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Opinion

No penance needed for others' mistakes

Reid Midgett 
Opinion Columnist

The people of Texas have something to say. They feel much regret in their hearts for their past misdeeds, and they must find peace in acknowledging these mistakes and repenting. They follow in the footsteps of their Southern brethren in Virginia and Tennessee, seeking political action to erase their mistakes and give them forgiveness. The people of Texas want to apologize for slavery, and leave no doubts in the minds of our nation's people that they are truly sorry for such a horrific era in American history.

History is a word that brings to mind ancient relics from days long forgotten, and the triumphs, victories and defeats that paved the way to the modern world. Most view history as a thing of the past, a dry subject with no implications for present times. Though this is generally wrong ? history influences every step that the human race takes towards the future ? one must be careful in bringing up what has happened in the past and ensure it is only for the right reasons.

Two Houston lawmakers, democrats Sen. Rodney Ellis and Rep. Senfronia Thompson, have taken the issue into their own hands recently, as they work toward a resolution that works as a formal apology for slavery on behalf of all Texas citizens. To apologize and acknowledge the presence of slavery in Texas history is the goal of these two upright leaders of equality.

Acknowledgment of slavery in our history is perfectly reasonable and acceptable, for in order to change one must look at past mistakes and learn from them. However, the idea of an apology for the past transgressions of a people long dead is absurd. 

Slavery ended 200 years ago, and yes, it was an era that still affects every aspect of life today, but the thought of saying sorry for an act of atrocity that happened long ago is nonsensical. If any one person living today had slaves at one point in their life, then he or she should apologize for owning another human being, but that does not seem likely.

The fact that politicians are trying to force this through the legislative process as if it were like any other law makes it all the more absurd. To be required by law to apologize for something one had no part in is simply wrong. To be forced to apologize for the act of slavery is an act of slavery itself.

This country needs to realize that it is perhaps more racist than it ever has been. People constantly feel the need to point out the differences in human beings, whether it is by bringing up the issue of slavery time and time again, or actively trying to diversify a group of people with several races, which in itself is a form of segregation.

The citizens of modern America do not need to apologize for anything but their own prejudices, not the prejudices of deceased white landowners. 

By apologizing for slavery, one admits guilt and participation in the act, and not one person alive can rightly say they were living in the South in the 1800s. Lawmakers need to spend their time protecting the citizens of this country and advancing their moral and ethical values, not wasting time over controversial relics of the past.

Midgett, a communication junior, 
can be reached via dccampus@mail.uh.edu