I hate to say it, but I agree with him. Why would I apologise for something I had nothing to do with? Yes I'm white and yes i'm british, but I don't recall ever being part of slavery.

It was a sick trade and thinking about how we treated certain people makes my blood boil, but this is just a whole part of britain trying their best to avoid racism.

Please **** at me all you want, but this is my opinion.

Why should anyone apologise for this,it happened its part of history.As long as we have all learned from it leave it in the history books.
PS, i loved Alex Haleys Roots when it was broadcast in the mid 70s,but im not going to say sorry for enjoying it.

It's time the Italians apologised for the Roman Invasion, the French apologised for the Norman invasion and Norway apologised for the Viking invasion!

Why does it always come down to Britain having to apologise. America didn't abolish slavery until 60 yrs later. And during that time the royal navy was patroling the seas looking for slave ships and returning their cargo if they found any.
We are talking about a time when the view of the world and its people was totally different. Slavery has continued into modern times with little fight over the issue. Britain took a moral stance over 200 years ago. That should be apology enough.

Slavery was rife in the Middle and Far East when the residents of Britain still lived in caves.
However,to come to more recent times, who caught and sold these African slaves for shipment to the Americas? The indigenous peoples of Africa, with quite likely Middle Eastern support. It is now part of history and consigned to the history book.

I CAN BELIEVE THE **** SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING ON THIS PAGE SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST STUPID YOU DONT FIND OUT INFORMATION OR TOO LAZY TO DO IT DONT START WRITTING **** I AM NOT SAYING TONY BLAIR SHOULD APOLOGISE HE SHOULD STILL SHOW SOME SYMPATHY AND APOLOGISE WETHER HE MEAN IT OR NOT.

naomi wrote:
I CAN BELIEVE THE **** SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING ON THIS PAGE SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST STUPID YOU DONT FIND OUT INFORMATION OR TOO LAZY TO DO IT DONT START WRITTING **** I AM NOT SAYING TONY BLAIR SHOULD APOLOGISE HE SHOULD STILL SHOW SOME SYMPATHY AND APOLOGISE WETHER HE MEAN IT OR NOT.

Are you drunk??

What are you trying to say...I can't make head nor tale of it!!
"I am not saying Tony Blair should apologise....he should apologise..."which one is it then luv??

Naomi,you need to learn to write and spell english properly.You are talking c**p!

First off I don't think anyone would argue that Slavery was a terrible, shameful episode in history (please note I didn't say our history as some apologists do, this was a worldwide problem).

However
Fact one: slavery was practised in Africa for thousands of years and was not invented by Europeans nor was it something that had died out and was re-invented by Europeans.
Fact two: before the Europeans got involved Arabs had traded in Slaves for hundreds of years and, according to some, on a small scale, still do.
Fact three: Those who were bought by Europeans were already slaves and were either condemned criminals or prisoners of war and would have been kept in slavery in Africa or sent to Asia if they had not been bought and kept in just as terrible conditions.

In light of that why is it that those demanding apologies and reparations are only asking for them from Europeans and the US? Many of the most famous tribes in Africa (ones that are respected and feared in Africa) got much of their wealth and reputation from catching and selling slaves, both for themselves, for Arabs and for Europeans. So why is no one going to demand apologies from them? Why also as Arabs bought slaves from Africa for far longer than Europeans is no one demanding grovelling apologies from Iran, Syria, Saudi etc? Sorry but it all smacks of just an excuse to get more money for free to me from the easiest source (i.e. us). I agreed with the Archbishop apologising for the Church's role but why does he and so many other liberals make is sound like we were the ones solely to blame? This was a world wide thing and was accepted throughout the world at that time, but some who love guilt want to lay it all at our door. Then there have always been those who find hair shirts and self scourging invigorating.

In 1997 President Clinton apologised on behalf of the nation for actions by the government in the long past. This can be done graciously and with healing effect. If done well, perhaps those demanding apology will have the tables turned on them by their refusing to forgive. Read about it here: http://www.chron.com/content/chronicle/page1/97/05/17/clinton.2-0.html "'Today all we can do is apologize, but ... only you have the power to forgive. Your presence here shows us that you have chosen a better path than your government did so long ago. You have not withheld the power to forgive,' the president said.

Rag Reader wrote:
It's time the Italians apologised for the Roman Invasion, the French apologised for the Norman invasion and Norway apologised for the Viking invasion!

I agree with the above comment, NO ONE HAS SAID SORRY TO THE BRITISH,BUT IT SEEMS THE BRITISH HAVE TO APOLOGISE TO ALL AND SUNDRY, BRITAIN IS BEING RUINED BY THESE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TAKE THE BLAME FOR EVERYTHING WHAT HAS EVER HAPPENED ON THIS PLANET BUT THE ONES WHO ARE REALLY PAYING ARE THE BRITISH TAX PAYER,SO MUCH IS GIVEN TO OTHERS THAT THERE IS NOT MUCH LEFT FOR THE BRITISH< THATS WHY SERVICES IN BRITAIN ARE GOING DOWN HILL FAST.

The truth of the matter is, Britain (like many other European nations of the time) was looking to expand its boundaries. It was as if like Mr. Adolf Hitler himself, marching towards other nations as if it was his ****** right to do so. "Great" Britain owned about 1/3rd of the known world. Its in their nature to subjugate and annihilate...admit it guys, it is in your blood. No wonder Mr. Blair finds it so hard to utter soft words of apologies to the scars his nation left upon so many generations of different nationalities...

