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Capital, August 25, 2004 (Editorial) Our Say: Group's screeds not needed, wanted THE SLAVERY Expedition Walk, scheduled for Sept. 29 in Annapolis, has drawn a lot of attention from the community. Unfortunately, it also has drawn the attention of the National Alliance, a white supremacist organization that dropped fliers on the lawns of many residents. The walk is a continuation of the slavery walks done in England as a way to demonstrate the need for healing and reconciliation between races. Plans call for holding a series of these walks in the United States, and the first stop is Annapolis -- the slave port where Kunta Kinte, the ancestor of Alex Haley featured in the book "Roots," arrived in 1767. The event is to include whites waking through the city in yokes -- an image that has stirred some objections. Supporters explain this as a symbol of reconciliation and forgiveness, not as some sort of payback. Whatever you think of the symbolism, we hope you will join us in condemning the unasked-for involvement of out-of-state racial separatists. We are all mature enough to make our own judgments without needing hysterical screeds dropped on local lawns. The National Alliance may unwittingly have helped the organizers of the Annapolis event. Attacks on symbols of reconciliation and healing only demonstrate the need for them. Racism is an ugly legacy of slavery, and the National Alliance has proved that it's still with us. We hope people here keep an open mind and draw their own conclusions about the Slavery Expedition Walk. |