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42 Responses to “Reparations, the Past, and the Present”
Reparations…. I feel that is a bit to late and clearly not an answer to the horrors, tragedies, and mistakes of a then young America. The issue of slavery cannot be pinned to “all whites” or even those who live today. It is and was inhuman. God willing those atrocities will end in this world. If reparations should be given–they should be divided to those persons living in underprivelaged nations–perhaps our far relatives not dead ancestors that cannot appreciate us using the funds for new big screens, a book, or a cup of coffee. For shame on those of you expecting a check–rise above the nonsense of others and on your journey do not forget all those who do not have the same privelages as you may.
perhaps reprerations should take the form of debt relief to all heavly indebted nations that suffered under the horrors of the slave trade and colonialism. If the governments of Europe and the United State agreed to assume that debt it may in some small way address the great crime of slavery.
Reparations…. I feel that is a bit to late and clearly not an answer to the horrors, tragedies, and mistakes of a then young America.
It’s never too late to try to ameliorate a harm, unless doing so makes things worse, and it’s very hard to make that case here.
As for a ‘then young America’, how about reparations for Jim Crow? America wasn’t ‘young’ then, was it? Besides, it doesn’t matter whether the horrors of slavery arose out of ‘the mistakes of youth’ (whatever that means) or from some intentional plan: the damage was done in either case.
More importantly, how can you reject out of hand that some form of reparation is “not an answer” to systematic, historical injustice?
Reparations were and are an answer for Holocaust survivors; Japanese American survivors of WWII internment camps and so on. Reparations are an ordinary and well-understood part of national and international law.
The issue of slavery cannot be pinned to “all whites” or even those who live today.
Who said that? The point is that White people have benefitted, almost incalculably, from slavery, Jim Crow, and continue to benefit from de facto structures of oppression today.
Why can’t the people who benefit make reparation? Who else could?
But since you seem intent on separating notions of responsibility and privilege, you simply must repudiate all of the benefits of Whiteness, as the cartoon plainly suggests. White folks simply cannot have it both ways: either they are not responsible for what their ancestors did, in which case they don’t owe reparations *but* they also must repudiate their massive privilege and benefit, or they want to set things right.
It is and was inhuman. God willing those atrocities will end in this world.
The will, energy, and effort of ordinary people is what is required.
If reparations should be given–they should be divided to those persons living in underprivelaged nations
Why? This is nonsensical.
perhaps our far relatives not dead ancestors that cannot appreciate us using the funds for new big screens, a book, or a cup of coffee.
Ah, I see, you expound a version of Regan’s Welfare Queen Myth. Now that’s shameful!
For shame on those of you expecting a check–rise above the nonsense of others and on your journey do not forget all those who do not have the same privelages as you may.
The problem that myself and other whites may have with the pricipals behind reperation is that in multicultural society, you will find that the longer you wait for the government to pay reperations, the more multicultural people, rather than 12th generation American whites, will have to pay for this reperation. as a canadien, i hear much about the horrers commited agaist the french and the native americans here in North America by the british. While I am catagorized as a white anglo-Candian, I am but 3rd generation, and all of my ancestors have been hurt by the bristish, as I come from german, arab and scotish stock.
So to make black immigrants in my country pay reperation to native americans is as unfair as whites paying blacks reperations. If you want to trace the linage of former slave owners and shame theme for the deeds of thier dead grandparents, that’s fine, but think about how you would feel if you were given 2 years in jail becouse your grandfather molested a young woman? Or if you were hung becouse a great grandmother sold secrtes tot he confederate army? Reperation in canada is used as a form of sentencing for a crime just as jail time is.
Sorry I can’t leave my address, but dissenting views such as my own can prevent me from being employed, becouse we are not yet able to express political opinions in canada without being jailed, fined or denied employment.
Thank you for creating this site, I think it’s great that these opinions are out there, even if I don’t agree with them.
how are blacks really affected by slavery today i am white and my ansectors came here after slavery was gone why should i have to pay i am irish they were discriminated against by not being able to get jobs no one should pay reparations we have all been discriminated in the past get over it start over again quit blaming others for you misfortune
Why should my family and my future relitives have to pay for what other people did? My family came here after slavery had pretty much ended! and the goverment wants to make us pay for something we didn’t even do? Yah sure… my great grandfather had slaves working for him in his diner in the south but they got paid and he was really nice to them (from what i here)And he didn’t treat them as blacks or slaves.. but as people.. like we all are!~ Well as a student(12) I think that we all deserve equal rights.. who caes what happened then.. this is now! Suer it was unjustice to these people! But by giving them reparation… will it only remind them about al of their suffering? And we would be the ones paying.. not the goverment… because they don’t have the money cause of what happened on 9/11! Lets replace capitalism with morality and put people before profit. Shall we?
The problem paramount to all others when discussing slavery reperations is that the psychological precendent that is created in the minds of African-Americans. It’s the “Can’t do” attitude that comes from a socio-economic background that encourages victimization. What ever happened to the strong black man like Malcom X who gave positive messages about black independence and self-reliance? Suddenly, with the lack of a black agenda, primarily due to the success of what was the former black adgenda, eliminating racism, African-Americans are searching for a way to not just survive, but also thrive. However, this desire to thrive is marginalizing others who are suffering in our society such as the white poor. If these reperations are ever passed the hit will not be taken by military, but from welfare. I really think this idea should be more thought out before just jumping on a bandwagon because it will make you money.
At one time, the black race was an extrememly proud race. Before 1965, the black race had a higher morality than whites in terms of illegitimacy, crime and religous training in the home. According to Dr. Walter Williams,(a great black conservative and HERO of this white boy), over 80% of black children lived in 2 parent MARRIED households, illegitimacy was under 19%. Today over 72% of black children are born out of wedlock and over 40% of those are under 18. Then came the Civil Rights Act of 1965. Much needed, it was high time that the black man was recognized as equal to the white man. However, in white people’s haste to “right past wrongs”, the welfare state was created and the begining of the end of the black race had begun. Illegitamcy, crime, the destruction of the 2 parent household… these figures at one time were equal to or LESS than whites before 1965. The government has created an entire class of “victimization”. I have touched on this subject very lightly due to time restraints but these figures can be looked up at your local library. Reperations will NEVER be attained. I am 30 years old and was what many people refer to as “white-trash”. I came from nothing and had to scratch and claw my way up. I have a bachelors degree and am working on my masters. This is important because untill the majority of blacks decide that this is the greatest country in the world and it is up to the individual to make his way in this world not the government, give-a-way programs, or reperations, the black race will continue to decline. If this is not to your liking do not worry, if things like this continue there will be a race war and blacks make up only 13% of the population and over 70% white, not to mention hispanics, asians, and other non-black minorities whom believe that blacks have been getting a free ride for far to long. If the original author plans to reply with ignorant vulgar language and not converse on point, then you will have proven my point.
What is done in the past should stay in the past. A claim of reperation in today’s society is in all reality a claim of laziness. Although it’s true that America as a nation is not truely “equal” yet, that is no reason to cry for reperations of the past. Let’s take Asians for example, they are discriminated against in America’s society because they are different from the whites: They are dark in complexion, they have squinted eyes, they have black hair, et cetera. They get along fine in our economy. They make the best marks, have the best jobs, and own the nicest posessions. And why is that? Because they work hard for it. If any minority group works hard they can make a better life for themselves. Slavery reperations are just a lazy excuse to get more money for less work. I only hope that one day our country can be truely equal.