Once again the BEN stages a forum for the now fashionable hatred of the white man.
Obviously Africa has made reparations for selling their citizens to the white man and all those non white nations that we have forced to remain part of the Commonwealth have now left.
No?

Pete Gudem wrote:
The truth of the matter is, Britain (like many other European nations of the time) was looking to expand its boundaries. It was as if like Mr. Adolf Hitler himself, marching towards other nations as if it was his ****** right to do so. \"Great\" Britain owned about 1/3rd of the known world. Its in their nature to subjugate and annihilate...admit it guys, it is in your blood. No wonder Mr. Blair finds it so hard to utter soft words of apologies to the scars his nation left upon so many generations of different nationalities...

How rich, coming from a Yank.

You guys are the most bellicose nation on the planet!

My ancestors worked in mines and mills, 12 hours a day 7 days a week.
When do I get the compensation?

My 2 pence worth...

Having read some of the posts it is clearly evident that many of those arguing about this issue, don't have any real idea about the reality behind the transatlantic slave trade and how it compares to earlier forms of slavery. Personally, I don't think that because earlier forms of slavery may have been more humane that they should be excused, but it is relevant in the context of the EFFECT of slavery. I'm not an expert on this issue by a long shot, but here’s my two pence worth…

1. Various forms of slavery have existed in most parts of the world at various times. From what I know (which sadly isn't much), none of these "localized" forms of slavery had much resemblance to the transatlantic slave trade - either in terms of scale, institutionalized racism, cultural imperialism or theft of land and resources. What differentiates the transatlantic slave trade is the wholesale degradation of a people based on a fictionalized concept of race (which still pervades today), and the theft of land and resources which modern European and US companies and governments have inherited and still profit from today. Anyone that disputes that European and US governments are currently benefiting from the proceeds of the transatlantic slave trade is either delusional or quite simply hasn't done their homework.

2. Many people state that Africans are partly responsible for the transatlantic slave trade. This is true up to a point. Although it is well documented that many African families profited greatly from the slave trade it is also the case that many Africans fought against it (as did many Europeans). As some people have rightly pointed out, we have to consider the historical context when we discuss slavery. Many atrocities have been committed in the history of humankind and unfortunately slavery is yet another example of an often ignored fact: We are STILL a barbaric (human) race. A glance at the documented history of how any country (including England) has treated “their own” people is in most cases shameful beyond belief. After all public hangings for relatively minor offences were all the rage around the time of the abolition of slavery!
Personally, I would argue that on an individual level some of us are, at the very least, attempting to escape the clutches of barbarianism and to lead a more responsible and enlightened existence, but the harsh reality is that, collectively, we tend to dress up our barbaric acts as something to be worshiped and/or excused.

3. The effects of the transatlantic slave trade are still being felt by the descendents of those that were enslaved. Apart from the theft of labour (many slaves were kidnapped), resources and land etc, the mass displacement and cultural degradation, oppressive laws (official and unofficial), legalized killing (and in many cases rape) based solely on "race", as well as institutionalized racism in its many forms are still VERY relevant today. Unfortunately, the question of exactly HOW it should be addressed is a difficult one.

In my opinion, Tony Blair should not apologize for the transatlantic slave trade as it would be an empty apology and by the same token neither should any African families apologize for their contribution. Instead, we should all simply use our current situation and knowledge (whatever it is) to build a better future and to learn from the mistakes we are constantly making. In the final analysis, life is a learning process and just as a child will stumble and fall when learning to walk, we are GUARANTEED to go through many more f*** ups during the course of becoming a responsible human race (assuming we can ever do so). The trick is learning to know WHEN we are f**king up!

MG cars are now being built in China. Wages there are £5.00 a day. Is this not slavery? Would you buy a Chinese MG?

Chris B wrote:

Pete Gudem wrote:
The truth of the matter is, Britain (like many other European nations of the time) was looking to expand its boundaries. It was as if like Mr. Adolf Hitler himself, marching towards other nations as if it was his ****** right to do so. \"Great\" Britain owned about 1/3rd of the known world. Its in their nature to subjugate and annihilate...admit it guys, it is in your blood. No wonder Mr. Blair finds it so hard to utter soft words of apologies to the scars his nation left upon so many generations of different nationalities...

How rich, coming from a Yank.

You guys are the most bellicose nation on the planet!

Well brother, FYI, I am not a Yank. I am an Indian living in America. My apologies for being a bit harsh with the "in your blood" comment in my earlier post. It was the Great Britain of "back in the day" that encouraged slavery and all we are asking is a formal acknowledgment from your leaders...to own up to it, and I guess we are not asking too much.

Tony Blair's speech seems very much like a formal acknowledgement to me -

"It is an opportunity for the United Kingdom to express our deep sorrow and regret for our nation's role in the slave trade and for the unbearable suffering, individually and collectively, it caused."

Yes, apologies can be healing, but I think in this case it wouldn't be right. How can we apologise for something so far in the past.
I think the best way to remember and heal this terrible past is to look to the present day slavery and put an end to that. All those countries involved in past slavery need to work together to put an end to it. This would be a step towards restitution because actually restitution would be impossible. An apology won't stop slavery from happening again.
Far more people today are suffering as a result of slavery than ever did in the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade (and I don't say that to take away from what happened). Many countries will suffer the consequences in the future, if we don't stop traffiking of their citizens.