• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Human Interest / Should U.S. apologize for slavery?

Should U.S. apologize for slavery?

July 13, 2009 By admin

The Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commission is sponsoring an online survey about slavery.

Commission executive director Karl Cassell says the survey asks questions such as whether the government should apologize for slavery and whether reparations should be paid to the decedents of slaves.

"The purpose, really, is to see how people really feel about race relations, if slavery or an apology for slavery is even needed this far removed," he says.

Cassell says they got the idea for the survey after U.S. Senator Tom Harkin recently successfully sponsored a government apology for slavery. The U.S. House of Representatives approved a similar apology last year though it has not voted on the Senate’s version.

Cassell says it’s important to start conversations about the issue of slavery because human trafficking is still a big problem worldwide.

"Until we acknowledge that this has been a practice throughout history in this country, it doesn’t bring attention to, you know, we’re right back in the same place today where we were 250 years ago," he says.

Initial survey results are mixed, according to Cassell. He says most people believe there should be an apology but are not so sure about reparations.

The Commission’s survey is open until Tuesday, July 14. Cassell says the results will be posted and analyzed in an upcoming newsletter.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Human Interest, Politics / Govt Tagged With: Chuck Grassley, Democratic Party, Republican Party, Tom Harkin

Featured Stories

Governor signs child care expansion into law

Iowa seniors have until July 1 to apply for new property tax break

Smoke from distant fires creates colorful sunrise in Iowa

DOT’s Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division to merge into State Patrol

Iowa’s governor approves liability limits for trucking industry

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Iowa AD Gary Barta announces retirement

Iowa to visit Creighton in Gavitt Tipoff Games

Iowa and Indiana collide Thursday at B1G baseball tournament

Former Hawkeye joins Lisa Bluder’s staff at Iowa

Iowa rolls in B1G Tournament opener

More Sports

Archives

Copyright © 2023 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC