.... of apologising for something over which you had absolutely no
control? There were, about 5 generations ago, members of my family who
owned slaves. I am very sorry that such things (and numerous other
cruelties) were once considered acceptable, but there is a difference
between being sorry about something and apologising for it.

In my own lifetime, someone died without ever offering me an apology I
believed was due to me. It would never make the slightest difference to
me for anyone else to apologise because no one else was involved.
--
Jenny M Benson
Wrexham, UK

On Sun, 2 Jul 2023 13:34:39 +0100, Jenny M Benson <NemoNews@hotmail.co.uk>
a gribouillé dans la poussière...

>... of apologising for something over which you had absolutely no
>control? There were, about 5 generations ago, members of my family who
>owned slaves. I am very sorry that such things (and numerous other
>cruelties) were once considered acceptable, but there is a difference
>between being sorry about something and apologising for it.

I agree.
But once one 'world leader' has done it...

>In my own lifetime, someone died without ever offering me an apology I
>believed was due to me. It would never make the slightest difference to
>me for anyone else to apologise because no one else was involved.

Sounds familiar, although the knock-on effects in my case, continue to some
degree :(
--
Penny
Annoyed by The Archers since 1959

In message <gc25aidfqrmf3ee04kj4adeaduc95lqggp@4ax.com> at Mon, 3 Jul
2023 10:15:51, Penny <spam@labyrinth.freeuk.com> writes
>On Sun, 2 Jul 2023 13:34:39 +0100, Jenny M Benson <NemoNews@hotmail.co.uk>
>a gribouillé dans la poussière...
>
>>... of apologising for something over which you had absolutely no

Especially nowadays, when an apology is taken as an admission of
responsibility, and thus laying oneself open to ...

>>control? There were, about 5 generations ago, members of my family who
>>owned slaves. I am very sorry that such things (and numerous other
>>cruelties) were once considered acceptable, but there is a difference
>>between being sorry about something and apologising for it.
>
>I agree.
>But once one 'world leader' has done it...

Indeed. I'm waiting for the first such (or mayor, or whatever), after
some disaster, to say "I'm NOT going to start by saying 'my heart is
with the families' - that should be obvious; now let's get on ...". But
none ever will.
[]
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

I don't like that word [atheist]; it implies that there's a god not to believe
in - Eric Idle, quoted in RT 2016/12/10-16

On Mon, 03 Jul 2023 10:15:51 +0100, Penny <spam@labyrinth.freeuk.com>
wrote:

>On Sun, 2 Jul 2023 13:34:39 +0100, Jenny M Benson <NemoNews@hotmail.co.uk>
>a gribouillé dans la poussière...
>
>>... of apologising for something over which you had absolutely no
>>control? There were, about 5 generations ago, members of my family who
>>owned slaves. I am very sorry that such things (and numerous other
>>cruelties) were once considered acceptable, but there is a difference
>>between being sorry about something and apologising for it.
>
>I agree.
>But once one 'world leader' has done it...

I agree too. I am, however, pleased that Germany and Austria decided
to pay recompense to Jews who had to flee from their countries in the
1930s. Much of this reparation began during the lifetime of the
victims though, and some continues for their children and
grandchildren in the form of entitlement to nationality.

The money payments helped me to go to university and later helped pay
for the care homes my mother was in. The huge sum lost to my
grandfather, because he had a big wallpaper factory in Vienna and he
and my mother had homes there, was not paid. I got quite excited
filling in forms and collating the excellently gathered paperwork my
mother had brought with them, thinking we'd actually get the money. It
was just a token payment in the end.

I believe the Americans are thinking of setting up routes to enable
children of slaves, who are often badly off in terms of education,
housing and jobs, to help their young access colleges and other help.
Perhaps that's a good way to do it?

>>believed was due to me. It would never make the slightest difference to
>>me for anyone else to apologise because no one else was involved.
>
>Sounds familiar, although the knock-on effects in my case, continue to some
>degree :(