Imagine that you were working 12 hours a day without pay and beaten and underfed constantly, imagine watching your son, daughter, wife, mother, or father sold never to be seen again. Imagine being whipped whenever your master found it necessary. I know slavery wasn’t as bad as what happened to the native americans who were victims of mass genocide and robbed of land. However after blacks were freed they were promised 40 acres of land they never recieved. Then deprived of education and benefits of equality for the next 100 or so odd years. Reperation is not about the past it is about the effects of the past which molds the present and the future. Imagine being so called free and then having no where to go no land you own even though you and your people harvested and cultivated this land for centuries. What did the masters have to pass on to future generations compared to that of slaves to his next generation. We are only 3 generations removed. Blacks need to be paid back from lack of compensation. It was best said by Langston Hughes. Slaves built pyramids, temples, and even skyscrapers. Each great civilization they built fell yet as a people they still endure. When will the next nation fall?
To Gloria How can you use laziness as an exuse how can my people be lazy? They built this country and still can’t get a cab driver because of racial stigmatism.
reperations for slavery. i read a bit of information that implied that the irish and other white groups have also suffered. there is one things you guys forgot about unlike the irish i don’t recall anyone of them being hung, it’s also simple to make that transition of being mistreated to being treated like a human being if you were white. you were never considered to be 3/4 of a man by your goverment which america did where your not even considerd a man your were not allowed to be a part of society anddidn’t recieve the kind of educated they should of schools were segregated then and some still are today . secondly it doesn’t compare not even close to the transition that blacks had to go through for one irish didn’t have pigmentation so they can assimilate into society where the blacks were not allowed to do so for obvious reasons. they playing field were never leveled during slavery there were people and companies that benifited and contributed to the slave trade and industry over time these companies have developed to become dominent players in the worlds economy.matter of fact fleetbank in boston was sued reently for there discrimitory practices in hiring minorities.it has become so much a part of society that anything that is black is considered to be evil or no good racism is not always blatant it has become institutionalized.
I think blacks have recieved enough back. I mean they have a month dedicated to them, clothing brands, tv channels, etc. People are almost forced to hire blacks if they are even close to qualified because if they don’t they can be charged with a crime. I think blacks are geting a bit spoiled on people feeling sorry for them. What about the white man there is no month store or anything specifically for him so lets take a little look at the other side of things.
I think that if the decendants of the black slaves were paid reporation by the white decendants of the slave owners. there would be very few pecepiants because nearly every black in America today has some white blood. What would they do? The white part of them pay the black part. Or the mostly white ones pay someone who is more black?
I think we should be thankful that we are not still in the jungle after having been sold by our black countrymen to the whit slave traders and brought to America.
We should also be thankful for the white european Americans who were responsible for the abolishment of slavery. Maybe we should pay them.
On august 1,2002 the entire black united states is organizing a nationwide blackout all people of afican decent need to refuse to work for these greedy corprate companies that made billions of dollars off the sweat of our backs. We need to show this nation that if we do not get reperations for the past that we can and will cripple this evil country of ours. theres always power in numbers lets stop asking for it and take it!!!!!!
Massa, Isa lik to thak ya fo takin me frum my Pagan lan Su.
Ha dare I wont sum reparation frum my Slave massa, Him Been so gud to me.
yea right!! It’s time for Amerikkka to pay for there part in the greatest crime against humanity. it’s time for This story to be told. I will never be grateful for europeans for bringing me to this country and as far as I’m concerned you need to be thanking me, because if it had not be for my ancestors Amerikka would not be the richest country in the world.
Furthermore, how would you have liked it if europeans were enslaved as Africans were. How would you have liked to have read about pregnant white women being hung by their feet and their fetus cut from their stomachs. Or maybe you would have liked it if your little beautiful white daughters were raped at 9 years old only to give birth at age 10 to the masters half-breed child. Here’s one for you, how about your sons being raped as well for masta’s sick pleasures.
I will never forget slavery, just like the jews never let you forget about the holocaust. Amerkkka should never be allowed forget about slavery!!!!
you are very old if you remeber slavery. We were not the only slaves there were also white European slaves in AMERICA ( I noticed that you misspelled it)back them. That is in the past and it has been eradicated by the people that you like to hate, The white Europeans. What we should be concerned with is the slavery of the balcks in Africa that exists today.
Hate is not a good thing and it hurts you more than the people you hate.
You have a great opportunity in this country today with the programs that the white politations have set up to give us preferential treatment over our white counterparts. Look at all the government jobs that are had by Blacks and the admissions into the colleges with lower test scores than the whites. We are now the perfered race of people in this country. Even if the polititions are using us to get the votes the results are still the same we come out on top. so stop complaining
I have been reading a lot of the comments on this page and eventhough i don’t agree with most of it I must say that it is good to know what is on the minds of people. I just so happen to agree that black people should get reprerations for the work and the suffering that black people has endured for over 400 years and still to this day. If the United States can give reprerations to people and other countries that they bombed on purpose why not give reprerations to the decendants of slaves who made this country what it is today. I can go on and on with what black people created and never got credit or pay for. Black people worked in this country for free and all they got was left overs for a meal, a roof that leaked when it rained, raped at will and lynched for looking in the eyes of a white person. How would u feel if your grandfather’s penis was nailed to a tree by the k.k.k just because his white neighbor was jealous and thought that he had more than him? How would u feel if your child was murdered for telling a white woman she was pretty? How would u feel if your father was murdered for speaking his mind to injustice? These are things that happend to blacks a little over 35 years ago. I should know. If u stepped in the shoes of some black people U might feel a little different. These R just a few things that U should know.
Earl can you trace your ancestors back to the time of slavery?
You could possiblly be a decendant of a black slave owner and you would have to pay and not receive reporation.
Also if you have any white blood in you like most blacks in america today you would be responsible for some of the things that you blaming “whity” for.
Why can’t we just be good Americans
and try build up our country and not try to tear it down. we are all in this together nomatter what color we are.
We live in the best country in the world and should be thankful that we can be part of it and have the rights that we have here.
We could still be in Africa where there are slaves today that havern been freed by the white European americans.
Mr. Willie Jackson it’s obvious that U do not know your history and I believe that U do not care about your future. Wake up !!! If U knew your history U would know that most blacks who was stolen or sold into slavery did not live as animals in a jungle. They lived like kings and queens then and some still do today. I am sure that if they had a choice they would not have chosen slavery. That choice was stollen from them. Wake up !!! Everywhere the white man has walked all they did was shed blood of the inocent. Why do U think that so many foreign people dislike white people so? Tell the Indians who lives on reservations that the best thing that happened to them was the white man. How many do u think would agree with U? Ask the dead Indians who only wanted to live on the land that was stollen from them. Ask the Indian who was the last one of his tribe. Ask the Chinese who worked for half pay on the railroad or the 400,000 africans who died on the ships comming to this great nation called America. Wake up !!! I do agree tho that if America is to be a great nation that the people in it must learn to walk as one but it has a debt to pay and the blood that was shed cries out for some form of justice. Wake up !!! I am proud of where my people came from and I will not wish slavery on anyone. A person like U needs to wake up and smell the coffee. This great country that we live in isn’t all that its cracked up to be. This country is still segregated in the schools and in the work force. Wake up!!! A year ago I delivered to a store and the owner told me that I could not use her trash can but another driver broke down a box and put it in her trash and all I had was a few peices of plastic. Which do u think took up the most space? 35 minutes from that store is a town called Corinth, Ms; a black man was beaten almost to death for dancing with a white woman. One of my classmates from Jackson State University was found hung in the jail of Rankin county. They said it was suicide. He was only locked up for a traffic violation and he was about to graduate in a month. Wake up !!! This country has a debt to pay and I am sure that my people who worked for free in this country would love to see their decendants inherit the earnigs they worked hard and died hard for. Wake Yo Ass up !!!!
