A Worthless Apology

There's an interesting little article, tucked away in the July 17, 2006 issue of "National Review." It seems that Englishman Andrew Hawkins - who believes that he is a descendant of seadog, knight and part-time slaver Sir John Hawkins - is determined to apologize for things Andrew had absolutely no control over: namely, the actions of his 16th century relative and the 16th century African slave trade.

Apparently, in the company of 26 other like-minded penitents, Andrew traveled to Gambia, where he donned yoke and manacle and apologized for John's participation in the enslavement process, all of which took place before Andrew's great-great-great grandfather drew his first breath. The point is not (or at least it shouldn't be) that Andrew is related to some long dead slaver. Look far enough back in all of our genealogies - be we white, black or any shade in between - and we can all probably find someone who owned a slave. The point is that you simply cannot effectively apologize for the actions of people you had no control over. It's sad enough when governments attempt to do so, generations after the fact. I'm sure the U.S. government will someday put on ashes and sack cloth over Antebellum slavery. But the process can be downright embarrassing when individuals attempt to do so in the name of their long dead ancestors. Witness Andrew Hawkins' dog and pony show in Banjul.

I would have far more respect for Andrew if he apologized for his own misdeeds or if he worked to stamp out modern day slavery, which still exists in several countries today, including some in Africa.

Now I realize that blogs can have the lifespan of a Tibetan sandpainting. But, should any of my descendants actually read this, please do not apologize for me. I did what I did based on my own beliefs which were shaped by my own decisions and by my era's mores. If anything I did fails to agree with future generations' beliefs and sensitivities, let my record stand on its own merit. Better that you apologize for your own personal shortcomings and work to correct your own era's tragedies.