Legislating means never having to say you’re sorry . . .

The U.S. Senate’s belated resolution apologizing for its failure to pass anti-lynching legislation raises the question: How often do lawmakers offer apologies for mistakes made? The answer seems to be: Rarely.
The online magazine Slate has an interesting explainer here that gives some modern examples: Congress passed a bill in the late 1980s apologizing for the internment of Japanese-Americans in World War II. In the early 1990s, Congress apologized to Hawaiians for the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy. That’s about it.
Notably missing is any apology to Native Americans, although Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback recently introduced a resolution offering remorse for “official depredations and ill-conceived policies by the United States Government regarding Indian tribes.”
And Congress has yet to offer formal apologies to African-Americans for the national sin of slavery.
The rule seems to be: It’s OK to apologize if there’s no risk of anyone actually being held accountable. . . .
Posted by Randy Scholfield

3 Comments

  1. dan newland
    Posted June 16, 2005 at 6:32 am | Permalink

    Five bucks says that within 20 years we will be apologizing to the Iraqi people – woops sorry we thought the terrorists were from Iraq, no that’s not it – we thought Saddam had weapons of mass destruction – nope sorry, we meant to say he was evil and should have been overthrown, yeah that’s it, he was evil and should have been overthrown, let’s stick with that one.

  2. Lyn McDonell
    Posted June 16, 2005 at 8:40 am | Permalink

    I’d like to know the 12 people who did not attend the vote. Were they just too busy, or making their own personal statement?

  3. jim
    Posted June 17, 2005 at 1:03 am | Permalink

    well we can’t apoligize for everything done wrong.