Reparations, Terrorism, White boys, Police murder
Cornel West: Twin Towers Aid Same as Slavery Reparations
Harvard African-American studies professor Cornel West complained this week that while Americans are anxious to give “reparations” to the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks onthe World Trade Center and Pentagon, they continue to resist calls to compensate for another form of terrorism — slavery.
Speaking to Harvard’s Kennedy Schools ARCO Forum Wednesday, West mused that “America has been ‘n—-rized’” by the Sept. 11 attacks.
“Sounds an awful lot like reparations to me,” the noted professor announced to shouts of “Amen!” from the crowd.
“I didn’t think America was into reparations,” he observed.
Frances Beal, Black America and the Struggle for Peace
Black America cannot afford to be fooled by the so-called War on Terrorism. President Bush’s speech to Congress was nothing less than a bellicose plan that will further plunge the nation and the world into an ever-escalating cycle of violence that will leave immeasurable death and destruction in its path. In the name of the fight against terrorism, we cannot permit international covenants on non-aggression to be cast aside, or legitimate forms of opposition to U.S. foreign policy and economic hegemony to be painted as aiding the terrorists and dealt with accordingly, or to accept that the emergent anti-globalization and anti-racist movements at home and abroad be treated to repressive measures.
Frank Scott, He Is Totally An Asshole
“He is totally an asshole.” –Japanese Foreign Minister, Mikako Tanaka, describing President Bush.
The above wisdom from the east entered our consciousness during the media season of patriotism. While most Americans have the good sense to simply picnic, watch fireworks and have a good time, many pundits find the Fourth of July a time to extol the virtues of our founding fathers and our unique democracy.
Edward L. Whitfield, The Timothy McVeigh Silence is Loud and Profound
When can a silence speak volumes? When does saying nothing at all tell a lot about the speaker? When you ask some white folks why Americans didn’t “profile” young Christian white guys with crewcuts after Timothy McVeigh was known to have blown up the Federal building in Oklahoma City, killing 162 innocent men, women and children because of his reactionary beliefs. The question has come up numerous times in the context of discussing the increased suspicion of, disrespect for and discrimination against Arab looking people since the September 11 attacks. Typically there is no response. None. Silence. The discussion is changed to something else. What is not being said here?
The answer is simple. It is the same answer to the question of why did America lock up Japanese-Americans during World War II, but not German-Americans. The answer is that America is a racist country. Racism causes us to dehumanize people and assume them to be one-dimensional. We only see them as threats, not as complex and feeling people like we are.
Lorenzo Komboa Ervin, Racism and Police Murder - Statement to the WCAR
My name is Lorenzo Komboa Ervin. I am at this conference representing the Black Autonomy International. We have in turn created a network of local groups in the State of Michigan (in the USA) which primarily organizes around racism, police brutality and racial profiling, called the Southwest Michigan Coalition Against Racism and Police Brutality. It should be noted at the outset, that the city of Detroit leads the United States in the number of police shootings and deaths in custody (over 100 since 1991).
Although the U.S. government refuses to report on the exact number of persons killed by police use of deadly force each year (NOTE: as it is in fact mandated by the 1994 Criminal Code revision), we have been able to document 500-1,000 cases per annum of police fatalities filed to the U.S. Department of Justice, but only through the work of local grassroots groups like ours, national activist groups like the October 22nd Coalition, and others.
November 9th, 2001 at 3:02 pm
very well spoken dr. west! …..reparations…aint that a shame!
December 25th, 2001 at 1:09 pm
I agree with sentiments afore mentioned regarding reparations. As I told my wife they’re get it for just one terrible day & we cannot a little piece for what happened for hundreds of years.
February 7th, 2002 at 3:23 pm
What I have noticed is how people turn things around when it fits them. Like the slavery issue. No one has ever really taken care of the problems caused by slavery, yet they want to shut people up from talking about it. So we go round and round, someone gets upset and it starts all over again. Heck take care of it! If things were reversed and whites were slaves they would NEVER stop until they got something out of the deal.
I use the WTC attack as an example. It did not effect all white people, not ever single white person had family nor friends in the building, but every single white person wants some kind of justice for the attack as if it was there way of life. With that in mind whites should understand the plight of blacks when it comes to slavery even to this day.
July 4th, 2002 at 5:53 am
Why should white people have to pay blacks back for something their ancestors did? We have no control over what they did. Slavery hasn’t been around for a long time now so HOW IN ANY WAY does it effect blacks living today? Every failure of the black race always gets blamed on “whitey. I’m getting sent to prison for killing two people in a driveby, I got arrested for selling crack, I’m getting locked up for rape… and it’s all whitey’s fault. Maybe if black people didn’t live up to every stereotype ever made about them and they actually became civilized and took responsibilities for their actions they wouldn’t need slavery reparation money. Slavery has nothing to do financially with blacks living today. I don’t think i know any 150 year old black people, but hey i could be wrong.
July 27th, 2005 at 10:58 am
There goes another ignorant one (JOSH) who knows nothing of history and repercussions slavery has caused. Why are Africans Americans stereotyped in committing all these crime and whites not??? Whose is the majority that are in these insitutions that pay wages to workers, who hires?….look at all the PREVILEGE and OPPORTUNITIES whites have and then examine historic events that has caused all these inequalities….