Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquila
It's not like we're personally guilty. It's just taking responsibility for our ancestors actions, and making restitution where possible.
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You make many valid points in your post but I don't think we have to "take responsibility" for crimes our ancestors committed over which we have no control. I might rephrase this as
acknowledging our ancestor's actions as wrong. If there is a way to make restitution, then it should be done. But there are some historic injustices that restitution is impossible. Sometimes an apology is all that can be provided.
I think of the modern descendants of our 3rd president, Thomas Jefferson. Through DNA testing they have discovered that Jefferson had children with one of his slaves, Sally Hemings and has living descendants today. Sally was actually his late wife's half sister but since her mother was black, she remained enslaved.
How should the modern white Jefferson descendants treat the modern black Jefferson descendants? Are the white Jeffersons responsible to pay some sort of restitution to their black cousins for sins committed by their common ancestor back in the 18th century? Is it inevitable that someone will suggest that the black Jeffersons can now move on up to the east side where they can finally get a piece of the pie? (just kidding).