You need to take a closer look at history, not what is taught by the liberal establisment and so called leaders of the black people like Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton and Lewis Farracon. These people are not our leaders they are hate mongers. Hate will destroy us all. We sould all seek the truth. “The truth will set you free”
The segeration that you speak of is usualy perpetrated by the blacks. People like you want to be accepted by everyone else as being the same but want to segerate yourself and say you are different.
Nearly any place you go with a large amount of people you see the blacks off in a group of their own, segerating themselves. We are all people and we need to follow in the path of Dr. Martin Luther King when he said that we should be judged by the content of our charector and not by the color of our skin. We need to get over being different before we can expect others to treat us like we are part society that can all get along togeter. It seems to me that people like you want to act black and be treated like the rest of society. Most people want disregard the color of your skin and treat you like they would treat anyone else but you wont let them.
Please try to find the truth. hate will eat you up.
Mr. Willie Jackson we both are intitled to our own opinion and I do respect your opinion. I also know where U are commin’ from. However, I do still disagree with you. I don’t believe for one minute that Rev. Jackson, Al Sharpton, or Louis Farracon are hate mongers, as you put it. All three are doing positive things in their own way, regardless of what the media want us to believe. I will let them bat for me any given day. Futhermore, I do study my history and was taught by the best.
We can go on and on and we will never agree. I am a God fearing man and I hate no one eventhough it may come out that way but right is right. The segregation that I spoke of was not something that I read or what was told to me. It was something that I witnessed with my own eyes just recently. I am also a product of that segregation. I lived it and am still living it. Come to Mississippi and join me and taste it for yourself and then maybe we could come to a common ground.
This part of your sentence is funny “People like me want to be accepted …” Did you know that the constitution still says that we are only 3/5 of a man? They don’t accept us ha ha. Get that changed. Most people, including whites, hang with their own kind, except for a few of either race. I can go on and on about that but I will leave that one open.
I just want U to know that I am BLACK and I am a product of my enviornment like most of everyone. I was rasied in the deep south, taught to love everyone, taught to trust my own instinct, taught to love and fear God, and I was taught not to be a fool for any man black or white. I witnessed the K.K.K march with their white sheets on as a little boy back in the late 70’s thru the early 80’s and they marched regularly. I witnessed a cross burned in the park where the little black kids played. I was ran to school by a group of white men shouting out racial slurs and cursing me. I was only in the 5th grade. Again I can go on and on but I won’t. I came from a proud and strong family who will fight till the end. I can also recall the night the Klan was suppose to march down the railroad tracks of the black neighborhood and my grandfather sat on the back porch waiting for them so he could kill everyone of them and they never came but the next day a friend of mine grandfather was found with his penis nailed to a tree. I could continue but I won’t. You spoke of Martin Luther King. If U knew your history U would know that King was in favor of reparations and so is his family.
Mr. Jackson these were just a few things that I had time to write before I go to my second job. Take Care and God Bless U. QT
I would suggest that everyone do some reading on what really happened to African Americans before, during and after slavery. And about this great country of ours I would suggest James W. Loewen’s Lies My Teacher Told Me or Howard Zinn’s People’s History of the United States.
I believe that reperation should be paid, but not to individuals, but used for programs to help African American communities and schools. And the money should come from companies that benefited from slavery.
After reading over these comments I found many people saying that slavery is the past, and that it’s too late now to ask for reparation.
Do you realize that Africans in america are still in slavery—mentally! Slavery is still real and alive and exists today. Black children are still growing up feeling inferior.
African Americans are the only people who had a guideline to take their mind (Willie Lynch- ‘How to make a slave’). And if you are familiar with these writings you would know that this is why Black people have so much self hate and why there is so much Black on Black crime.
American would not be were it is economically or industrially if it wasn’t for the enslavement of Africans. Africans began to be enslaved in america in 1619; europeans started colonizing america in 1616. That only a three-year difference. If slavery is not still playing a major part on modern America, then why are Africans in America not at the same place as Caucasians, economically and socially?
Reparations are not all about money. How many years have Blacks pay for schools that Blacks couldn’t attend. Let Africans in American go to school for free. Slavery destroyed my people. We even had Africans in America on this web site stating that they don’t need reparations, but would be the first one to sue if someone damaged something of theirs. When their minds have been damaged for the past 383 years. Wake Up! You can’t just put a band-aid on slavery and say, “oops, I’m sorry”. YOU, the people of america, are a very fatuous people. And YOU need to WAKE UP!
I think defensiveness on both sides is holding back the truth of this situation. I think one side is white people getting pissed off because like me they’ve never done anything racist and are pissed off by the suggestion that they should pay cocky african americans who are no longer slaves. The other side are african americans pissed off that cocky european americans are trying to say that african american problems are just laziness. Both these sides are constructed by anger. Both have important points and both have over generalizations do to anger.
First Kendell that is the biggest pile of bull that all white people benefited from slavery. First of all the main soldiers in the northern union army were white union workers who went to fight because the existence of slaves in the south undermined the unions of the north. You can compare this to globalization today. Workers cannot strike if free labor exists in the south. All a company would have to do is take its business to the south to break the strike. This is why over a million poor white workers fought the southern aristocracy in the bloodiest war in the United States history. Tell me what the poor white worker benefited from slavery. Also the poor white farmer who were in competition with free labor and driven into poverty because of the existence of slavery. Tell me how the poor white farmer gained from the oppression of the black man.
So in your opinion I who had numerous ancestors who shed blood to free the black man so poor whites could be more free should pay someone I don’t know out of my limited budget. That is what is nosensical.
I don’t think any white people should have to pay reparations for something we didn’t do and all the reasons already stated ahead. I also don’t think that some whites should take this cocky attitude that blacks are unharmed by slavery. The scars are lasting but anyone who thinks a little extra money with increased racial tension is going down the wrong road in general. I know that I am willing to struggle for racial harmony but if I was forced to pay some random African American for something I didn’t do I would be that much closer to saying fuck it.
Keisha, Earl, Mercutio, and Willie I think the truth lies in between what all of you say. Willie don’t be so naive and so easy to eat propaganda you see on the news. The American ruling class is still stealing from blacks and capitalism has driven poor people (black and white) out of jobs to move factories to oppressive countries in Africa, Central America, Asia and now the collapsed communist countries. Earl and Keisha no matter if you are racist or not (i can’t tell) only all poor people of all races united can change oppression. Earl even if all black people did go on strike they don’t hold enough jobs (because of globalism)to hold enough sway. Keisha the only practical way reparations could work is if you sued the corporations still in existence that benefited from slavery and gave it to help with african american college education. That would help the African American population without increasing racial tension. Mercutio its true that the white ruling class has destroyed enviroment, cultures, and peoples. Notice I say the white ruling class because white oppressed have been living under the heel of the ruling class for to long. It also takes great will to hold back getting angry at your racist generalizations. I am german irish and proud of my ancestors. My german great great grandfather left germany because he participated in the 1848 failed revolution. His son fought in the civil war. My Irish ancestors left because of the starvation in Ireland due to British rule. I feel your cultural pride but watch your racist bullshit.
