The Queen is coming to Virginia! The Queen is coming to Virginia! Oh, right. The British monarchy is a nearly obsolete, totally irrelevant (to us, anyway) institution that Americans neither care about nor let affect their lives? Well, it is a little interesting, isn't it? No? What if I told you Queen Elizabeth II may be apologizing for Britain's role in slavery when she crosses the pond to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Jamestown? For a woman who barely had it in her to make a statement expressing regret that Princess Diana died, it would be a pretty big deal.

When she visits Virginia later this week, Queen Elizabeth II could follow the lead of the General Assembly and express regret over African-American slavery, according to an overseas report.

She might voice similar sentiments over the early slaughter of American Indians.

The Sunday Times reported that the queen "will be landing in the middle of a row over political correctness" when she comes to Richmond and the Historic Triangle to mark the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown. Her visit is set for Thursday and Friday.

All of these bandwagon slavery apologies are getting a little tiresome. They are the definition of "too little too late." Still, an apology, excuse me, expression of regret to Native Americans and blacks at a Jamestown commemoration from a woman who is a direct descendant of the ladies and gentlemen who started it all rings truer to me than Rep. Joe Schmo trying to corner the black vote in the next election.

[DP]