The problem with getting most of your news from Comedy Central is that I was very late to pick up on this news story...
Frank D. Hargrove Sr., a delegate to the Virginia legislature, made headlines last month when he expressed his opposition to a resolution expressing regret for slavery. He commented, "Are we going to force the Jews to apologize for killing Christ?"
Let's stop and think about that statement for a moment before we jump to a knee-jerk condemnation. Let's be clear: Mr. Hargrove did not demand that Jews apologize for anything; rather, while opposing Virginia's apology, he said that Virginia's apology would be as wrong as demanding an apology from the Jews. If what he's saying is, today's Virginians are no more responsible for slavery than today's Jews are responsible for the death of Jesus, that today's Virginians do not owe an apology any more than today's Jews do ... is that such a bad thing to say? It is, after all, the essence of the Vatican II document Nostra Aetate, the landmark document that opened up a new era of Jewish-Catholic relations, to say that today's Jews should not be held responsible for the actions of some of their ancestors.
But the analogy falls apart very quickly. It is one thing for a perceived victim to say that no apology is necessary; quite another thing for a perceived oppressor to say, "get over it." Mr. Hargrove would not force an apology from Jews (how nice of him), but I wonder how he would react if a prominent Jew were to tell him to "get over" the death of Jesus, as he told African-Americans to "get over" slavery.
I've found that those whose people have not suffered oppression are very quick to tell others to "get over it." They're very quick to tell others that they are "too sensitive." Every year, around Holocaust Memorial Day, we hear people tell Jews to "get over" the systematic murder of one third of our population. Now we hear Mr. Hargrove telling blacks to "get over" the fact that their ancestors were enslaved for 100 years, and telling a Jew who objected to his remarks that his skin was "too thin."
I wonder how Mr. Hargrove would react if an Arab told him to "get over" 9/11. Not so easy to "get over" it when you consider yourself connected to the victim instead of to the oppressor, is it? Not so easy to have a thick skin?
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But when you're seventeen or eighteen, these kinds of things are almost normal. You're supposed to be tough an uneffected, you're supposed to want to try to shock people.
When you're seventy-something, the time for this is past. He should have apologized to Dr. Englin, not insulted him.
Firstly, he assumes that by apologizing, the Virginians of today accept responsibility for their ancestors. Apologies, however, are made for many other reasons. We often apologize for the misfortune of friends to show sympathy, not confession. Furthermore, formal, legislative apologies serve to recognize the inherently unacceptable nature of an act (in this case, slavery). It is nonsense to say that the Papal administration willing to apologize for the Inquisition is the same culprit of the Inquisition. The point is to send a message of recognition--to go on record as decrying such acts, lest people think the sensibilities of the Church (or Virginia) really haven't changed.
Secondly, the analogy falls apart. Ancestors of Virginians DID own slaves as an undisputed historical fact. The ROMANS killed Jesus.
But beyond all that - didn't Jesus have to die, "for our sins", in order to then rise again? Isn't that the 'point' of Christianity? So, logically, for whatever role they played at the time, shouldn't Jews be credited, rather than blamed?
THANKS!
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Thanks you so much for your time.
Much love.
Mario Marchio'
mario@bosko.org
I pray for a day when a man can look at a man and has embellishment of hate. We as humans are indelibly affected by the things, good or bad, that are left behind by our elders. I pray for peace and never to see the schisms that divide, not allow us to reunite.
Ethnic populations stress the importance of maintaing traditions. I support this. However, when any organized faith, belief or policy seeks to divide, then there can not be unity.
I hope God mercies all of us......we are merely mortal.
Obviously, the division is not that simple, but Jesus Christ gave His life. As a human being born into a sinful nature, it was my fault Christ died.
I am sad, ashamed, and repentant for the pain and suffering inflicted on the Jewish people all in the name of Christianity over the past 2000 years.
It is the Christians who need to repent and pray for healing for the Jewish people.