I absolutely agree with Lady T. Knowthyself even if black people deserve personal reparations because of mental slavery. Do random white people who have fought for equality deserve to pay for it out of their already small budgets. The answer to the reparations question is to sue corporations who directly benefited from slavery and give it to education of community building in African American neighborhoods. The real answer though is socialism and true equality, workers of the world unite!
In truth the call for reparations may be tinged by those whose ulterior motives are to reap some sort of financial benefit from the movement. Or perhaps to make others feel guilty,or to garner some sort of revenge. However, as a so called black man- African-American I see the reparations movement as a way to incite dialogue about what has been for so long a hush-hush issue. There are some who say that blacks should just get over it, and I agree in as much as we as a people and America as a nation should move on. However we cannot do effectively ‘move on’ without everyone black and white admitting two things. #1 blacks should admit (whomever it applies) that we have not moved on because many of us still blame whites for our failures, that is, there are some of us who instead of reaching for our dreams, mire in a state of self-worthlessness which is totally unfortunate. There is nothing that anyone can no achieve if they whole-heartedly believe in themselves even in the face of oppression. #2 whites must admit that many of them have not moved on because concsiously and subconciously the idea is ingrained in their minds that somehow and in someway so-called negroes are inferior to themselves. This is a sad way for human beings to boost their own esteem, by imposing this preposterous idea upon others. First off if so-called whites were superior there would be no need to prove this ideology at every nook and turn. Secondly if this theory were true then they would not have to violently enforce this point. To the contrary race is a social construct that is not biologically valid, and is only usefull to divide and conquer. Finally those who are superior, whether black or white are those men and women who have decided not to be lulled into this ignorance, hatred, and evil; recognizing that we all as human beings are imperfect and have a myriad of short comings, yet our commonalites are greater than our differences. Furthermore, the greatest thing that we all share in common is the desire to love and to be love. So if reparation movement can incited dialogue to this end, I say good.
I’ve read quite a bit of the replies here about reparations for past slaves and I’m shocked at what I’m reading here.
I think it’s obvious what is written here is spoken from primarily uneducated whites and blacks alike. I think it’s hard, very hard, to bridge that gap between racial equality and Hard Knock University.
The issues with blacks today isn’t going to be solved by sending us globs of money. If there are any reparations to be paid, please set up an educational fund to provide our young the necessary classes and so forth to teach them racial equality and racial tolerance.
We, as blacks, have lived most of our lives without a lot of money and we’ve done just fine. I think what is important here is going forward and leaving the past in the past. We can only hope that our younger generation growing up can look back at the “old” ways and learn that there are more reasonable ways to do things for the future. The concepts of our inability to get along has long been obvious, but with time and healing… and most important EDUCATION, we can all come out of this decently and peacefully.
Money, throughout time, has never proven to solve anything… in fact, it’s caused only more hurt, pain, and extreme cases of lonliness.
Money is not the answer to our problems.
I say this to my people…
You can have a billion man march, if you don’t put down that malt liquor and chicken wings… and get behind someone other than a running back who stabs his wife… you will never get rid of the very people who put you down. Get up off your butts and take what is yours, stop complaining.
I’m a white man. I think white people should create a homeland somewhere in North America. We need a place where we can just be off on our own, among our own if we want. I’m not talking about taking over the U.S., it just needs to be a place, any size. There are those of other races that want to separate their race from others, and to them I would say you and I are in agreement. I wouldn’t mind if other races created homelands, that’s fine. Nor would I have a problem with gays and lesbians creating homelands. Then they can go off and do their thing without having to worry about what people like me will think, say or do.
I can imagine what some multiculturalists are going to write about what I’ve said, so I’ll answer ahead of time with this– fine, live in the multi-culti areas then. I never said the entire planet should be a series of homelands from one pole to the other… what I am saying is that it shouldn’t be unallowable for racial homelands to exist anywhere on the planet.
If it did not happen to you, therefore you cant tell someone how to feel about it. If the world change a great deal from then maybe the feelings would go away.Others got theirs why cant blacks get it.
The concept of reparations is absolutely ABSURD! How far back do we go to seek payment for the wrongs that were done to others? I owe them nothing and they owe me nothing. I’m the son of a poor farmer and I have worked hard for thirty years to get where I am…don’t expect me, under ANY conditions, to hand over money for something so rediculous. Slavery was legal at the time (wrong, but legal!). Example: If the speed limit on a road was 70 mph yesterday, but lowered to 55 today, can the police give ME a ticket for MY BROTHER going 65 on the road yesterday? May sound silly, but it’s the same principle. Who should pay? Who should receive? Get a job, earn an honest living, and stop whining about who “owes” you something.
Examine society and I’m sure you’ll see it encourages the cries of reperations in other judgements. Surely you are familiar with some of the law suites against companies that seem to be clear personal responsibility issues.
Americans seems to be becoming less responsible for itself and reparations appears to be just another symptom.
Reperation should be paid to the victims of slavery. I am not saying give every black person a check, but maybe reperation can been done in the form of education,health care and economic enrichment programs. In American history black people are not taught their history. we learn about world history but we do not learn African history. One whom does not know his past has no way of moving ahead. Public education should not teach students hat Arican-Americans were slaves and then were freed. Just like the jewish haulaucost the african haulaucost is dominant today,because balck people still are not given the same opportunities as white people. and we still experience racism on daily bases when we are misrepresented in the media and when we are not given the same opportunities as a white person. or when we are incouraged to strive to be like white people and giving up our heritage is the right thing to do.
I believe Reparations are owed first of all,based on Field Order 15 ordered by William T Sherman in 1865 stating that each family would receive 40 acres of land and an army mule to work the land, thus “forty acres and a mule”
Abraham Lincoln was assinated and Andrew Johnson a southerner succeed him. He was agaisnt reconstruction. Black peope had nothing at that time and their families inherited nothing except their debt and poverty. Not all blacks come from poverty. But I think reparations is owed. The notion that blacks are looking for a payment from individual whites is insane and never going to happen. Repaartions is never going to happen. Programs should be emplemented to rebuild the black community or help them build their community. But It will never happen, reparations will never happen and the black underclass community will continue to deterirate and black men will continue to be the majority of the population in the prison systems. So out of all of the arguments agaisnt reparations, there are still families in the Unites Staes that profited from slavery.
September 10th, 2001 at 10:04 pm
Reparations…. I feel that is a bit to late and clearly not an answer to the horrors, tragedies, and mistakes of a then young America. The issue of slavery cannot be pinned to “all whites” or even those who live today. It is and was inhuman. God willing those atrocities will end in this world. If reparations should be given–they should be divided to those persons living in underprivelaged nations–perhaps our far relatives not dead ancestors that cannot appreciate us using the funds for new big screens, a book, or a cup of coffee. For shame on those of you expecting a check–rise above the nonsense of others and on your journey do not forget all those who do not have the same privelages as you may.
September 12th, 2001 at 8:05 pm
perhaps reprerations should take the form of debt relief to all heavly indebted nations that suffered under the horrors of the slave trade and colonialism. If the governments of Europe and the United State agreed to assume that debt it may in some small way address the great crime of slavery.
September 13th, 2001 at 1:20 pm
Reparations to individuals will not be easy to do — we should focus
on assistance in forms of
land reform, low-cost capital,
communuity development and
democracy.
September 18th, 2001 at 9:13 pm
Reparations…. I feel that is a bit to late and clearly not an answer to the horrors, tragedies, and mistakes of a then young America.
It’s never too late to try to ameliorate a harm, unless doing so makes things worse, and it’s very hard to make that case here.
