Re: Slavery - Holocaust - Apartheid -- Revolutions and Democracy in Latin America

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Date Posted: 08:48:22 04/27/02 Sat
Author: Emilie
Subject: Re: Slavery - Holocaust - Apartheid
In reply to: Patrick 's message, "Slavery - Holocaust - Apartheid" on 12:09:23 04/26/02 Fri

Dear Professor Boaz and Patrick,

Both of you raised important points. First of all, as it was said in class, I am surprised that there is not a museum on slavery. I went to Monticello visit Thomas Jefferson's house, and there are informations about the slaves and the way they lived, but I don't know other memorial sites aknowledging slavery.
Patrick, what you said about reperation is interesting. I am French, and during WWII, the Vichy government collaborated with the Germans. While it happened in my country, I don't really feel guilty, because I did live under the war and it happened over 50 years ago. It does not mean that I don't care, don't take me wrong, I do care and think it's a major part of history that people should keep in mind. However, I feel more guilty about current events. I am ashamed that the international community is not doing anything to prevent what is going on the Middle east, or what happened in the Rwanda in 1994, or in Kosovo. There was some kind of intervention, but it was so limited compared to the death figures. I feel more concerned about current issues, but if I were German I might share the same feeling of guilt. I understand what you are feeling, and I have always wondered what a person my generation feels about the Holocaust. I knew Germany and Austria have apologized and reperation has been done. I think in France too. The families of the victims have been granted subsidies. This is a normal step.
As far as the US, I think there are ways in which the US goverment could apologize, but I don't know why there is such an stubburn refusal to acknowledge what happened. What is shoking me the more I study in the US, is how the US government is being hypocrit. I am sorry to say this, but what upsets me is that if we cannot recognize our errors and apologize, then let's not give a lesson to the rest of the world. I think there is not a single country which can claim to be the perfect model of human rights, freedom and perfect behavior. France is not the perfect angel either, but I learned what we did wrong in the past, for instance, the attrocities in during the Algerian war, or the Indochine war. I learned this when I was in school. I think it is sad that the History in the United States is not always told authentically. But again, who is ordering the books? who is deciding what is going to be taught in high scholl? Everything is directed in one way... I think it is also the responsability of professors, teachers to teach History in a proper way. If slavery is not taught in the books, well, there needs to be a specific lecture on this. I remember two of my History professors, who loved their material and told us things, maybe not politically correct, but that's the way we learn. I think it is really important that people learn what really happened in their country and also outside. I personally learned a lot when I was in France on the History of the US, on Italy, on the British civilization... and I am so grateful for that because it helps you become more critical. The way history is taught in the US, and the way the news are retrieved by the media are two major concerns and I think it explains a lot of things that are going on right now. But that's another topic.
As far as the apartheid/slavery, I think both systems were very similar. To go back to what Melanie said in class, I think it is important that even though slavery ended in 1865, Black Americans have not been treated equally up until recently.
Patrick, I tend to agree with on that there was little diference between both the US and South African government where only Whites could vote. I am still reflecting on the way you described the US government during slavery (fascist). In some ways, it is true. But I would not go that far. I consider a fascist regime as part of a specific ideology. It encompasses dictatorship, centralized control of private entreprise, suppression of opposition, systematic repression. Slavery was wrong, inhumane, but I would not describe the US goverment as fascist at the time.

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