No we should not apologise - Rather Help them (Apologise for the slave trade - yes or no?)

Member Name: jpegington

Product:	Apologise for the slave trade - yes or no?
Date:	21/04/07 (100 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: We did not commit the crime - But do benefit from the results so help them

Disadvantages: None

This question is one that I have been thinking about for a while so was pleasantly surprised to see it here on the speakers corner. Should we as British people apologise for the slave trade?

Now I have been thinking about this for a while. I must first state for the record that slavery is a terrible crime. It is indeed a blot on our history as a country that we were involved with the slave trade. However I also think that the fact that the UK were one of the first to abolish slavery is very important. We can thank the work of William Wilberforce for his constant acts within parliament for bringing an end to slavery within the British Empire.

I have been reading for a while about the constant calls that we should apologise as a nation / individuals for the effects of slavery and for the fact that the UK was involved within slavery. Personally I think that it is not important or right that we should have to apologise for slavery.

After all, none of us were or have been involved with slavery! We have not committed the crime that was done and therefore we should not be asked to apologise for those crimes.

HOWEVER, having said that, I think it is clear that as a country we did benefit from slavery. It helped make the British Empire as great as it was and brought a lot of wealth into this country.

Therefore I think that it is much more important that as a country and individuals, instead of apologising for something that our ancestors have done, we should take positive action and do something that is actually helpful. By this I mean that we should do something to help the current situation within these countries.

Now I know that our government no doubt helps a number of countries with aid and I have heard that we should cancel the third world debt to help them as often the amount of aid given just pays for the repayments of the interest on the debts. Personally I think that we should freeze all interest on the debts and allow the countries to repay the actual debt. This teaches the countries responsibility for there actions in having to repay the debt, but also helps them in actual measures. This would be a much greater physical benefit to these countries rather than a non important apology.

I think that is should be made clear that we regret our part within slavery and then go ahead with practical means to help and support the countries involved.

We should all as individuals also do something to help. We could all sponser a child somewhere, buy a cow to provide food, give money to help rebuild a village or even go out there and help practically.

Personally I think that this would be a much larger benefit and would be something practical towards the whole argument as to whether we should apologise as one of the key points that I hear raised is the amount that it benefitted this country.

Summary: Give practical and physical aid to these countries