Where's That Apology, Tony?

A little something to keep in mind next time you hear sanctimonious Westerners berating today's Japanese for their alleged refusal to apologize for the misdeeds of their ancestors.

Prime Minister Tony Blair has said he feels "deep sorrow" for Britain's role in the slave trade.
In an article for the New Nation newspaper, the prime minister said it had been "profoundly shameful".
But Mr Blair stopped short of issuing a full apology, which some commentators have demanded.

[...]

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has been drawing up ideas for the 25 March anniversary, including the possibility of a "statement of regret" for Britain's involvement.
He has already ruled out a formal apology.

Neither the British nor the Americans are capable of apologizing for something so obviously wrong and so well established, and yet it's the Japanese, who have actually apologized some 21 times, who are routinely accused of "revisionism", "amnesia" and "insincerity." Pardon me if I refuse to join in such egregious hypocrisy: I'll start getting worked up over the supposedly ominous implications of Japan's alleged lack of remorse just as soon as the Western press and intelligentsia start flaggelating their own elites for their own historical misdeeds.

Comments

[Matt]

I agree. What is funny is that the wording is almost identical to the Japanese wording.

On a slightly different note, how can anyone expect an apology from someone that had nothing to do with such and such issue to be 'sincere'. If someone came to me expecting an apology for the crimes of my ancestors, even if they managed to get one, it certainly would not be sincere.

[Abiola]

I agree. The notion that one should apologize for crimes one had nothing to do with is one I find bizarre, as if guilt for the sins of one's ancestors were passed down the line along with their genes. It's not as if the world is short of problems which need fixing in the here and now, that energy should be wasted on sorting out who needs to apologize "sincerely" for whatever happened decades ago.

[webspin]

Not only is this idea insane, it's blatantly racist in its assumption that just because of my skin color I'm somehow related or responsible for the actions of someone else. Why don't we take this silly concept to the nth degree and have all non-whites issue all whites a giant thank you for the medicines and vaccinations invented by white people. I didn't invent them but hey, I'm white, I saved your life!!!

[Abiola]

Who mentioned skin color? You *do* realize that not all British citizens are white, and not all Africans are non-white, do you? You also completely ignore the fact that it is the same "white" [sic] nations which resist giving apologies for slavery which also demand war apologies from the non-white Japanese.

Perhaps you ought to work on your own racial issues before complaining about racism - demanding apologies from the British is not the same as demanding them from "white" people.