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Washington Acknowledges Lynch Mob Injustice

By TChris, Section Social Justice
Posted on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 06:39:28 PM EST
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by TChris

They didn't quite apologize, but the members of Washington's state legislature passed a resolution expressing their "deepest sympathy" to the descendents of Louie Sam for a lynching that occurred 122 years ago.

Sam, who belonged to the Sto:lo First Nation whose homelands lie in the Fraser Valley, east of Vancouver, was falsely accused in the 1884 murder of a shopkeeper near Sumas, Wash.

A mob rode across the border, snatched Sam from Canadian police custody and hung him from a tree.

Canadian investigators later determined that he never committed the crime and was framed by two white Americans who stirred up the mob.

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    Washington Acknowledges Lynch Mob Injustice | 10 comments (10 topical)
    Re: Washington Acknowledges Lynch Mob Injustice (none / 0) (#2)
    by aw on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 09:31:26 PM EST
    I don't want my government to apologize on my behalf on something I, nor my ancestor, have taken part in.
    Read it again. They passed a resolution expressing their sympathy. Do you feel some sympathy?

    Re: Washington Acknowledges Lynch Mob Injustice (none / 0) (#3)
    by Molly Bloom on Thu Mar 02, 2006 at 06:34:07 AM EST
    It is your government. Re-examine what democracy means. Its not appropriate for you to issue a personal apology for the wrong, because as you point out neither you nor your personal ancestors particpated in the crime. To the extent your government ancestors did participate in the crime and escaped punishment, it is appropriate. An official acknowedgement of the wrong costs you nothing.

    Re: Washington Acknowledges Lynch Mob Injustice (none / 0) (#4)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Mar 02, 2006 at 06:57:46 AM EST
    Molly Bloom - No one alive had anything to do with the lynching. This action was taken without the consent of the governed, and can not claim to be legitimate. The actions the current government was merely PC posturing designed to make themselves and a few others feel good and let them falsely claim to be morally superior.

    Re: Washington Acknowledges Lynch Mob Injustice (none / 0) (#5)
    by Johnny on Thu Mar 02, 2006 at 07:05:37 AM EST
    I for one am glad they indulged in a bot of "posturing"... Silence is acceptance.

    Re: Washington Acknowledges Lynch Mob Injustice (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 02, 2006 at 07:33:44 AM EST
    Jim, what bothers you about the State in their official capacity apologizing for a lynching to the victim's descendants and why am I not surprised that you're bothered by it? What bothers you about a Government rectifying past wrongs? Do you think it would be wrong for the former Soviet Union to make amends for the crimes of Stalin? If not, why them and why not others? What about Hitler? Milosevic? South Africa? Saddam? Shrub/Shooter?

    Re: Washington Acknowledges Lynch Mob Injustice (none / 0) (#7)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Mar 02, 2006 at 08:41:49 AM EST
    charliedontsurf1 - Please don't indulge yourself by putting words in my mouth. Not only do I think it wrong for a government to apologize for acts that no one now living had anything to do with, I think it a useless self indulgence. Johnny - Silence is not acceptance when it is associated with acts that no one alive had anything to do with. If it was, we all would have to be running around asking for forgiveness for a host of sins of our fathers. And, if individuals want to condemn past acts, then they have that right. But when government does so, it starts the chain of "responsibility" in action and the victimhood decides that they deserve MONEY for actions against people they didn't know by people who weren't alive. Worse, this attitude of current governments formally condemning the "sins of our fathers," feeds the hostility between groups and fosters a divisive society. "Let the dead bury the dead" is a wise axiom. Remember the Hatfield's and McCoy's. Look at the Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds.

    Re: Washington Acknowledges Lynch Mob Injustice (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 02, 2006 at 09:03:43 AM EST
    Gee, so it's OK to benefit from the actions of those no longer living but a Government should never apologize or make amends for past actions because apologies are for chumps. Soviet Union wipes out the Tatars, hey, what's a little genocide between friends. Hitler, gives us the Holocaust, Germany should just say, Adolph who? Interesting moral code.

    Re: Washington Acknowledges Lynch Mob Injustice (none / 0) (#9)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Mar 02, 2006 at 12:11:30 PM EST
    charliedontsurf1 - Please pay attention. I wrote:
    Not only do I think it wrong for a government to apologize for acts that no one now living had anything to do with, I think it a useless self indulgence.
    That is the facts in the case stated in the post. You wrote:
    Gee, so it's OK to benefit from the actions of those no longer living
    We all benefit from actions of those now dead, just as we all suffer from acts of those now dead. It would be nonsense to try and decide who gets what, and why. My ancestors were Scot-Irsh, and if we start looking at money, I figure the Brits owe me about $200 billion, give or take.

    Re: Washington Acknowledges Lynch Mob Injustice (none / 0) (#11)
    by jondee on Thu Mar 02, 2006 at 02:50:36 PM EST
    Shorter Jim: The kid just came in contact with a more advanced civilisation,(the red state institution of the lynch mob being a prime example), and the rest is history.

    Re: Washington Acknowledges Lynch Mob Injustice (none / 0) (#12)
    by Johnny on Thu Mar 02, 2006 at 04:05:51 PM EST
    LOL Jondee... Brings to mind a good thought. Justice does not belong to those who have not been wronged.

    Washington Acknowledges Lynch Mob Injustice | 10 comments (10 topical)