Dear Source:
Steffen Larsen's article states "In a recent pole only 28 percent of Danes support an official apology, and an overwhelming majority of Danes thinks that the Virgin Islanders should go on with life instead of dwelling on the past". I can certainly understand why 72 percent of Denmark do not support an apology.
No one can take responsibility for something they were never involved in themselves and had absolutely no control over because they weren't even alive at the time it took place. The only good that can come from all of this is the sharing of more detailed history that Denmark may have in their records and can share with us as well as sharing with us knowledge on things they may have advanced in over the years. To expect an apology from people who are alive today for something that happened 400 yrs ago that they had no involvement with whatsoever is a bit much.
We are living in a time when the children of these islands are losing their lives to crime on the streets, drugs, poor education, need more opportunity for financial freedom, housing, and choices in life. Domestic violence, rape, lack of fathers taking care of children all exist now. We have millions in federal funds to take care of matters but we hear about mismanagement of funds, corruption, fraud, stealing from government etc that affects what is happening to our people now. Who is going to apologize for all that now?
Many of the older adults of all colors in our community today know our parents and grandparents raised us with a stronger sense of family, morals, discipline, work ethics, and community togetherness. We can't even blame them for what is happening with our generation today. We are failing to pass on to the present generation the backbone of what made a Virgin Islander a person of pride and strength.
Much of what is happening today to our people is being done by our own people of this generation and no one is apologizing for any of it. We need major focus on changing the here and now. While none of us had any control over past history that we didn't live in to see or change, we do have control over the here and now.
Carol Berry
St. Thomas
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