So Sorry

Reference: Senate Resolution 39.

Personally, I think the United States should apologize for nearly 5,000 lynchings in our nation during the post-Civil War years that ended in 1960.

Wasn’t murder already against the law? Yes, sort of.

You would only go to jail, for murder, if you were convicted. Back in those days, many district attornies, sheriffs and chiefs of police, simply refused to make arrests or prosecute those that were responsible. If they were prosecuted the all-white juries that sat in judgement proclaimed them not guilty. Only now are we prosecuting some of those who may be guilty of these insidious crimes.

It was a case where the Federal Government had to step in. The States made murder a crime, but they were not effectively prosecuting anyone. The Feds made it a crime to deny the Civil Rights of “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

The US Senate failed to enact legislation to make lynching a Federal Crime some 200 times. Eventually, that would change.

If the States had been doing their jobs, the Feds would not have had to make new Federal laws dealing with things that the States should have been taking care of already.

Someone actually called my show, this morning, and announced that lynching, in certain circumstances, might not be such a bad idea. Sir, have you ever actually read The Constitution.

Senator Landrieu is right. It is time for the USA to issue such an apology. Today is the day. The question is…. Are we mature enough to mean it?

Kev.