Slavery reparations

[MitchShrader]

My Mother was the first white teacher to teach in the (Federally) sponsored 'head start' program in a black school in Alabama. In the same year the 3 (white, Jewish?) civil rights workers were killed by the Ku Klux Klan in in Missisisippi, .. and my career soldier father was training (all race) troops for riot control.. The Klan burned a cross in our yard, we received death threats, and life was most unpleasant for some time. Uh, do i get a pass on the race tax? or maybe a bonus? Please, equity, NOW, is reasonable. But you wanna make ME pay for what my (non slave owning) ancestors did, out of my (non existent) investment in the 'power structure' of America? Any one wants to impose a 'Race Tax' is mebbe dim in the logic department. And anyone wants to impose one on ME is liable to gain more trouble than money, no matter WHO they are, or WHAT specious arguement they present. Hell, *I* want 40 acres and a mule, TOO. Speaking as a guy who's pink with little brown spots, and who has children of similar complexion, I proclaim my self proudly a 'spottie' and want all you white folks to paypal me a dollar. Any volunteers?

[Tedob1]

Nth Man the companies that exploited the black people are still exploiting us all, we shouldn't be devided on this. Its omly getting worse and seperating the common people into factions only gives them strength.

Its never really been the whites against the blacks, its really been the rich against the poor and any way they can keep someone down has allways been a gain to them. If they can keep a group un-educated and at odds with others so they can't get the big picture, so much the better.

The poor white, prior to the beginning of the 20th century, was forced to work double shifts plus, in inhuman conditions, at a wage that couldnt pay the rent for the rooms they had to rent from the company they worked for. They were forced to buy food from the company store. they were kept in debt so they couldn't leave. In 1911+- their were riots in the streets so choldren under 16 wern't forced to work more than 16 hours a day. people, white people were being oppressed. its not a race thing its a power thing. Those who have, want more, and they don't care who they have to hurt to get it. the more they can devide us, the less the truth is known.

Techichick, my family fled from Kracow, left their homes and buisnesses before the germans leveled the city so i know what your saying.

[The Old Man]

Well here's how i see it: My ancestors did not own, manage, or know any slaves, nor did they benefit in any way from those who may have. I do not own stock in any pre-civil war company nor do i benefit from one nor can i buy *anything* at a lower price than anybody else can. I do not have any $$ coming from any company who even existed before the Civil War but i do have some ancestors who fought and either died or were wounded grossly fighting for the North, and got exactly diddly for their efforts and wounds, limping through the rest of their painful lives trying to make a living for their families. I don't owe anybody anything nor do i owe any of thier ancestors anything, period. I work my a$$ off everyday, come home with sweat-rivulets washing little ditches down the dirt on my face, and i don't ask anybody to pay me for what my ancestors lost fighting for the cause of freedom for this country in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, WWI, WW2, and my own loss of civilian time and personal education and progress during Viet Nam. If my Congressmen or Senators vote any of my tax money for "reparations" past what they already spend on social programs for the disadvantaged of every possible description, he's gonna know he ain't got my vote next time around, and he can take my name off his mailing list. That's the way I see it, Bubba.

[Nth Man]

your are guilty if you know your neighbor robs banks buys fine bone china with the money and you eat off it then take the china home Sodamoca my grandfather never finished 3rd grade my grandmother never finished gradeschool they owed 22 acres of land in the south before the government took all but 7 thats 15 acres they will never see again... thats hard work! techiechick I'm assuming your great grandparents are jewish, there are lawyers and organizations that are fighting to get personal effects and treasure stolen from the jews during the war.

the powers that be set it up so that they and thier decendants would benefit from thier ill gotten gains for generations... america has made trillions from the blood of my ancestors should she not pay... oh she'd rather invest it by sending troops to iraq? the only return on that kind of investment is bodybags, bastards and dead babies. Wars only keep politians and arms dealer rich... I guess if america thinks we'll spend it on 40oz gold chians and big cars then go ahead fight iraq.

[Wickdgin]

I have a lot to say here, and it's quite late (or early depending on how you see it) so bare with me...

My first problem with reperations is of course the obvious and what has already been said- slavery had been abolished nearly a century and a half ago. They are asking for reperations from people who have absolutley nothing to do with slavery, to pay others who have never been slaves themselves.

