History is littered with examples of races that have dominated and exterminated what, at the time, were thought to be inferior races. Some recent examples are the oppression and murder of millions of Jews in Nazi Germany, the segregation and elimination of Native Americans, and the internment of Japanese-American citizens during World War II
Speaking for the United States, a nation that actually prospered by expanding into and appropriating Native American land, it seems that an apology would be in order. After all, Native Americans are now forced to occupy desolate, poverty-stricken plots of land in a country that was originally theirs. But, at the same time, most of the goverment and military officials, not to mention the settlers that benefited from their work, are gone. Who is left to make amends but their descendents, who can't truly be blamed. And if they can't be blamed, how can they really apologize? Furthermore, the Native Americans who were wronged have also long since passed away. How can we apologize to their descendents?
Of course, this issue encompasses many more peoples than the Native Americans. What about the Jews, and the Japanese?
Are these atrocities of the past really our maxima culpa or are we exculpated by the death of our ancesters despite the luxuries we enjoy because of past prosecution?
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