When major institutions err, it often takes centuries to apologize. The Virginia Legislature decided to formally apologize for its nearly 400 year purposeful oppression of African Americans. What began as slavery, evolved into segregated schools and voting requirements like poll taxes and literacy tests. However, the Virginia goverment apologized a mere 45 years after its last official slap in the collective black face.
This soundly drummed the Catholic Church and its centuries later clearing of Galileo for suggesting the earth revolved around the sun in God’s heavenly realm. Pope John Paul II wiped the stains from Galileo’s good name some 350 years after his “trial”.
How many Bushes will have occupied the White House before a formal apology is issued over the Military Commissions Act of 2006? Will it ever rue the widespread use of torture in the Terror on Terror? Will the apology come in decades, centuries or never?
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