Further, if such mock apologies are sanctioned by our government, there should be many more to follow. The native American and women in this country are certainly owed the same consideration. The point is, it cannot be a real apology and therefore becomes a simple gesture. This is something totally different. As a gesture I believe a statement condemning the sin of involuntary servitude is not a bad thing.
Gestures can communicate important things.
Slavery was a terrible practice, condoned by nations around the world for thousands of years, and condoned in our nation for over 200 years. It was condoned for economic reasons pure and simple. Many have offered other positive arguments for slavery by reciting the various positive benefits that it brought upon the Africans of that time. But these arguments are overwhelmed by the simple economics of slavery at that time in our history. Slavery should be condemned by every person and government of good will.