Virginia Lawmaker Makes Slavery Comment

Del. Frank D. Hargrove, a Virginia legislator, recently said that "our black citizens should get over it," when speaking about slavery and also said, "are we going to force the Jews to apologize for killing Christ?"

The remarks came from his opposition to a state measure that, if passed, would apologize to the descendants of slaves.

Hargrove's comments have drawn denunciations from colleagues and bloggers. Everett W at DCABloob:

Actually, the symbolic apology is supposed to help citizens get over it but that point is clearly lost on Hargrove.

It gets better and by that I mean worse.

Hargrove further analogized in reference to the resolution, “Are we going to force the Jews to apologize for killing Christ?"

Wow, the old "Jews killed Christ" bromide makes this a bigotry two-fer. The only thing Hargrove didn't find a way to do is bash gays but maybe he's saving that for next week.

Bill Day of A Web Undone 2 points out some other recent, insensitive words and acts by politicians as well as Hargrove's:

First, George Allen comes out and compares a South Asian to a "Macaca" monkey, then characterizes Judaism as an "aspersion." Then Congressman Virgil Goode attacks Keith Ellison for being sworn in on the Koran and suggests that the immigration laws should keep people like Ellison out of the country. (Ellison , who is African American, was born a citizen of the United States.) Now Virginia Delegate Frank Hargrove is denying the country's responsibility for slavery and talking about Christ-killing on Martin Luther King Day.

Tonny Penny at Charles County Cafe, however, agrees with the lawmaker:

As a Black person, it is with great pride that I say: he’s right. The institution of slavery was an evil, vile, repulsive stain on the fabric of America. It is inarguably the most evil thing this country has ever done. But slavery ended 145 years ago. No one alive today was a slave. Most Americans alive today cannot trace an ancestor who owned slaves. You would be hard pressed to find 1% of the population who think slavery was a good idea and/or morally just. Hargrove said what I believe many White people ultimately believe and, here’s a shocker, he said what alot of Black people I know think as well.

Slavery was horrible. That’s not in dispute. But it’s over. And the sad reality is that in 2007 there are so many other issues, in Virginia and elsewhere, that must be and can be dealt with and corrected. An official apology by Virginia or Alabama or the United States of America will do nothing to correct the racism and discrimination that currently exist. Slavery is something, like the Jewish Holocaust, that should never be forgotten. Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it. But it’s time to move on.

Are there not more important issues for Virginia legislators than spending time debating whether or not an apology should be given?

-Dippold
(thanks to Hogan for pointing out this article)
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