NJ Is First Northern State To Apologize For Slavery

[ToughOmbre]

Another disgraceful example of political correctness!

TRENTON — New Jersey officially apologized for slavery Monday, becoming the first Northern state to do so.

The resolution passed the Assembly 60-8 with eight voting to abstain, and passed the Senate 29-2. Though it passed both houses by landslide margins, the resolution was criticized by some for being meaningless because no living former slave is around to accept it.

Bill sponsor Assemblyman William Payne, D-Essex, said the resolution was "an apology for (slave) descendants . . . for the ages and for all mankind."

"Making a stand for human decency, whether one generation too late or many generations too late, is never a waste of time," Payne said.

Assemblyman Richard Merkt, R-Morris, said although slavery was an "abomination," he did not agree with apologizing for something no one alive was a part of.

"None of us can truly apologize for the institution because neither we, nor anyone we represent, was in any way responsible," said Merkt, who said he would have supported a resolution expressing regret.

Assemblyman Michael Doherty, R-Warren, said the bill was "a part of a bigger issue to keep all Americans divided" and abstained from voting.

The bill was introduced in November and referred to the Assembly State Government Committee but was never heard there. It was transferred and approved last week by the Assembly Appropriations Committee, despite having no state money attached to it, then was fast-tracked to the Senate floor despite never being voted on in a committee.

New Jersey was the last northern state to abolish slavery in 1846 and initially refused to ratify the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery nationally in 1865. The state ratified the amendment a year later after it had become federal law.

Assemblyman Craig Stanley, D-Essex, a co-sponsor of the bill, said the apology was "righting wrongs."

"There's nothing wrong with a state living up to its obligation and ownership of atrocities of this state in the past," Stanley said.

Alabama, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia have passed similar legislation. Virginia stopped short of issuing an apology — opting to show only "profound regret" — over concerns an apology may have allowed descendants of slaves to seek reparations.

New Jersey's bill uses the word apology but includes a clause not allowing for reparations to be sought based on the resolution.

The resolution was sponsored by the Democrats.....What a surprise

TO

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Agreed I do not believe that todays generation needs to apologize for something that happened before any of us were born.

[Njaco]

Oh boy, talk about hitting home! Don't these a@@wipe, no-good, shifty pols have nothing better to do in Trenton!!??!!

First state to apologize
First state with high car insurance
First state with highest property taxes

What should be the agenda? Friggin idiots! Fast-tracked! Love how it works around here. Essex county, they're just trolling for votes.

ahhh, I can't go on. This state kills mee!!!

[evangilder]

But New Jersey has the most toxic waste dumps while California has the most lawyers. That's because NJ had first choice.

That is some really jacked up legislation though. Really, apologize for something people that have long been dead to people that are also long since dead. What ever happened to learning from history and moving on?!

Jeez, don't they have anything better to do, like vote on Charmin or Northern for their washrooms?

[wilbur1]

They gotta earn their paychecks somehow

[Konigstiger205]

At least they are doing something...here senators are always more than half missing and the ones that do come are sleeping at work...and that is how my government "works"...bloody politicians...

[Thorlifter]

grrrrrrr. I can't stand politicians. What's even scarier, is there are a bunch of people that voted these clowns into office.

[Haztoys]

I will come across as a racist but ...There is a big part of the darker people in the US who DO "still" are hung up on what my great great grand parents did to there great great grand parents ...

And I thinking along those lines ...I think some of you Europeans need to apologize to me for something your family did to my family 300 years ago..Maybe some money to..And how about my own collage clue that only lets people of my color in ...And and I need a "Miss My color people beauty pageant" would be good too... YOU OWE ME.....................

I'm jumping up and down and dealing the race card ... You all MUST do it my way...

..

[FLYBOYJ]

What's next - Reparations?

NJ is becoming the "People's Republic of New Jersey."

[Erich]

what a fricking waste of monies and paper work and the misuse of personell............

nothing better to do with their time eh ? this is all old bloody news from so many years ago why in the world do these goofs bring this type of thing back up.

well I can well imagine some bozo will have a burr up his butt for something real soon in my state

[syscom3]

Didnt some of the NJ regiments in the civil war take some terrible casualties?

When will the NAACP give us white folks a hearty thank you for fighting to end slavery.

[ToughOmbre]

Originally Posted by FLYBOYJ

What's next - Reparations?

NJ is becoming the "People's Republic of New Jersey."

Sad, but true

But no reparations.

New Jersey's bill uses the word apology but includes a clause not allowing for reparations to be sought based on the resolution.

TO

[Njaco]

...here senators are always more than half missing and the ones that do come are sleeping at work...

I wish thats how it worked here but Nooooo! They spend their time here apologizing for 300 yr old transgressions, outlawing eggs and making us pay for the life of some dirtbag who likes to rape and kill children as he lives his remaining years in our prison system! All the while collecting paychecks for ghost jobs and upping their pension benefits. Several towns around here have mayors who are also Assemblymen and Senators and what not...we're the most populace state in the Union, we don't have enough people for government?!

And what percentage of NJ's poulation was even here for slave owning? One part of My family came over in 1898 and I've traced to the rest to these shores. How many other living people are Legal (had to throw that in there) Immigrants who had nothing to do with this?

Reparations? I'm paying that now. Its called Welfare and Unemployment!!! Outta my check every frickin week!!!!

MLK is turning in his grave everytime this racist crap occurs.

[timshatz]

Another one of those technical points that come up from time to time but, did the State of New Jersey ever own a slave? May sound a little stupid to apologize for something you never did. The argument might be that they ok'd it by not making it illegal but that is pretty lame as slaves were considered property, not people.

It is definitely PC but not well thought out. If they can ban Capital Punishment on the basis of cost (which is a somewhat well reasoned arguement), why can't the State of New Jersey check the books and see if ever owned a slave.

[Njaco]

Naw, its just enough that we were one of the first states to colonize and be populated by white men.