As for a ‘then young America’, how about reparations for Jim Crow? America wasn’t ‘young’ then, was it? Besides, it doesn’t matter whether the horrors of slavery arose out of ‘the mistakes of youth’ (whatever that means) or from some intentional plan: the damage was done in either case.
More importantly, how can you reject out of hand that some form of reparation is “not an answer” to systematic, historical injustice?
Reparations were and are an answer for Holocaust survivors; Japanese American survivors of WWII internment camps and so on. Reparations are an ordinary and well-understood part of national and international law.
The issue of slavery cannot be pinned to “all whites” or even those who live today.
Who said that? The point is that White people have benefitted, almost incalculably, from slavery, Jim Crow, and continue to benefit from de facto structures of oppression today.
Why can’t the people who benefit make reparation? Who else could?
But since you seem intent on separating notions of responsibility and privilege, you simply must repudiate all of the benefits of Whiteness, as the cartoon plainly suggests. White folks simply cannot have it both ways: either they are not responsible for what their ancestors did, in which case they don’t owe reparations *but* they also must repudiate their massive privilege and benefit, or they want to set things right.
It is and was inhuman. God willing those atrocities will end in this world.
The will, energy, and effort of ordinary people is what is required.
If reparations should be given–they should be divided to those persons living in underprivelaged nations
Why? This is nonsensical.
perhaps our far relatives not dead ancestors that cannot appreciate us using the funds for new big screens, a book, or a cup of coffee.
Ah, I see, you expound a version of Regan’s Welfare Queen Myth. Now that’s shameful!
For shame on those of you expecting a check–rise above the nonsense of others and on your journey do not forget all those who do not have the same privelages as you may.
Blah, blah, blah.
October 4th, 2001 at 8:14 pm
The problem that myself and other whites may have with the pricipals behind reperation is that in multicultural society, you will find that the longer you wait for the government to pay reperations, the more multicultural people, rather than 12th generation American whites, will have to pay for this reperation. as a canadien, i hear much about the horrers commited agaist the french and the native americans here in North America by the british. While I am catagorized as a white anglo-Candian, I am but 3rd generation, and all of my ancestors have been hurt by the bristish, as I come from german, arab and scotish stock.
So to make black immigrants in my country pay reperation to native americans is as unfair as whites paying blacks reperations. If you want to trace the linage of former slave owners and shame theme for the deeds of thier dead grandparents, that’s fine, but think about how you would feel if you were given 2 years in jail becouse your grandfather molested a young woman? Or if you were hung becouse a great grandmother sold secrtes tot he confederate army? Reperation in canada is used as a form of sentencing for a crime just as jail time is.
Sorry I can’t leave my address, but dissenting views such as my own can prevent me from being employed, becouse we are not yet able to express political opinions in canada without being jailed, fined or denied employment.
Thank you for creating this site, I think it’s great that these opinions are out there, even if I don’t agree with them.
December 3rd, 2001 at 12:29 pm
i should have to pay anything for slaves to go to college. if they want to go go with your own money.
January 31st, 2002 at 10:12 am
Dear Brenda,
F*ck you.
thank you.
P.S. Go to hell.
February 27th, 2002 at 8:14 am
how are blacks really affected by slavery today i am white and my ansectors came here after slavery was gone why should i have to pay i am irish they were discriminated against by not being able to get jobs no one should pay reparations we have all been discriminated in the past get over it start over again quit blaming others for you misfortune
March 6th, 2002 at 2:30 pm
Why should my family and my future relitives have to pay for what other people did? My family came here after slavery had pretty much ended! and the goverment wants to make us pay for something we didn’t even do? Yah sure… my great grandfather had slaves working for him in his diner in the south but they got paid and he was really nice to them (from what i here)And he didn’t treat them as blacks or slaves.. but as people.. like we all are!~ Well as a student(12) I think that we all deserve equal rights.. who caes what happened then.. this is now! Suer it was unjustice to these people! But by giving them reparation… will it only remind them about al of their suffering? And we would be the ones paying.. not the goverment… because they don’t have the money cause of what happened on 9/11! Lets replace capitalism with morality and put people before profit. Shall we?
March 13th, 2002 at 3:43 pm
The problem paramount to all others when discussing slavery reperations is that the psychological precendent that is created in the minds of African-Americans. It’s the “Can’t do” attitude that comes from a socio-economic background that encourages victimization. What ever happened to the strong black man like Malcom X who gave positive messages about black independence and self-reliance? Suddenly, with the lack of a black agenda, primarily due to the success of what was the former black adgenda, eliminating racism, African-Americans are searching for a way to not just survive, but also thrive. However, this desire to thrive is marginalizing others who are suffering in our society such as the white poor. If these reperations are ever passed the hit will not be taken by military, but from welfare. I really think this idea should be more thought out before just jumping on a bandwagon because it will make you money.
March 25th, 2002 at 11:48 pm
At one time, the black race was an extrememly proud race. Before 1965, the black race had a higher morality than whites in terms of illegitimacy, crime and religous training in the home. According to Dr. Walter Williams,(a great black conservative and HERO of this white boy), over 80% of black children lived in 2 parent MARRIED households, illegitimacy was under 19%. Today over 72% of black children are born out of wedlock and over 40% of those are under 18. Then came the Civil Rights Act of 1965. Much needed, it was high time that the black man was recognized as equal to the white man. However, in white people’s haste to “right past wrongs”, the welfare state was created and the begining of the end of the black race had begun. Illegitamcy, crime, the destruction of the 2 parent household… these figures at one time were equal to or LESS than whites before 1965. The government has created an entire class of “victimization”. I have touched on this subject very lightly due to time restraints but these figures can be looked up at your local library. Reperations will NEVER be attained. I am 30 years old and was what many people refer to as “white-trash”. I came from nothing and had to scratch and claw my way up. I have a bachelors degree and am working on my masters. This is important because untill the majority of blacks decide that this is the greatest country in the world and it is up to the individual to make his way in this world not the government, give-a-way programs, or reperations, the black race will continue to decline. If this is not to your liking do not worry, if things like this continue there will be a race war and blacks make up only 13% of the population and over 70% white, not to mention hispanics, asians, and other non-black minorities whom believe that blacks have been getting a free ride for far to long. If the original author plans to reply with ignorant vulgar language and not converse on point, then you will have proven my point.
March 31st, 2002 at 3:46 pm
What is done in the past should stay in the past. A claim of reperation in today’s society is in all reality a claim of laziness. Although it’s true that America as a nation is not truely “equal” yet, that is no reason to cry for reperations of the past. Let’s take Asians for example, they are discriminated against in America’s society because they are different from the whites: They are dark in complexion, they have squinted eyes, they have black hair, et cetera. They get along fine in our economy. They make the best marks, have the best jobs, and own the nicest posessions. And why is that? Because they work hard for it. If any minority group works hard they can make a better life for themselves. Slavery reperations are just a lazy excuse to get more money for less work. I only hope that one day our country can be truely equal.
April 3rd, 2002 at 11:01 am
Imagine that you were working 12 hours a day without pay and beaten and underfed constantly, imagine watching your son, daughter, wife, mother, or father sold never to be seen again. Imagine being whipped whenever your master found it necessary. I know slavery wasn’t as bad as what happened to the native americans who were victims of mass genocide and robbed of land. However after blacks were freed they were promised 40 acres of land they never recieved. Then deprived of education and benefits of equality for the next 100 or so odd years. Reperation is not about the past it is about the effects of the past which molds the present and the future. Imagine being so called free and then having no where to go no land you own even though you and your people harvested and cultivated this land for centuries. What did the masters have to pass on to future generations compared to that of slaves to his next generation. We are only 3 generations removed. Blacks need to be paid back from lack of compensation. It was best said by Langston Hughes. Slaves built pyramids, temples, and even skyscrapers. Each great civilization they built fell yet as a people they still endure. When will the next nation fall?
