why is everyone making such a fuss about the slave trade? it happened. get over it!!?
954727
how insensitive can you be???\nI was on a Y.T.S. you know!!!    damn you!!!!
531612
No, they should not. It is ridiculous and would be meaningless. The whole campaign appears to be just a fop by a few ne`er do wells as a precursor to demands for `reparation`.\n To the merchants of Bristol, slaves were just a commodity same as any other. Sad I know, but to start demanding apologies from descendants of anyone involved in this trade, or anyone living anywhere that benefitted from this trade is ludicrous. It would involve half the planet.
446135
Excellent points!  We're always being told that our ancestors enslaved them, but we're never told that our ancestors also fought and died to free them.  It's been 140 years since there was slavery.  There are so many programs to help black people, at the expense of white people.  Its about time black people quit looking for excuses and try to make it like I know they can.  And don't start calling me prejudice cause I aint!
125481
you need to define the parameters of Slavery.  Do you mean during the anti-bellum period? Do you mean just in the years between the Civil war 1861-1865? Do you mena just in America or around the World.  Slavery is as Old as civilzation.  \n\nIf you are asking for a reference during America's history of salvery and defining the terms from the orginal colonies up until the immaciapation proclamation including the entire Slave trade industry, then the numbers are phenomial.  \n\nAre you just asking How many Black American Slaves that resided in the South Died or are you asking about the entire slave trade from Africa through West Indies up to the southern colonies?\n\nRedefine your question, and you can educate yourself by doing Yahoo or Google or Ask Jeeves searchs about the American Slave trade.
541950
I hate it when a black person assumes that because I am white I support slavery or ever had an ancestor who had slaves. They seem to forget it was blacks who sold them into slavery and white's who fought to free them. Not all whites supported slavery!  I think it was horrible but I am also sick of them thinking they are entitled because of it.  What about the jews? They were wronged too, what do they get?  The Indians we stole this land from were wronged, what do they get?  I think it is unfair that they can have all black beauty pageants, all black colleges, all black scholarships, we cannot have an all white anything or we would be in big trouble for discrimination, not that I would want to anyway, but how fair is that????!!!!!  I think everyone should have the same rights and I am sick of hearing how they think they have less rights when they actually have MORE.  They will get a job even if less qualified and I have seen first hand how they can sit around and do nothing and cannot be fired, by law, because company would be in trouble if they fired them.  I like black people, but it angers me to no living end that they get away with stuff like that!  I have black friends and have heard them make remarks about getting retribution one day.  That is a real pisser offer for me!!!!  I have done nothing wrong to them!
530237
Slavery has been around way before the Americas were found. Egyptians built their pyramids from slave labor. Ignorance is bliss and you are the most blissful person I've seen in a while.
604253
Because slavery isn't terrible they just get all itchy about the fact that there not worth as much as we are.LOL.
767498
It attempted to free slaves in the South, but since the South was technically a different country, it didn't work too well.  It would be like Canada trying to set a minimum wage in Kenya.  It was little more than political posturing.
895860
Totally agree with you Steve. I personally did not do anything to anyone. Indians killed Indians Blacks enslaved Blacks. I don't see them jumping on the bandwagon to pay anyone off for the "crimes" of thier ancestors. Everyone needs to get over the past and live for today and the future
863919
You are in a time warp. Slavery ended nearly 60 years ago. You are sure you haven't woken up from deep sleep like Rip Van Winkle or better still Kumbhkaran ? We are a free democratic country with duly elected government by people now in the year 2006..Wake up buddy !
979027
For God's sake - when will all this whining and whinging end?  Why should the people of today be responsible for the actions of people hundreds of years ago.  You cannot equate the culture and way of life during the times of slavery with the world we live in today.  The African people themselves were selling their own people - not only to Europeans and Americans but largely to the Arabic countries so shouldn't the African governments be apologising to their own people!!!!  Do we blame the young Germans of today for the Holocaust - NO we don't!  We can only learn from past mistakes and MOVE ON!!  This is another example of people trying to make financial gain in todays compensation culture!
600182
thats because slavery has never ended, the mental drain of africa is an ongoing thing, europe and americas where all built by africans.\nand to be quite honest africa has its own problems to be worried about what happened in the past especially when there is so much shit going down in this continent
426731
Singling people out no matter what the race, creed or color is wrong. I'm disappointed to hear that this happened especially on the elementary school level. It perhaps sent out a message, but one we are trying to avoid. As my school prepared for a MLK Day celebration one elequent speaker came to our school and said the following:\n\n(Yes, I'm paraphrasing)\n\n "In our day and age, I feel that sometimes people of my own race are bringing judgements upon themselves unnecessarily. They preach of equality, but when given the rights, want more. Yes, we cannot deny the treatment of Blacks was unacceptable. But must we dwell on the past instead of embracing the future? If we seek equality, why do we draw attention upon ourselves? Why have a "Black History Month?" Is there a "White History Month?" We are asking not to be set "a part." Yes we insist on our own month to celebrate our fine figures from the past? Shouldn't EVERY day of every month be a celebration of what these fine people did? We should live by their words, not force their word."\n\nI think what the world needs is to accept that we are more open-minded than we were 30-40 years ago. Sure, we have pockets of our population that will never be. But the change has been immense. Thank God! This speakers words spoken so elequently made so much sense to all those in that room that day. I think it brought the school together with a "sigh" of relief. All races realized we were working together.....no one is set apart. There is no need to favor a soul in our world today. We all prove who we are by being.....who we are. \n\nThank you for sharing the poem. My hope is that schools such as this, ideals such as this, practices such as this will so very soon be a thing of the distant past.
857196
I can't believe how many people bring up racial issues on this forum. No one cares. the ones who do care are usally the racists. Let it go and quit segregating.
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.
73839
I think the messy business of the European colonization of the American Continents is pretty much common knowledge.  Who, exactly, are you trying to incite then?  Is it the millions of North & South Americans who now lead comfortable, modern lives, or the two or three other people -- like yourself -- stuck in 1492?  Besides, people are solid believers in something that was made 'by man', but they are also free to choose not to believe, or to not be 'solid' believers.  Let it go, no one appriciates the people like you who have mistaken this service as a soapbox (though your ranting does help make the rest of us feel better about ourselves, so thanks for that public service) ;)
276934
And the war over slavery was bloody.  how is this god the same yesterday, today and forever?\n\nslavery is not condemned as hellish, it says,\n\n" do not become slaves of men " and then " slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. "\n\nand how does that work out for you?  submitting to the harsh?\n\nUD:\n\nahc24- you are mad!