Ben Affleck 'Regrets' Slavery Coverup

[DonViejo]

Actor Ben Affleck apologized Tuesday for his attempt to conceal a slave-owning ancestor from his segment on PBS' Finding Your Roots. "I didn't want any television show about my family to include a guy who owned slaves," Affleck said in a statement posted to Facebook. "I was embarrassed. The very thought left a bad taste in my mouth." Affleck went on to say he regretted asking the show to hide part of his family's ancestry, but that he is "happy that aspect of our country's history is being talked about." The revelation about the actor's request was discovered through hacked Sony emails published by WikiLeaks last week.

Read it at Hollywood Reporter

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http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2015/04/21/ben-affleck-regrets-slavery-coverup.html

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. Which probably makes him like most of us.

Too often, we try to hide things that embarrass us, rather than face them head on and admit them. And our flaws in dealing with race are far too frequently treated in exactly that way, studiously ignored and hidden.

[peacefreak]

2. I saw the episode in question

And thought at the time it felt a little flat. I think he had the right to with hold what ever information he chose. Even though he is a public figure, he still has the right to privacy.
Who knows what would happen when you shake your family tree. My father always said we came from a long line of horse thieves! Who knows...

[Historic NY]

3. It was pretty stupid, creating more of a controversy by concealing the fact...

I answer a lots of genealogical questions and usually tell people I will give them the good, the bad and the ugly.