April 3rd, 2002 at 11:06 am
To Gloria How can you use laziness as an exuse how can my people be lazy? They built this country and still can’t get a cab driver because of racial stigmatism.
April 3rd, 2002 at 1:06 pm
it was wrong for the white man to do
what they to blacks But what they Did to us i steel see it going on in
the world todaybut what can you do about it!!!!
April 3rd, 2002 at 1:07 pm
it was wrong for the white man to do
what they to blacks But what they Did to us i steel see it going on in
the world todaybut what can you do about it!!!!
April 3rd, 2002 at 1:23 pm
first and foremost blacks should get
reperations for slavery. i read a bit of information that implied that the irish and other white groups have also suffered. there is one things you guys forgot about unlike the irish i don’t recall anyone of them being hung, it’s also simple to make that transition of being mistreated to being treated like a human being if you were white. you were never considered to be 3/4 of a man by your goverment which america did where your not even considerd a man your were not allowed to be a part of society anddidn’t recieve the kind of educated they should of schools were segregated then and some still are today . secondly it doesn’t compare not even close to the transition that blacks had to go through for one irish didn’t have pigmentation so they can assimilate into society where the blacks were not allowed to do so for obvious reasons. they playing field were never leveled during slavery there were people and companies that benifited and contributed to the slave trade and industry over time these companies have developed to become dominent players in the worlds economy.matter of fact fleetbank in boston was sued reently for there discrimitory practices in hiring minorities.it has become so much a part of society that anything that is black is considered to be evil or no good racism is not always blatant it has become institutionalized.
April 4th, 2002 at 10:06 am
l like you
April 10th, 2002 at 2:23 pm
I think blacks have recieved enough back. I mean they have a month dedicated to them, clothing brands, tv channels, etc. People are almost forced to hire blacks if they are even close to qualified because if they don’t they can be charged with a crime. I think blacks are geting a bit spoiled on people feeling sorry for them. What about the white man there is no month store or anything specifically for him so lets take a little look at the other side of things.
April 17th, 2002 at 7:51 am
I think that if the decendants of the black slaves were paid reporation by the white decendants of the slave owners. there would be very few pecepiants because nearly every black in America today has some white blood. What would they do? The white part of them pay the black part. Or the mostly white ones pay someone who is more black?
I think we should be thankful that we are not still in the jungle after having been sold by our black countrymen to the whit slave traders and brought to America.
We should also be thankful for the white european Americans who were responsible for the abolishment of slavery. Maybe we should pay them.
May 2nd, 2002 at 10:43 am
On august 1,2002 the entire black united states is organizing a nationwide blackout all people of afican decent need to refuse to work for these greedy corprate companies that made billions of dollars off the sweat of our backs. We need to show this nation that if we do not get reperations for the past that we can and will cripple this evil country of ours. theres always power in numbers lets stop asking for it and take it!!!!!!
May 3rd, 2002 at 3:25 pm
Massa, Isa lik to thak ya fo takin me frum my Pagan lan Su.
Ha dare I wont sum reparation frum my Slave massa, Him Been so gud to me.
yea right!! It’s time for Amerikkka to pay for there part in the greatest crime against humanity. it’s time for This story to be told. I will never be grateful for europeans for bringing me to this country and as far as I’m concerned you need to be thanking me, because if it had not be for my ancestors Amerikka would not be the richest country in the world.
Furthermore, how would you have liked it if europeans were enslaved as Africans were. How would you have liked to have read about pregnant white women being hung by their feet and their fetus cut from their stomachs. Or maybe you would have liked it if your little beautiful white daughters were raped at 9 years old only to give birth at age 10 to the masters half-breed child. Here’s one for you, how about your sons being raped as well for masta’s sick pleasures.
I will never forget slavery, just like the jews never let you forget about the holocaust. Amerkkka should never be allowed forget about slavery!!!!
May 4th, 2002 at 8:10 am
Kisha,
you are very old if you remeber slavery. We were not the only slaves there were also white European slaves in AMERICA ( I noticed that you misspelled it)back them. That is in the past and it has been eradicated by the people that you like to hate, The white Europeans. What we should be concerned with is the slavery of the balcks in Africa that exists today.
Hate is not a good thing and it hurts you more than the people you hate.
You have a great opportunity in this country today with the programs that the white politations have set up to give us preferential treatment over our white counterparts. Look at all the government jobs that are had by Blacks and the admissions into the colleges with lower test scores than the whites. We are now the perfered race of people in this country. Even if the polititions are using us to get the votes the results are still the same we come out on top. so stop complaining
May 4th, 2002 at 11:40 am
I have been reading a lot of the comments on this page and eventhough i don’t agree with most of it I must say that it is good to know what is on the minds of people. I just so happen to agree that black people should get reprerations for the work and the suffering that black people has endured for over 400 years and still to this day. If the United States can give reprerations to people and other countries that they bombed on purpose why not give reprerations to the decendants of slaves who made this country what it is today. I can go on and on with what black people created and never got credit or pay for. Black people worked in this country for free and all they got was left overs for a meal, a roof that leaked when it rained, raped at will and lynched for looking in the eyes of a white person. How would u feel if your grandfather’s penis was nailed to a tree by the k.k.k just because his white neighbor was jealous and thought that he had more than him? How would u feel if your child was murdered for telling a white woman she was pretty? How would u feel if your father was murdered for speaking his mind to injustice? These are things that happend to blacks a little over 35 years ago. I should know. If u stepped in the shoes of some black people U might feel a little different. These R just a few things that U should know.
May 5th, 2002 at 8:47 am
This is a response to Earl.
Earl can you trace your ancestors back to the time of slavery?
You could possiblly be a decendant of a black slave owner and you would have to pay and not receive reporation.
Also if you have any white blood in you like most blacks in america today you would be responsible for some of the things that you blaming “whity” for.
Why can’t we just be good Americans
and try build up our country and not try to tear it down. we are all in this together nomatter what color we are.
We live in the best country in the world and should be thankful that we can be part of it and have the rights that we have here.
We could still be in Africa where there are slaves today that havern been freed by the white European americans.
May 10th, 2002 at 6:39 pm
Mr. Willie Jackson it’s obvious that U do not know your history and I believe that U do not care about your future. Wake up !!! If U knew your history U would know that most blacks who was stolen or sold into slavery did not live as animals in a jungle. They lived like kings and queens then and some still do today. I am sure that if they had a choice they would not have chosen slavery. That choice was stollen from them. Wake up !!! Everywhere the white man has walked all they did was shed blood of the inocent. Why do U think that so many foreign people dislike white people so? Tell the Indians who lives on reservations that the best thing that happened to them was the white man. How many do u think would agree with U? Ask the dead Indians who only wanted to live on the land that was stollen from them. Ask the Indian who was the last one of his tribe. Ask the Chinese who worked for half pay on the railroad or the 400,000 africans who died on the ships comming to this great nation called America. Wake up !!! I do agree tho that if America is to be a great nation that the people in it must learn to walk as one but it has a debt to pay and the blood that was shed cries out for some form of justice. Wake up !!! I am proud of where my people came from and I will not wish slavery on anyone. A person like U needs to wake up and smell the coffee. This great country that we live in isn’t all that its cracked up to be. This country is still segregated in the schools and in the work force. Wake up!!! A year ago I delivered to a store and the owner told me that I could not use her trash can but another driver broke down a box and put it in her trash and all I had was a few peices of plastic. Which do u think took up the most space? 35 minutes from that store is a town called Corinth, Ms; a black man was beaten almost to death for dancing with a white woman. One of my classmates from Jackson State University was found hung in the jail of Rankin county. They said it was suicide. He was only locked up for a traffic violation and he was about to graduate in a month. Wake up !!! This country has a debt to pay and I am sure that my people who worked for free in this country would love to see their decendants inherit the earnigs they worked hard and died hard for. Wake Yo Ass up !!!!
