Category | Op Ed

In response to “Non-apologetic Perdue refuses to appease”

Published on April 9, 2007 by The Sentinel

     As a former staff writer for “The Sentinel,” I am not impressed by this
article at all. Unfortunately, it is a representation of how many
non-minority people feel about the whole issue of slavery. There are
several reasons why black people are now requesting an apology from
government officials. People should take a brief look at history books
to understand that slaves were not in a position to request or demand
anything from anyone.


     Why didn’t they request an apology after
slavery was abolished? Maybe because black people were still not
considered worthy enough to be treated as people. Remember, blacks were
only considered to be three-fifths of a human being in the
Constitution. And, in the 1950s and 1960s, there were the Jim Crow laws
that prevented black people from voting. So as black people, we are
just getting to a point that we have the ability to request or demand
anything. Now is the appropriate time to request an apology. Although
Sonny [Perdue] wasn’t around during slavery, his ancestors were and I’m
sure there is still some slave money in the family. I am disappointed
that “The Sentinel” allowed such an outrageous and insensitive article
to print. News is supposed to be unbiased.

Chauntrell Brewer
Marietta, Ga