Can we blame our ancestors for our own shortcomings?

undercover

In a recent thread about an NFL player being allowed to return to play after being convicted and serving time for a felony, it was suggested that maybe his ancestory played a part in his attitudes and actions.

Those of you were playing along at home know the deal...

Is it fair to lay blame on one's ancestors in how one acts in today's society?

I think not...

My ancestor's came here from Scotland, when their lands were taken from them back home. They came here with nothing and had to start over in a land with next to nothing, eeking out an existance in the mountains of TN and NC, always struggling. Other ancestors came from Ireland. I don't know the circumstances in their leaving but they also struggled to survive in the Low Country of SC. I also have Cherokee ancestory. You wanna talk about how the Cherokees were treated? Killed, raped, driven from their lands by the white man? 'Trail of Tears' ring a bell?

Though my Scottish ancestors lost their lands and their clan rights, though my Cherokee ancestors were driven from their land and treated brutally, I cannot point to those historical happenings as a reason for any misdeed that I may committ today. I have to accept what happened in the past. I can study it, learn about it, be upset about it even...but it has no direct impact on me today. What I do, what I think, how I act, how I am what I am is shaped by what happened to me personally and not what happened to my ancestors.

In the same respect, the NFL player cannot blame what happened to his slave ancestors as a reason as to why he mistreated those animals. No matter his color, his race, his ancestory, he has to pay for his crime, he is responsible. To allow him, or any other person, to lay blame on their background only serves to allow them to never take responsibility for their action.

snowbird

Undercover, I was also going to start a new thread, but you beat me to it!

Of course I know about the Trail of Tears - my maternal grandmother was part Cherokee.

When I broach the subject of slavery and its aftermath, I do it to emphasize how much we've had to overcome. Show me any other group that has come so far while grappling with emotional and psychological scars that would have long ago leveled those of lesser stamina!

Show that group to me, please!

I'm not sayting this to excuse anyone's behavior, but to bring all things to bear on the subject.

Sylvia

keyser soze

I'm not sayting this to excuse anyone's behavior, but to bring all things to bear on the subject.

But when you bring it up as a way of deflecting from the cruel and heinous nature of a person's crime, there is very little difference.

BurnTheShips

No. We must all take responsibility for ourselves.

When I broach the subject of slavery and its aftermath, I do it to emphasize how much we've had to overcome. Show me any other group that has come so far while grappling with emotional and psychological scars that would have long ago leveled those of lesser stamina!

Show that group to me, please!

There are many groups, Sylvia. I don't need to get into detail here. Yes, Americans of african ancestry have made great strides. WE ALL BENEFIT FROM THIS. Because we are all here together. "Your" successes are our successes also. I think the problem is identifying too strongly with a "group", which in reality is far more culturally heterogenous than the media leads us to believe. There is only one minority group that counts: the individual. Treat that one with respect and fairness, and everything else follows.