May 10th, 2002 at 6:50 pm
P.S Keshia, U GO GURL. YO Brother Got YO Back.
May 11th, 2002 at 8:09 am
Mercutio,
You need to take a closer look at history, not what is taught by the liberal establisment and so called leaders of the black people like Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton and Lewis Farracon. These people are not our leaders they are hate mongers. Hate will destroy us all. We sould all seek the truth. “The truth will set you free”
The segeration that you speak of is usualy perpetrated by the blacks. People like you want to be accepted by everyone else as being the same but want to segerate yourself and say you are different.
Nearly any place you go with a large amount of people you see the blacks off in a group of their own, segerating themselves. We are all people and we need to follow in the path of Dr. Martin Luther King when he said that we should be judged by the content of our charector and not by the color of our skin. We need to get over being different before we can expect others to treat us like we are part society that can all get along togeter. It seems to me that people like you want to act black and be treated like the rest of society. Most people want disregard the color of your skin and treat you like they would treat anyone else but you wont let them.
Please try to find the truth. hate will eat you up.
God Bless You,
Willie
May 13th, 2002 at 7:50 pm
Mr. Willie Jackson we both are intitled to our own opinion and I do respect your opinion. I also know where U are commin’ from. However, I do still disagree with you. I don’t believe for one minute that Rev. Jackson, Al Sharpton, or Louis Farracon are hate mongers, as you put it. All three are doing positive things in their own way, regardless of what the media want us to believe. I will let them bat for me any given day. Futhermore, I do study my history and was taught by the best.
We can go on and on and we will never agree. I am a God fearing man and I hate no one eventhough it may come out that way but right is right. The segregation that I spoke of was not something that I read or what was told to me. It was something that I witnessed with my own eyes just recently. I am also a product of that segregation. I lived it and am still living it. Come to Mississippi and join me and taste it for yourself and then maybe we could come to a common ground.
This part of your sentence is funny “People like me want to be accepted …” Did you know that the constitution still says that we are only 3/5 of a man? They don’t accept us ha ha. Get that changed. Most people, including whites, hang with their own kind, except for a few of either race. I can go on and on about that but I will leave that one open.
I just want U to know that I am BLACK and I am a product of my enviornment like most of everyone. I was rasied in the deep south, taught to love everyone, taught to trust my own instinct, taught to love and fear God, and I was taught not to be a fool for any man black or white. I witnessed the K.K.K march with their white sheets on as a little boy back in the late 70’s thru the early 80’s and they marched regularly. I witnessed a cross burned in the park where the little black kids played. I was ran to school by a group of white men shouting out racial slurs and cursing me. I was only in the 5th grade. Again I can go on and on but I won’t. I came from a proud and strong family who will fight till the end. I can also recall the night the Klan was suppose to march down the railroad tracks of the black neighborhood and my grandfather sat on the back porch waiting for them so he could kill everyone of them and they never came but the next day a friend of mine grandfather was found with his penis nailed to a tree. I could continue but I won’t. You spoke of Martin Luther King. If U knew your history U would know that King was in favor of reparations and so is his family.
Mr. Jackson these were just a few things that I had time to write before I go to my second job. Take Care and God Bless U. QT
May 14th, 2002 at 8:18 pm
i dont think we have to pay slaves because its a gay idea
May 14th, 2002 at 8:20 pm
if any slaves come forward then ok.. but i dont think theres any around
June 5th, 2002 at 7:59 pm
I would suggest that everyone do some reading on what really happened to African Americans before, during and after slavery. And about this great country of ours I would suggest James W. Loewen’s Lies My Teacher Told Me or Howard Zinn’s People’s History of the United States.
I believe that reperation should be paid, but not to individuals, but used for programs to help African American communities and schools. And the money should come from companies that benefited from slavery.
July 28th, 2002 at 4:25 pm
I wish that people would listen to themselves.
After reading over these comments I found many people saying that slavery is the past, and that it’s too late now to ask for reparation.
Do you realize that Africans in america are still in slavery—mentally! Slavery is still real and alive and exists today. Black children are still growing up feeling inferior.
African Americans are the only people who had a guideline to take their mind (Willie Lynch- ‘How to make a slave’). And if you are familiar with these writings you would know that this is why Black people have so much self hate and why there is so much Black on Black crime.
American would not be were it is economically or industrially if it wasn’t for the enslavement of Africans. Africans began to be enslaved in america in 1619; europeans started colonizing america in 1616. That only a three-year difference. If slavery is not still playing a major part on modern America, then why are Africans in America not at the same place as Caucasians, economically and socially?
Reparations are not all about money. How many years have Blacks pay for schools that Blacks couldn’t attend. Let Africans in American go to school for free. Slavery destroyed my people. We even had Africans in America on this web site stating that they don’t need reparations, but would be the first one to sue if someone damaged something of theirs. When their minds have been damaged for the past 383 years. Wake Up! You can’t just put a band-aid on slavery and say, “oops, I’m sorry”. YOU, the people of america, are a very fatuous people. And YOU need to WAKE UP!
July 29th, 2002 at 1:04 pm
I think defensiveness on both sides is holding back the truth of this situation. I think one side is white people getting pissed off because like me they’ve never done anything racist and are pissed off by the suggestion that they should pay cocky african americans who are no longer slaves. The other side are african americans pissed off that cocky european americans are trying to say that african american problems are just laziness. Both these sides are constructed by anger. Both have important points and both have over generalizations do to anger.
First Kendell that is the biggest pile of bull that all white people benefited from slavery. First of all the main soldiers in the northern union army were white union workers who went to fight because the existence of slaves in the south undermined the unions of the north. You can compare this to globalization today. Workers cannot strike if free labor exists in the south. All a company would have to do is take its business to the south to break the strike. This is why over a million poor white workers fought the southern aristocracy in the bloodiest war in the United States history. Tell me what the poor white worker benefited from slavery. Also the poor white farmer who were in competition with free labor and driven into poverty because of the existence of slavery. Tell me how the poor white farmer gained from the oppression of the black man.
So in your opinion I who had numerous ancestors who shed blood to free the black man so poor whites could be more free should pay someone I don’t know out of my limited budget. That is what is nosensical.
I don’t think any white people should have to pay reparations for something we didn’t do and all the reasons already stated ahead. I also don’t think that some whites should take this cocky attitude that blacks are unharmed by slavery. The scars are lasting but anyone who thinks a little extra money with increased racial tension is going down the wrong road in general. I know that I am willing to struggle for racial harmony but if I was forced to pay some random African American for something I didn’t do I would be that much closer to saying fuck it.
