Category | Op Ed

Non-apologetic Perdue refuses to apease

Published on April 3, 2007 by The Sentinel

     Remember the clever “Sonny Do” list from last fall’s gubernatorial election? Apparently, after providing over $2 billion in tax relief and reducing classroom sizes, our Governor left no room on his “Sonny Do” list to make a formal apology on behalf of the state of Georgia for slavery.


 

     It is not Perdue’s job to apologize for a tragic era that he played no part in. It is an issue that is making Georgia legislators put down their sweet teas and consider the motive for this controversial contrition.

    Slavery is the most devastating and sensitive scar on the face of American history and memory of the era serves as a tragic reminder of the cruelty of mankind. Recently, Virginia has expressed “regret” over its role regarding slavery. Other states, including Maryland, Missouri and Georgia, have followed suit in looking into offering a formal apology.

    This begs the question: why now? Why wait more than 140 years to apologize, long after everyone involved is dead? Why is the NAACP demanding an apology now? If this was 1865 and I stood by as slavery decimated thousands of people, yes, I would owe you an apology. But since when is a displaced Yankee, whose relatives were still cooking spaghetti in Italy when slavery was occurring, responsible for apologizing for slavery?

    I believe the same premise applies to our elected officials. The “state of Georgia” cannot be apologetic. Georgia is a state. It has no feelings. So don’t demand that our Governor apologize “on behalf” of the state of Georgia.

    Some Georgia legislators seemed to agree with the apology. Sonny didn’t.

    Perdue has reasoned that he is unsure whether our elected officials should apologize on behalf of other people that are no longer alive. I believe he realizes that the slaves were owed an apology, but not by the innocent non-slave owners of the 21st century. He makes a very valid point there. I don’t own slaves. You don’t own slaves. No one reading this article is a slave. It seems like the NAACP is searching for a mea culpa more than a century after the sins were committed, and from people who are guilty of nothing. It’s a waste of time and effort to seek an apology from innocent people.

    It is highly unlikely you will hear an apology from the guilty party themselves, the slave-owners. They’re dead. Since they are the only ones responsible, I believe they are the only ones that owe anyone an apology.

    If you had elected me as your governor, I would probably offer the apology, shake a few hands and call it a step in the right direction. I can see where Perdue is coming from, but I would rather say “my bad” and move on to more pressing legislation. It is a complete waste of our legislators’ time. Everyone just needs to focus on the future instead of dwelling on the past. The Governor’s job is not to apologize for the sins of dead slave-owners. His job is to govern Georgia, and I believe he is doing a very good job with that. Be grateful that Georgia’s economy is flourishing and life is good. Let’s not turn back the pages of Georgia’s proverbial history book and beg for an apology that only the dead deserve.