In regard to the column of May 28 by Emily Pettus, “Mississippi still not apologizing for slavery:” Mississippi should apologize for buying slaves on the day, the very day, that African nations apologize for selling them to her.

Some would argue that the war, itself, was punishment enough. Of the more that 80,000 Confederate soldiers who fought from Mississippi, 60,000 were killed.

Sherman uttered his oft-quoted phrase “War is hell” while approaching the Pearl River near Jackson, which by then had been reduced to a few smoking chimneys.

In evaluating his march across Mississippi, he concluded that “the wholesale destruction is terrible to contemplate.”

Was there remorse along the Ivory Coast of West Africa for having set in motion this course of events, from those Africans who had captured their own people in tribal wars, and sold them to foreigners for profit?

There is a lesson to be learned here at both ends. I see nothing for sale in the farmer’s market in Natchez but fruit and vegetables. Next to the fruit and vegetables in the markets of West Africa I also saw manacles. And knew of slaves. And would have been imprisoned myself, or probably worse, if I had in any way become involved in the futile attempt to interfere with that custom.

If challenged, would those Africans who “are clinging to the past” as Sen. Seale put it, also say that they were being forced to abandon their heritage?

They might say that they were, but no one is forcing them to give up their blatantly illegal practice, let alone demand an apology for it.

Candace Bundgard

Natchez resident