Should Glasgow Apologise For Slavery?, Increasing calls for the city to say sorry Options

[*Guest*]

So does Eve have to apologise to Adam for giving him a bite of her apple.

LOL

[Jim D]

Having read several reviews of this book - Redlegs, I would think Glasgow would then have to apologise to our fellow Scots women, who were exported to the plantations with the view of trying to attract white men to the plantations.

Personally, I think Mr Dolan is doing some self-publicity.

[john.mcn]

No, now i'm no history buff and there's probably far more knowledgeable people here when it comes to the history of 'Glasgow' but at the time of 'the slave trade'* Glasgow was far far smaller than what we call it now. To say 1/2 of Glasgow was built on the slave trade may have been true at that time but it is now a far bigger place and it's borders extend far further than they did even at the end of the 19th century.
Anyway if Glasgow should apologise because of guilt by association then why stop there, apologise for child labour making Nike trainers for sale in our shops, hell apologise for that collapsed building because Primark clothes get made there, i'm sure once we start there will be others ashamed at their colour/race/nationality/sex etc who want everyone to apologise for everything . Hell my ancestors were jacobites who from what i was told were treated quite harsh after 1745, where is my apology and while you're at it a nice big fat cheque for all my hurt feelings

* i put that there because slavery was here long before that period in time its commonly referred to, and it was here after it's apparent abolition, hell it's probably still going on, if sorry is to be said for anything it's for there not being enough done to stop it now.

[campsie]

Why should Glasgow apologise for her part in the slave trade, did not the whole of the Britain gain through the trade of slavery. Yes Slavery was an abomination an not only Glasgow but all the countries involved in slavery should apologise for their part in the slave trade no matter how small, so in effect most of the world has apologises to make. Appallingly slavery is still in existence today only it is done secretively, unlike the days of the great plantation owners. The slave trade's tentacles reached far and wide, and there are few nations where it's effects did not touch them. There should be a universal agreement for a world wide apology for Slavery.

[john.mcn]

Having read several reviews of this book - Redlegs, I would think Glasgow would then have to apologise to our fellow Scots women, who were exported to the plantations with the view of trying to attract white men to the plantations.
Personally, I think Mr Dolan is doing some self-publicity.

I watched a youtube about the redlegs of the caribbean, the indentured looked like they were treated at times worse than slaves because the landowners were happy to just get a few years out of them while the slaves were property and they wanted a lifetimes work out of them.

[**Paulie**]

I suspect Mr. Dolan is attempting to drill up some publicity for his book, very clever ploy.

An apology would be pointless, who would one apologize to? Oprah?

Do you think the descendants of these slaves even know where Glasgow is, let alone expect an apology ?

I hope Mr. Dolan will write another book...about the terrible conditions suffered by generations of my Glasgow family who lived in rat-infested tenements, and worked at menial jobs for pittance wages.

Glaswegians of the past survived so much hardship,it's no wonder they're a tough people who've prospered in other lands, without expecting handouts or apologies, they just got on with it and seized opportunities that were presented. O.K. off my soapbox now!

Answer NO.

[taurus]

The whole of Britain got rich on some form of slavery,the men down the pits,working for a pittance,the shipyards,the factories,servants in the big estates. The list is endless. Man`s inhumanity to man.It always was and will be.

[The Callands Reb...]

As a Virginian, I can say unequivocally that this issue of apologizing for slavery here in the USA or England or Scotland is a crock of crap.

You'd think the so called afro-americans were the only people enslaved since the beginning of man.

My great grandfather never own a black before or during our civil War, but he damn sure took out any invading army man of a tyrannical Union government for 4 years who set foot in Virginia.

Our counterparts the Sons of Union VeteranS will tell you "their greats didn't come South to free any Black but to MAINTAIN THE UNION"

I can also relay that the Glasgow city council and city Fathers have shrugged me off many many times to acknowledge "NATIVE GLASGOWMeN who fought for the Confederacy when we placed our markers on their graves, they are as shallow as our officials and only use issues like this for self interests.

So, I won't e surprised when the Glasgow council issues aN "APOLOGY" for slavery.

Thatcher and Lincoln would make a great duo, though from a different Era.

[gillen4]

Having read the responses to this issue, it's clear we're all of one (sensible) mind! WE in Glasgow now, had no control over slavery then, hence we were not responsible for it. Slavery, as it was then, was abolished. It stopped and we learned from it. That's reparation. Too many real issues today to be dealt with...energies better invested in those I would think.

[Jazzsaxman]

It's in the past. Get over it. Probably some descendants trying to screw us for money and this is the way to get their foot in the door.. Politicians do what you were voted in to do and stop wasting our money, bunch of freeloaders anyway.

[**gerry**]

Apologies for our Past Fathers sins? We`d be here all Year,the Past is Dead and Buried We the present generation have got nothing to apologies for apart maybe for letting in the Tory`s.

[droschke7]

I 'm pretty sure that most intelegent people will agree that a very few rich people profitted on the proceeds of Tobacco but not Glasgow as such. At the time when this happened the majority of Scots actually had a life that was as bad if not worse than the so called Black Slaves. No one says anything about the white slaves and those who were called dindentured who had to work as a slave to repay their debts. The people who actually started the slave trade were Arabs and African Chiefs. Many slaves were captured prisoners of war from intertribal wars in Africa also if you annoyed the chief he would sell you to the next Arab slave trader he saw to earn money for himnself. I don't see African chiefs or Arabs appologizing to the ancestors of slaves so why should we? Justa by not the slave trade was abolished in the UK in 1807, anyone know somebody still alive from then?

[Toni]

It's in the past. Get over it. Probably some descendants trying to screw us for money and this is the way to get their foot in the door.. Politicians do what you were voted in to do and stop wasting our money, bunch of freeloaders anyway.

I so agree with you. I'm sick of those wanting to re-write History to fit in with this idiotic PC world of today.

And don't get me started on those whose ancestors were (supposed to have been) a part of the Highland Clearances. They hold huge chips on their shoulders to this day. They have never ever stepped foot in Scotland (or anywhere else in the UK) yet the bash the English to the point where it would come to blows if face to face. I have at least 1/3 English heritage, 3/4 Scots and am married to an Englishman. It never bothered my Scots friends & neighbours when I lived in Scotland .. so why does it bother a person on the other side of the world who is several generations removed? Why do they feel they have the right to insult me, due to me having a partial English heritage and an English husband?

As you said, it's in the past. Leave it there!

[Old Sailor]

Chris Dolan is absolutely correct.

He is not asking individuals living in Glasgow today to apologise. He is asking Glasgow as a city and Scotland as a mature nation to acknowledge the role we played at that time in the misery of slavery.

Much of Glasgow's wealth was built on slavery.

Another academic who has discovered God!

[Old Sailor]

Let us bow to another academic who has found God!