Thursday, June 18, 2009
An Apology For Slavery Has Been Issued By Congress!
On behalf of my slave ancestors,I accept the apology for slavery that Congress has offered African-Americans.It may have taken almost two centuries,but better late than never!I'm not sure how that will rectify the mental ramifications that slavery has had on past,present(and probably future) generations of black Americans.
Restoring a sense of cultural & racial worth is still a goal for 21st century African-Americans.That's why so many blacks felt proud when Barack Obama won!Many felt that black people were finally being accepted into an elite society that had despised them for so long.
But,being proud of oneself is still a struggle for oh so many black folks.And that lack of self-pride that still lingers from the days of the slave master & the whip will not return because of an apology for slavery.What the apology does do is it acknowledges the wrongs that America has done to some of its people.It does not right that wrong,though!
Here's more from ajc:
"The House on Tuesday issued an unprecedented apology to black Americans for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow segregation laws.
"Today represents a milestone in our nation's efforts to remedy the ills of our past," said Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-Mich.), chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus.
The resolution, passed by voice vote, was the work of Tennessee Democrat Steve Cohen, the only white lawmaker to represent a majority black district.
Cohen faces a formidable black challenger in a primary election next week.
Congress has issued apologies before: to Japanese-Americans for their internment during World War II and to native Hawaiians for the overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom in 1893. In 2005, the Senate apologized for failing to pass anti-lynching laws.
Five states have issued apologies for slavery and Georgia has considered one, but past proposals in Congress have stalled, partly over concerns that an apology would lead to demands for reparations.
The Cohen resolution does not mention reparations. It does commit the House to rectifying "the lingering consequences of the misdeeds committed against African-Americans under slavery and Jim Crow."
It says that Africans forced into slavery "were brutalized, humiliated, dehumanized and subjected to the indignity of being stripped of their names and heritage" and that black Americans today continue to suffer from the consequences of slavery, discrimination and segregation."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Even Though The Pilot Died, A Plane Lands Safely In NJ
If I had been a passenger on the plane whose pilot died in mid-air,I would have been hyperventilating!That's probably why the passengers on the jet were not told that the pilot had passed away during the flight.
Luckily,two co-pilots were able to safely land the plane in New Jersey.Here's more on what could have been a frightening story from MSNBC:
"The pilot of a Continental Airlines flight from Brussels to Newark died over the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday, but the jet landed safely with two co-pilots at the controls.
The 247 passengers aboard Flight 61 weren't told of the pilot's death and flight attendants continued serving snacks, though the crew did ask for the help of any doctors aboard. Several passengers approached the cockpit, including one doctor who told The Associated Press the pilot appeared to have suffered a heart attack.
The 60-year-old Newark-based pilot, who worked for Continental for 32 years, is believed to have died of natural causes, said Kelly Cripe, a spokeswoman for the Houston-based airline.
A relief pilot was on board and took the place of the deceased pilot, Cripe said. The Boeing 777 touched down on time just before noon at Newark Liberty International Airport.
"The flight continued safely with two pilots at the controls," Cripe said in a statement.
Dr. Julien Struyven, 72, a cardiologist and radiologist from Brussels who was aboard, responded to the call for doctors, went to the cockpit and examined the pilot.
"He was not alive," Struyven said. There was "no chance at all" of saving him, he said."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Rusty DePass Shouldn't Say That Michelle Obama Descends From Gorillas Since He Actually Resembles One!
Rusty DePass made a very racist comment about Michelle Obama.But what he said could really be applied to him.
The GOP racist said that an escaped gorilla was probably an ancestor of Michelle Obama.
Now,when I look at Rusty DePass,I see an albino gorilla.I mean,he looks just like he descended from apes to me.
I can't say the same for the breathtakingly beautiful first lady.Unlike Rusty De Pass,Michelle Obama looks nothing like a gorilla!
Here's more from the NY Daily News:
"A prominent South Carolina Republican killed his Facebook page Sunday after being caught likening the First Lady to an escaped gorilla.
Commenting on a report posted to Facebook about a gorilla escape at a zoo in Columbia, S.C., Friday, longtime GOP activist Rusty DePass wrote, "I'm sure it's just one of Michelle's ancestors - probably harmless."
Busted by South Carolina political blogger Will Folks on his FITNEWS blog, DePass told WIS-TV in Columbia, "I am as sorry as I can be if I offended anyone. The comment was clearly in jest."
Then he added, "The comment was hers, not mine," claiming Michelle Obama made a recent remark about humans descending from apes. The Daily News could find no such comment.
"'Humor' like this is nothing new for South Carolina Republicans - even as the party claims to be focusing on 'outreach' efforts to minorities," said Folks, a former gubernatorial spokesman and widely read blogger. "The fact that Palmetto [State] Republicans don't get that this is a serious problem for them baffles us."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
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