Keisha, Earl, Mercutio, and Willie I think the truth lies in between what all of you say. Willie don’t be so naive and so easy to eat propaganda you see on the news. The American ruling class is still stealing from blacks and capitalism has driven poor people (black and white) out of jobs to move factories to oppressive countries in Africa, Central America, Asia and now the collapsed communist countries. Earl and Keisha no matter if you are racist or not (i can’t tell) only all poor people of all races united can change oppression. Earl even if all black people did go on strike they don’t hold enough jobs (because of globalism)to hold enough sway. Keisha the only practical way reparations could work is if you sued the corporations still in existence that benefited from slavery and gave it to help with african american college education. That would help the African American population without increasing racial tension. Mercutio its true that the white ruling class has destroyed enviroment, cultures, and peoples. Notice I say the white ruling class because white oppressed have been living under the heel of the ruling class for to long. It also takes great will to hold back getting angry at your racist generalizations. I am german irish and proud of my ancestors. My german great great grandfather left germany because he participated in the 1848 failed revolution. His son fought in the civil war. My Irish ancestors left because of the starvation in Ireland due to British rule. I feel your cultural pride but watch your racist bullshit.
I absolutely agree with Lady T. Knowthyself even if black people deserve personal reparations because of mental slavery. Do random white people who have fought for equality deserve to pay for it out of their already small budgets. The answer to the reparations question is to sue corporations who directly benefited from slavery and give it to education of community building in African American neighborhoods. The real answer though is socialism and true equality, workers of the world unite!
August 15th, 2002 at 6:13 pm
In truth the call for reparations may be tinged by those whose ulterior motives are to reap some sort of financial benefit from the movement. Or perhaps to make others feel guilty,or to garner some sort of revenge. However, as a so called black man- African-American I see the reparations movement as a way to incite dialogue about what has been for so long a hush-hush issue. There are some who say that blacks should just get over it, and I agree in as much as we as a people and America as a nation should move on. However we cannot do effectively ‘move on’ without everyone black and white admitting two things. #1 blacks should admit (whomever it applies) that we have not moved on because many of us still blame whites for our failures, that is, there are some of us who instead of reaching for our dreams, mire in a state of self-worthlessness which is totally unfortunate. There is nothing that anyone can no achieve if they whole-heartedly believe in themselves even in the face of oppression. #2 whites must admit that many of them have not moved on because concsiously and subconciously the idea is ingrained in their minds that somehow and in someway so-called negroes are inferior to themselves. This is a sad way for human beings to boost their own esteem, by imposing this preposterous idea upon others. First off if so-called whites were superior there would be no need to prove this ideology at every nook and turn. Secondly if this theory were true then they would not have to violently enforce this point. To the contrary race is a social construct that is not biologically valid, and is only usefull to divide and conquer. Finally those who are superior, whether black or white are those men and women who have decided not to be lulled into this ignorance, hatred, and evil; recognizing that we all as human beings are imperfect and have a myriad of short comings, yet our commonalites are greater than our differences. Furthermore, the greatest thing that we all share in common is the desire to love and to be love. So if reparation movement can incited dialogue to this end, I say good.
November 21st, 2002 at 7:50 pm
I’m a black man.
I’ve read quite a bit of the replies here about reparations for past slaves and I’m shocked at what I’m reading here.
I think it’s obvious what is written here is spoken from primarily uneducated whites and blacks alike. I think it’s hard, very hard, to bridge that gap between racial equality and Hard Knock University.
The issues with blacks today isn’t going to be solved by sending us globs of money. If there are any reparations to be paid, please set up an educational fund to provide our young the necessary classes and so forth to teach them racial equality and racial tolerance.
We, as blacks, have lived most of our lives without a lot of money and we’ve done just fine. I think what is important here is going forward and leaving the past in the past. We can only hope that our younger generation growing up can look back at the “old” ways and learn that there are more reasonable ways to do things for the future. The concepts of our inability to get along has long been obvious, but with time and healing… and most important EDUCATION, we can all come out of this decently and peacefully.
Money, throughout time, has never proven to solve anything… in fact, it’s caused only more hurt, pain, and extreme cases of lonliness.
Money is not the answer to our problems.
I say this to my people…
You can have a billion man march, if you don’t put down that malt liquor and chicken wings… and get behind someone other than a running back who stabs his wife… you will never get rid of the very people who put you down. Get up off your butts and take what is yours, stop complaining.
November 26th, 2002 at 4:28 pm
I’m a white man. I think white people should create a homeland somewhere in North America. We need a place where we can just be off on our own, among our own if we want. I’m not talking about taking over the U.S., it just needs to be a place, any size. There are those of other races that want to separate their race from others, and to them I would say you and I are in agreement. I wouldn’t mind if other races created homelands, that’s fine. Nor would I have a problem with gays and lesbians creating homelands. Then they can go off and do their thing without having to worry about what people like me will think, say or do.
I can imagine what some multiculturalists are going to write about what I’ve said, so I’ll answer ahead of time with this– fine, live in the multi-culti areas then. I never said the entire planet should be a series of homelands from one pole to the other… what I am saying is that it shouldn’t be unallowable for racial homelands to exist anywhere on the planet.
May 13th, 2003 at 11:07 am
If it did not happen to you, therefore you cant tell someone how to feel about it. If the world change a great deal from then maybe the feelings would go away.Others got theirs why cant blacks get it.
May 31st, 2003 at 11:19 am
The concept of reparations is absolutely ABSURD! How far back do we go to seek payment for the wrongs that were done to others? I owe them nothing and they owe me nothing. I’m the son of a poor farmer and I have worked hard for thirty years to get where I am…don’t expect me, under ANY conditions, to hand over money for something so rediculous. Slavery was legal at the time (wrong, but legal!). Example: If the speed limit on a road was 70 mph yesterday, but lowered to 55 today, can the police give ME a ticket for MY BROTHER going 65 on the road yesterday? May sound silly, but it’s the same principle. Who should pay? Who should receive? Get a job, earn an honest living, and stop whining about who “owes” you something.
September 14th, 2003 at 7:26 am
Examine society and I’m sure you’ll see it encourages the cries of reperations in other judgements. Surely you are familiar with some of the law suites against companies that seem to be clear personal responsibility issues.
Americans seems to be becoming less responsible for itself and reparations appears to be just another symptom.
December 21st, 2003 at 7:27 pm
Reperation should be paid to the victims of slavery. I am not saying give every black person a check, but maybe reperation can been done in the form of education,health care and economic enrichment programs. In American history black people are not taught their history. we learn about world history but we do not learn African history. One whom does not know his past has no way of moving ahead. Public education should not teach students hat Arican-Americans were slaves and then were freed. Just like the jewish haulaucost the african haulaucost is dominant today,because balck people still are not given the same opportunities as white people. and we still experience racism on daily bases when we are misrepresented in the media and when we are not given the same opportunities as a white person. or when we are incouraged to strive to be like white people and giving up our heritage is the right thing to do.
July 27th, 2005 at 7:18 pm
I believe Reparations are owed first of all,based on Field Order 15 ordered by William T Sherman in 1865 stating that each family would receive 40 acres of land and an army mule to work the land, thus “forty acres and a mule”
Abraham Lincoln was assinated and Andrew Johnson a southerner succeed him. He was agaisnt reconstruction. Black peope had nothing at that time and their families inherited nothing except their debt and poverty. Not all blacks come from poverty. But I think reparations is owed. The notion that blacks are looking for a payment from individual whites is insane and never going to happen. Repaartions is never going to happen. Programs should be emplemented to rebuild the black community or help them build their community. But It will never happen, reparations will never happen and the black underclass community will continue to deterirate and black men will continue to be the majority of the population in the prison systems. So out of all of the arguments agaisnt reparations, there are still families in the Unites Staes that profited from slavery.