Progressive Minds

"Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

- George Santayana

Perhaps someone should break this down to Frank Hargrove in terms he can understand.

The United States of America has never apologized or atoned for the egregious act of slavery, and all the crimes against humanity that were committed during slavery.

Some years ago, Randall Robinson of TransAfrica wrote a book entitled The Debt: What America Owes To Blacks.  And though I do not agree with every single point that Mr. Robinson made, I wholeheartedly agree with his larger point that there is a debt that the United States of America owes to the African-American community.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King also sounded this very theme during his I Have A Dream speech when he stated:

"In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men - yes, black men as well as white men - would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check that has come back marked "insufficient funds."

Even if America had fulfilled it's promise to the African-American community, however, that would not mean we should forget the lessons of slavery. It's amazing to me that some people have so easily celebrated and embraced the Holocaust Museum, which of course helps pay homage to those who suffered or lost their lives during the Holocaust.  This is, of course, a good thing.  We should never forget the Holocaust.

Yet, when it comes to slavery, some say we should just "get over it"; that we should move on already. 

Republican Frank Hargrove, a local Virginia legislator, said recently that Blacks should just "get over" slavery.

In an interview with The Daily Progress of Charlottesville, he was asked whether the state of Virginia should apologize to the descendents of slaves.  He responded by saying that Blacks should "get over" slavery, and then he pontificated on whether Jews should apolgoize for killing Jesus Christ.

Va. Legislator's Comments On Slavery Anger Blacks, Jews

Very interesting news being made by BushCo today!  George W. Bush has decided that he will NOT renew his illegal warrantless domestic spying program.

Per Alberto Gonzales (the same man who helped Bush keep his DUI quiet and said the Geneva Covention is now "quaint" and "obsolete"), "Any electronic surveillance that was occurring as part of the Terrorist Surveillance Program will now be conducted subject to the approval of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court."  (Well duh, it was supposed to be that way all along!)

Since this news broke today, I've been thinking, what is the REAL reason Bush has decided not to renew the program, and instead place it under the purview of the FISA Court?

And it has occured to me that Bush KNOWS this unconstitutional, illegal program is an IMPEACHABLE offense.  And he wants this issue off the table before Congressional Democrats really get going with their oversight hearings in Congress.  In my view, he's hoping that by not renewing the program, the Democrats will not count this among the many things the Bush Administration has done, that they need to investigate.

Here's hoping he's wrong.

Bush won't reauthorize eavesdropping