Three weeks after the Virginia General Assembly passed a resolution expressing "profound regret" for slavery, a Congressman from Tennessee is introducing a similar resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The bill, put forth by Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., acknowledges the fundamental injustice of slavery and Jim Crow laws, apologizes for those institutions and expresses a commitment to rectify any lingering consequences and stop the occurrence of human rights violations in the future.
Cohen's legislative aide Marilyn Dillihay said the resolution calls for the present government to apologize for the wrongful acts that previous governments had either condoned or committed against black individuals.
The U.S. government "had deprived black people of their rights and their liberties, and had restricted their access," Dillihay said. "Based on that, this is an apology from the government for those actions."
Dillihay said the resolution is also intended to open up public discourse on the issue of race relations today.
"People do talk about this, and it allows people as a nation to move forward," Dillihay said.
Dillihay said the Virginia resolution, which was passed unanimously Feb. 24, "opened the dialogue" for the introduction of the national resolution.
The national resolution acknowledges the General Assembly for taking the lead in adopting a resolution officially expressing "appropriate remorse for slavery."
Del. David Toscano, D-Charlottesville, who supported passage of Virginia's legislation, said he would support a federal resolution with language similar to the Virginia resolution.
The Virginia resolution underwent several wording modifications prior to its passage. The original text of the resolution used the phrase "atone for" rather than the approved phrase "acknowledge with profound regret."
Del. Frank Hargrove, Sr., R-Glen Allen, said he is somewhat concerned about how the current wording of the proposed federal resolution calls for an apology, and not regret.
"[Cohen] seems to think that Virginia issued a resolution to apologize for slavery," Hargrove said. "[The Virginia resolution] was modified, the language changed ... It eliminated any apologies and made it just personal regret."
Hargrove said he will only express his deepest regret, and not personally apologize, for events that happened years ago.
Hargrove sparked controversy when he told the Charlottesville Daily Progress in January black citizens should "get over" slavery since "nobody living today had anything to do with it."
Dillihay said Cohen's resolution does not call for individuals to apologize, but rather it signifies an apology on behalf of the U.S. government.
Hargrove said there are contemporary problems that need to be dealt with before politicans dwell on past issues.
Dillihay said the resolution has been filed in the congressional records, but it is still uncertain when and where it will be heard in committee.
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