked your butts in the American Revolutionary War. I do not mean to be offensive to the UK at large, just bigots like you.
900828
It has nothing to do with 100 years ago.  It has to do with racism and discrimination that exist today
1060895
I hate to say it but, I agree. I think that we all need to acknowledge that 1) the past happened; 2) it was worst than horrible thing that you could imagine; 3) it made white people think that blacks were not human; 4) it created laws to exclude blacks; and 5) it affects the way blacks see themselves today and how whites view blacks.\n\nI wish that we could all take a person and examine that individual for who he/she is and not for what race they happened to be born in. \n\nBy the way, don't use the argument that whited help end slavery. While they may have been so, in the grand scheme of things, it's like putting a Kleenex over a gunshot wound. ALL blacks don't hate ALL white and ALL whites don't hate ALL blacks, but it sure does seem that way sometimes. I think that too much bitterness exist in blacks and white people just don't understand how far and how deep the hurt goes. I was raised by parents who could drink from the white water fountain or couldn't sit down to eat lunch with their white friends and couldn't go to the white beach. Those experiences and worse have shaped the generations. \n\nAs a psychologist, a believe in moving forward. I believe that in order to be ones best self, one must not get caught up in the past hurts and live life as a victim. One has to free themselves from the past. You should not feel responsible for slavery but should only be responsible for your own actions. Nor should I treat you any differently because of the actions of some people who happen to be white. I don't know what it would take for society as a whole to move towards this concept.
539719
i am not ashamed of my history though i dont agree with it. there never should have been slaves, but the south contributed to so much during the formation of this country that it also deserves a little respect. people from the south have a different way of life. i drink my tea cold never hot i live on a 10 acre lot and walk barefoot through grass, woods, and gravel. i am polite and say exscue me and thank you. when i see an elderly person i help them and smile. i have morals and ethics sometimes you need a switch cut from the tree in the down in the holer i am proud of not only where i was raised but who it helped me to be
707623
I think it would be good to split the union especially now since its the 300th anniversary in 2007. I dont want to start arguments about countries which would survive outside of it or which countries support others. It is a myth that England supports the neighbouring countries though. Sure; Scotland for example is given a hefty supplemet every year to look after itself but only from money the UK (NOT England - contrary to popular belief) has earned ie from oil (which is actually Scottish anyway)and tourism - which all nations in the kingdom earn. Please dont continue flaming or anything. I havent said anything to insult anyone and everything I have said is fact. btw Robespierre made the classic fault assuming Wales and Scotland were in England. They are not and never have been, I strongly suggest you don't say that when you are in one of those smaller UK nations. You may be risking your health ;)
742524
I think it was wrong that it ever existed in the first place - and yes it needed to end, but...........\n\nIt is interesting to note that when slavery was finally abolished, many newly freed men and women suddenly found themselves without homes, without food and without work.\n\nAs such, no small number actually asked the ex-slave owners if they could continue working for them under the same terms as before. This was especially the case where the slave-owner had been one who was reluctant to use the whip and was a more agreeable "master" than most of the others.
947830
Other answers here seem to be approaching this from an individual or legal angle.  I have the feeling that you're wondering why we as a nation seem to continue bringing up the horrible injustice of slavery.  It's true that it was very wrong the way that they were treated, and then the injustice given to the freed slaves up until the 60s, but it is time to move on.  The individual people were the ones "guilty" of owning slaves; we as a nation today should feel regret but not to the extent we seem to today.  Hopefully someday we'll stop feeling guilty and realize it was our ancestors and not us as individuals who treated them so poorly.
1163008
Slavery ended along time ago, my brother. Forget the past and look towards the future with God.  We are all one and equal with Him.
958995
I cannot be responsible for my ancestors' decisions. I can, however, be responsible for myself and make sure that I don't make the same mistakes. Of course, blacks have rights, but they don't have any more right to monetary compensation than the Jewish or Irish who suffered racism in a different context. Slavery is wrong. Period. Sadly, slavery is as old as history itself, but that should only mean that we should always fight against it.