[princessbelle]

Originally Posted by Ciaran

I agree with most of your post but I struggle to understand this perspective. I totally understand how this Professor can apologise for his own actions against those who were black. However, what gives him the right to apologise for others in the way that they have acted?

To me, whilst I'm sure it's not intended as such, offering up an apology on behalf of a people is extremely arrogant unless you are an official representative of those people and have explicit authority to offer up such an apology.

In this instance, this Professor appears to be taking it upon himself to speak for, and represent, a large proportion of society. He doesn't. He can only represent himself (and, perhaps, those in his close circle) .... he cannot assume the voice of others.

This is really what i was trying to say in my post about anyone being "happy" about a group of people from any church apologizing. Apologizing for what? They can't take it upon themselves to bare the burden of how we have always been treated. I don't know. To me, even if this wasn't a hoax, it would just be silly and ridiculous.

I could stand in the streets tomorrow and say "I am sorry, from all of the Southern blonde headed women, to all teenagers, because you can't drive until you are 16 and that's just not right." It is just not logical that i have that power, no one person or small group can speak for a larger whole.

Unless, as you point out, they as individuals are apologizing for their own actions. It's going to take people, individually, coming to their own awareness that *we* are equals and should be treated that way.

IMO it's the only way anything will ever change.