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| "Freedom of Speech" (1943) by Norman Rockwell |
Some might argue that this portion is not enough; others might argue that it is too much. Some might say that the government owes an apology to the Osage Nation; others might argue that such an apology would just open the door to an endless series of lawsuits and grievances in which anyone associated with any group that has suffered in U. S. history would demand an apology. These lawsuits would just create conflict, the argument goes, and consequently, it would be better to just let bygones be bygones.
Do you believe a national or state government should provide an apology and/or some form of reparation to victims of past wrongdoings sponsored by the national or state government?
No, I do not believe the government should have to apologize. Even though this was a horrible situation that should have never occurred in the first place, it is now in the past. An apology and compensation should have been offered back then; now, as mentioned above, it would only create more issues. The Osage descendants living today were undoubtedly affected by these murders, but as an Osage lawyer stated on page 308, “Our families were victims of this conspiracy, but we’re not victims.” This statement parallels with the idea that: the lawmakers and enforcers back then were guilty of these crimes against the tribe, but those in power today are not. Therefore, I do not feel it is necessary for the government officials today to atone for what was done by their predecessors.
ReplyDeleteI would disagree with you. The government should at the very least make a public statement/apology regarding the past, especially in a situation as bloody as detrimental as the Osage mismanagement. At the very least, this would be for the sake of the government to never support such an act again. The German government has put Hitler and the Nazi's at the very forefront of the nation for years, through history and public statements, it has ensured that their people know that they will never give rise to these atrocities again.
DeleteThe government should not have to apologize because it is extremely hard to define the past. The past could be two minutes ago, five years ago, or over one-hundred years ago. If the government starts apologizing for unappealing actions that happened in the past then they would have to apologize for everything they had ever done wrong - large or small. If they were to apologize, it would need to be done as soon as the event or action is over with. As for reparations, they should only be given out if it can be determined who was directly impacted by the action and be done as soon as possible. As mentioned, anyone could claim they were a part of a group who had been wronged and that could bring many issues with it. Anybody would want reparations if they had been done wrong, but sometimes it is not realistic for that to happen.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the government should not have to apologize, and I really like what you had to say about the past! I strongly feel that a great deal of time has passed since the horrific murders of the Osage and an apology now would seem rather empty. You are right when you say an apology should be made swiftly. The problem is when an apology goes ignored, it can often increase the tension with the side that was wronged. However, we are told many times growing up to “forgive and forget” which is an amazing phrase to live by, but you might ask yourself “to what level of wrong done onto a person (and/or group) should I apply this before it becomes invalid.” It is easy to forgive someone for not paying you, let’s say, a few dollars for an item when they said they would, but it’s harder to forgive someone who took advantage of your wealth and situation for thousands of dollars. I must admit, I lament the situation with the Osage Indians, and even though an apology would be nice, it would not make up for the past actions of the government (nor would any amount of money in my opinion). In addition, the government we have now (for both State and National level) is not the same as it was back then and as such I do not think the government holds any responsibility to what happened other than to make sure this type of situation never occurs again.
DeleteI agree that a government apology to the Osage now would seem very empty, and the argument holds a truth to it that everything they have ever done wrong would then seem to require a formal address, which is just not realistic. The best course of action by the government now is to indeed claim responsibility in making certain that these atrocities don’t happen again. As philosopher George Santayana said, “Those who fail to learn from the mistakes of their predecessors are destined to repeat them.”
DeleteI believe the government should most definitely apologize for any past wrongdoing. As children we are taught to say sorry for breaking any rules or causing harm or discomfort to other people. The government exists to represent us, not to harm us or boss us around, so when they step out of line and cause harm to certain ethnic groups or minorities or even a single person, they should issue an apology. I agree with Chance in that an apology would not make up for the past or even make it justifiable, yet it does not hurt anything either.
ReplyDeleteI also believe the government should apologize for past wrongdoings. Admitting fault is extremely necessary for the people subject to that rule or administration to continue to trust in the entire system itself. If government cannot claim fault for grievances that happen, how are the people to know that it will not happen again? The government has to be held accountable for the actions committed by the people who administrate it.
Delete-Natalie Hegwer