Can we blame our ancestors for our own shortcomings?

by undercover 443 Replies latest jw friends

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  beksbks

  Eventually, the British brought their forceful anti-slavery message directly to the Sultan as they established a consulate at his court.

  Hmm you think any of those British were white?
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  mrsjones5

  There are white Brits?! Surely you jest!
• 

  betterdaze

  I'd like to take the opportunity to share that it was a black gentleman who knocked on our door and offered my mother a Free Home Bible Study. She purchased a certain blue book from him.
  
  As she tells it: "Well, I was raised Irish Catholic and I'll die Irish Catholic, but Vatican II says we can read the Bible now, and I've always wanted to know what the priests were keeping from us...
  
  ... But please, send someone else, you're not safe in this [predominantly white] neighborhood, and my husband wouldn't approve of you [any man] coming around while he's gone at work."
  
  So the Kingdom Hall sent a Puerto Rican sister who "passed" for Italian, LOL!
  
  
  Can I blame black men and Latinas for my Jehovah's Witness upbringing?
  
  ~Sue
• 

  quietlyleaving

  JD here is what I said

  I asked JD and how does Sylivia's comment tie in to the extended meaning you impart below JD said Sylvia says that history is a mitigating circumstance. The honest person, however, sees this for the hogwash that it is. From wiki: In law, extenuating circumstances are criminal cases in which, though an offense has been committed without legal justification or excuse, its gravity, from the point of view of punishment or moral opprobrium, is mitigated or reduced by reason of unusual or extreme facts leading up to or attending the commission of the offense. Punishment of one's ancestors is surely neither unusual nor extreme, and surely not something "leading up to or attending the commission of the offense." But, let's assume for the sake of argument that this is so. So, if slavery is a mitigating, or extenuating, circumstance in everything a black person does, which Sylvia has said, then a black person is effectively less at fault for any action. Equal protection under the law anyone? The injustice done today folks, is the constantly "crying wolf" by people such as Sylvia undermines support for legtimate problems. If I were black, I would be ashamed of her. The wiki piece you are quoting from doesn't support your conclusion. Extenuating cicumstances when taken into consideration mean that instead of the jury meting out punishment the Judge does. The jury still reach a verdict of guilty or not guilty based on the evidence. Your "less at fault" scenario is a figment of your imagination .

  here is what Sylvia said

  I NEVER said anything of the sort. I said, in essence, the legacy of pain passed down from slavery is a factor in how Black people behave. That's all. Sheesh! Even English common law recognizes extenuating circumstances. Sylvia

  sylvia simply draws on english law as an analogy to show that if they can make space for extenuating circumstances then why not allow such to be a factor (a factor not the factor) in how black people behave. She is not arguing that they are somehow less responsible but that when we make our moral judgements we allow for extenuating factors. Even in law judges take extenuating circumstances into consideration but it is by no means guranteed that the punishment will be reduced because the judge may decide that the extenuating circumstances were not relevant.
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  BurnTheShips

  Not that it matters but there was a lucrative slave trade in Kenya but just not to the Americas:

  They are still engaging in the slave trade in that part of the world, you know. The Saudis need young camel jockeys, and that is not the half of it.
• 

  snowbird

  I doff my hat and give thanks to Outlaw and QuietlyLeaving for their unwavering support.

  I also give a shout-out to Bek for her fairness.

  Peace, everyone.

  Sylvia
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  BurnTheShips

  Hey, I don't get a bone? I try to be fair!
• 

  snowbird

  Oh, Burn, my darling.

  How could I leave you out?

  I knew something was niggling me.

  So sorry.

  Will you forgive me?

  Sylvia
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  BurnTheShips

  I do. I got your back a little here, I deserved a shout out.
• 

  snowbird

  I got your back a little here,

  A little will suffice.

  Thank you.

  Sylvia