Macron will not ask for ‘forgiveness’ over the colonization of Algeria

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11 minutes ago, Dennis said:

Sure, then let's get the U.S to apologize to the natives, China to apologize to much of Asia (including Taiwan) for colonizing them under the Qing Dynasty, Russia to apologize for the stolen land they still control to this day in Siberia and Central Asia, Britain, Turkey to apologize the arab countries for subjugating them for centuries, and the list goes on and on.

In my opinion, instead of being obsessed with the past let's focus on what we can change in our lifetime. A lot of people are turning a blind eye to injustices unfolding before our eyes.

Yes, God forbid nations owning up for their past mistakes!

[Better Day 5,766]

31 minutes ago, FfFfFfFF said:

Not all countries had colonial empires. Western Europe had, but the East didn't (and to this day remains poorer than the West). Nobody was pointing a gun to France, UK's and Spain heads to start the Scramble for Africa. Colonialism is a shameful legacy the West needs to assume and pay reparations for. And the logic of "everybody was doing it so we're fine" can excuse a plethora of immoral things.

They have empires since day dawn, 2000 years ago, you had the Roman Empire. Should we demand reparations for what the Romans did to us? What about the Ottoman Empire? Mongolian Empire? We owe nothing to the countries that we colonised because it is in the past and we have constructive relationships with them now - for example the Commonwealth of Nations

[Dennis 8,391]

Just now, FfFfFfFF said:

Yes, God forbid nations owning up for their past mistakes!

If it's done collectively, by those nations I mentioned and others I fully support it. But no reason to single out France. And even if they do collectively we all know it'll be another meaningless U.N resolution that will not right these wrongs that were done in the past.

Let's instead focus on preventing these wrongs from being repeated again. This at least will have a tangible effect on the world.

[Better Day 5,766]

8 minutes ago, alsemanche said:

You can't be serious

Yes, colonisation has happened for over 2000 years or more. The Romans colonised up to the Antonine Wall in the nowadays UK, should we start demanding reparations for the horrors they put us through? 

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4 minutes ago, Economy said:

People seem to get even more angry when you apologize because "it doesn't change what happened".

 

I agree the government bears responsibility overall tho even if u can't blame any specific leaders now for it as individuals 

It's still better to apologize than to ignore a reality ecen if you can't undo it. We don't have a time machine, the mistakes are ireversibile but this shouldn't give you a pass. 

And the leader of a country is basically a personified version of the country. Macron is the president in an office that wouldn't look or be the same if France didn't colonize Algeria. He has personal responsibility for it. He should speak on behalf on France as a nation and regime as he is the face and leader if the country.

[alsemanche 97,796]

Just now, Midnights Mayhem said:

Yes, colonisation has happened for over 2000 years or more. The Romans colonised up to the Antonine Wall in the nowadays UK, should we start demanding reparations for the horrors they put us through? 

First of all, read the reply that I replied to

Second of all, you can't ask for reparations from people that basically don't exist anymore. French colonialism is very recent and Algeria still suffers from its repercussion, so reparation isn't that outlandish of a concept like you're making it out to be. Just because you can't change what happened thousands of years ago doesn't mean it's "vital" or that it can be justified and left unpunished when it happens in our contemporary history. 

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7 minutes ago, Dennis said:

If it's done collectively, by those nations I mentioned and others I fully support it. But no reason to single out France. And even if they do collectively we all know it'll be another meaningless U.N resolution that will not right these wrongs that were done in the past.

Let's instead focus on preventing these wrongs from being repeated again. This at least will have a tangible effect on the world.

Yes, bb, common sense says all countries, people or institutions guilty of injustices should pay for them. But no way this will ever happen if everybody goes "haha you first". This is whataboutism and any colonizers that refuse to even agree they did a bad thing need to called up, even if they are Russian, French or anything in between. And mind you, France still has a neocolonial in Subsaharan Africa today in 2023.

[Better Day 5,766]

Just now, alsemanche said:

First of all, read the reply that I replied to

Second of all, you can't ask for reparations from people that basically don't exist anymore. French colonialism is very recent and Algeria still suffers from its repercussion, so reparation isn't that outlandish of a concept like you're making it out to be. Just because you can't change what happened thousands of years ago doesn't mean it's "vital" or that it can be justified and left unpunished when it happens in our contemporary history. 

Colonisation has literally happened for centuries, if France had not colonised Algeria somebody else would have colonised it. As somebody that is a product of the British empire I don’t feel guilt for what we have done, I should not take responsibility for what leaders of yesteryears have done plus throughout the era of colonisation the people had not democratic voice. 

[nATAH 56,905]

y'all arguing on a friday night? go smoke a cigarette! have a beer! stream Flowers!

[Better Day 5,766]

2 minutes ago, FfFfFfFF said:

Yes, bb, common sense says all countries, people or institutions guilty of injustices should pay for them. But no way this will ever happen if everybody goes "haha you first". This is whataboutism and any colonizers that refuse to even agree they did a bad thing need to called up, even if they are Russian, French or anything in between. And mind you, France still has a neocolonial in Subsaharan Africa today in 2023.

I demand reparations from the Italians for the horrors from the Roman Empire, after that I demand money from the Scandinavians for the horrors they put us through in Scotland.  

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11 minutes ago, Midnights Mayhem said:

They have empires since day dawn, 2000 years ago, you had the Roman Empire. Should we demand reparations for what the Romans did to us? What about the Ottoman Empire? Mongolian Empire? We owe nothing to the countries that we colonised because it is in the past and we have constructive relationships with them now - for example the Commonwealth of Nations

None of the empires you mentioned exist anymore, sans Turkey as a heir to the Ottoman Empire. And yes, Turkey should apologize for colonizing the Balkans as well and a statement like that of Macron would lead to backlash from Greece, Bulgaria etc.

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1 minute ago, Midnights Mayhem said:

I demand reparations from the Italians for the horrors from the Roman Empire, after that I demand money from the Scandinavians for the horrors they put us through in Scotland.  

Except these countries have no political countinuity between them and are completely different polities. But the polity that colonized Algeria is still around.

[Better Day 5,766]

1 minute ago, FfFfFfFF said:

None of the empires you mentioned exist anymore, sans Turkey as a heir to the Ottoman Empire. And yes, Turkey should apologize for colonizing the Balkans as well and a statement like that of Macron would lead to backlash from Greece, Bulgaria etc.

Yet, many of the people in Britain are products from Romans or the vikings. Why should they? The Ottoman Empire existed for over 1000 years. It’s about learning from the past instead of flooding money into the former colonised countries and achieving nothing. 

[Better Day 5,766]

Just now, FfFfFfFF said:

Except these countries have no political countinuity between them and are completely different polities. But the polity that colonized Algeria is still around.

They don’t? The many roads we drive on are traditional Roman roads. Empires existed and we should not feel remorse for it. 

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Just now, Midnights Mayhem said:

Yet, many of the people in Britain are products from Romans or the vikings. Why should they? The Ottoman Empire existed for over 1000 years. It’s about learning from the past instead of flooding money into the former colonised countries and achieving nothing. 

The people of Algeria didn't undergo ethnogenesis. Colonization there didn't create a new population like the Roman Empire produced across Europe.

And how can you learn from the past if you can't even apologize for the bad you did?