Reply #48: I must have missed that post . . .

[JustAnotherGen]

Forgiveness in this case would mean a lack of conscience. Well I have one.


Nance, not sure if you are wholely familiar with the situation in France during and post WWII. My dear friend is from Lyon (lives there) and his grandfather was murdered in Montluc prison's courtyard at the request of Klaus Barbie for 'derailing trains' when his mother was a little girl. It's 64 years later and she's now 70 - but she's still a 6 year old little girl waiting for her father to come home . . . and he never will.

It took Lyon 44 years to set the record straight (Klaus Barbie trial). It took another 5 years for that entire country to fully admit its culpability in what horrors took place, the jews, gypsies, Patriots, Gaullists that they willingly sent to their death. It took Sarkozy (some call it political stunts) - the descendent of a Holocaust survivor to become President to really yank off the band aid - i.e. - How dare 'we France' take a stand against America when we've behaved no better than them . . .

I met this man a year and a half ago on a trip abroad. His great grandfather and mine were both French Veterans of World War I. Two men sat in trenches at Verdun - one stayed and watched his son die because of his complacency . . . the other left, and came to America - because in his heart of hearts - my great grandfather believed it would happen again and it would be far more bloody than The Great War. And he was right. And there but for the grace of God went I.

I come from former slaves, Irish Immigrants, German Immigrants, Native Americans (Cherokee/Black Seminole) and one lone French Man. I was blessed to know my Great Grandparents and to have them into my young adult hood. And what they imparted on me - ESPECIALLY that French Immigrant . . . was that what we have here in America is precious. He loved this country and was honored to have been allowed to come here, prosper, and thrive.

But that said, this isn't the country he loved. I'm so glad he passed away before he could see the liberty he cherished and the Constitution he felt was superior to that of his former country both pissed on and/or used as toilet paper by George Bush.

My conscience requires that I honor the sacrifices he made to 'make it' in America. To honor my father's parents who owned a farm and were educated/affluent blacks in the Deep South during Jim Crow (they'd be over 100 years old now - so you can understand the time/world in which they lived). To honor my mom's dad who fought in World War II, his father who fought in World War I. My Irish ancestor who left W. Virginia in 1862 because he did not believe in the 'cause' as it was against his country. My dad who served both in Korea and Vietnam even though he couldn't vote without fear of castration/lynching/retaliation because he loved the core principles of what America was until 2001.

You know what? I want that country back. And if we just sweep all of the things you pointed out in your above post "Under the Rug" - we can't have reconciliation. We need to face it head on - and we don't need to forgive those who lead us down this path: Willingly, without honor, and with hearts filled with ignorance and hate.


When they admit they were wrong and the harm they have caused - then I can START to THINK about forgiveness . . . but they are without remorse. You Can't forgive someone who won't ask for forgiveness.

Especially when they don't even know why what they did was wrong.