A Million American Apology

America has a lot to apologize for. This has been a week
of grim juxtapositions with more photographs of torture
perpetrated in American prison camps overseas, the
reopening of the brutal murder of Emmett Till, the
display of thousands of picture postcards of lynchings
at Jackson State University, admissions that the
treatment of the prisoners has been approved at the
highest levels, the realization that it has been known
by the administration since March, since January, since
the fall of 2003, and probably before that. Even those
who opposed the war and other racist brutality cannot
claim innocence. These atrocities are done in our name
and we are paying for them.

We must look at our history, a history founded or land
theft, slavery, genocide, and oppression. A complete
reexamination of our past is the only thing that will
lead us to a better future, to recognizing the price of
our exceptionalism, to a new humility in the face of the
horrors of our past and present, and to an agenda of
reparation for past and continuing wrongs. Though it
seems un-American to many Americans, we could learn from
other countries who have a long history of racist
oppression, especially from the Peace and Reconciliation
movement in South Africa. That requires honesty and an
end to finding excuses and scapegoats.

The present is a good place to start. Bush has
apologized, sort of. Rumsfeld has apologized, sort of.
All of us can add a more sincere apology for the actions
and omissions of the administration that are being done
in our name, by us, and with our taxes.

I would like to suggest that an apology be circulated on
liberal/left/radical lists, until we get a million
signatures. We cannot say that this is not the America
we know, because in the light of our past, it is only
the America we try to hide.

It could go something like this:

We as Americans feel deeply ashamed of the atrocities
committed by the United States government and military
against the people of Iraq in your homes and cities, on
your streets and in the prisons that we continue to use
as places of humiliation, torture, and murder. We pledge
to work all the harder to stop our government from
further oppression of people around the world and to say
no to the imperialist agenda of the current
administration and to work with the next administration
to achieve justice a home and in our dealings with
others.

Sincerely,

Cecelia Luschnig,
Moscow, Idaho