Second- If should decendents of slaves are handed reperations, then why shouldn't Native Americans get simular reperations? I mean we only killed a good many of them, threw them off the land we built this country on. And while we are at it, why don't we give reperations too the Irish that were kept from getting a decent job, the ancestors or even those that were black listed during the cold war, and even down to the arab population that has been discriminated in these most recent times. Pretty soon we'll be paying everybody for just about every discrimination. My point is, everyone and everyones ancestor has been a victom- why and how could we choose to repent victoms of one group but not the other(s).

Third- We can not achieve racial equality if one racial group asks for special treatment, special privleges or programs over the others. The only way for racial equality is for society to be blind to race, but how could we with programs such as affirmitive action, and proposals such as this.

If it is equality we strive for, then we must accept to be treated as equals- not as a lower or higher class, not as a villan or victom - there should be no labels, no special treatment.

[allenb1963]

So Nth man...can I assume that the fact that I am white makes me guilty? Thats the impression that I'm getting and if it's true that you feel that way, then you are no better than those fools in the KKK or the idiots who started the slave trade in the first place.

Whats really cool is what you would see if you looked back along the generational lines of my family. There's an American Indian back there, along with a WWI vet, a Revolutionary War soldier, even a UNION soldier. So lets add this up...one of my ancestors got screwed same as you, one fought to help birth this country, one fought to free YOUR ancestors, and one fought to defend the freedoms of this and several other countries. Now would you care to enlighten me as to how I OWE YOU forty acres and a mule and just exactly what it is I'm guilty of?

[TIMBSNTRUKS]

In reading these comments I cant help but wonder what was that (those) payments made to the jewish people for the crimes committed against them by Hitler. Then I wonder how people can just chalk up affirmative action, which was meant to "level the playing field", to right the wrong of slavery. This country still enjoys the fruits of the labor and lives given by black people. This is not to say that black people should not own up to their part, however, America does not now nor has it ever respected black people. They have treated and continue to treat them with contempt and "tolerate" them because its the "right" thing to do.

[antihaxor]

I wonder what circumstances the decendents of slaves would find themselves in IF thier ancestors weren't forced to come here. Malcomb X said they the white settlers landed on plymouth rock.....but that same rock LANDED on the blacks. There is truth in that statment.
But where would they be if they were left in Africa? I'll tell you..they would be in the same postion that 60% of all Africans are...HUNGRY. I believe in ONE race..the HUMAN race. So I'm not a bigot..I just disagree. I have cherokee(american indian) blood in me. What they did to my poeple is far worse that anything done to blacks.My poeple were so subjected to genocide that there isn't enough of us LEFT to make political waves. I say to the black leaders that are greedily crying reparations to quit thier WHINING .
It makes me SICK!

[detoxsmurf]

I'm sorry for the things that our ancestors did generations ago but you have to be kidding me about reperation. There is no conspiracy to hold African Americans down. We have equal opportunity laws and more then enough scholarships if someone wanted to go to school and make better their life. It's too bad that there are a few bad apples out there (white and black) that have to keep this issue alive.

On a more positive note, I went into the military after highschool and some of my best friends in the service are African Amercian. They are some of the most hard working guys and best friends that i have ever had.

[JP]

Greetings All:

Urgh, topics like this really annoy me. Let me start by saying I am FAR from prejudice. As a gay man, I know what it's like being in the minority of a society that as a whole, doesn't exactly look highly on you. However..........

Originally posted here by Nth Man
I pay my taxes to a government that enslaved my ancestors.

Yes, and I pay my taxes to a government that still allows states to arrest and imprison gays just for being in the same bed in their homes with one another, that would deny me the right to see my partner in the hospital even if he was on his death bed, and that doesn't afford me the same legal and financial protections that a "straight" couple would get. But, despite all, I pay my taxes and I'm proud to do it. Maybe you should take some pride in your country too?

Originally posted here by Nth Man
Look deep and hard at what's going on around you. You’re guilty by association and taxes. You say hard work and an education is all one needs to make it in this society, my ancestors worked hard in the cotton and sugarcane fields, denied and education denied to speak their native language and practice their culture, so the whites could sit on their asses sipping mint julep. America has billions to fight iraq but, when is she going to give me my forty acres and a mule?

America will give you your damn 40 acres and a mule when you go out and earn it, just like the rest of us have to do!

Originally posted here by Nth Man
oh she'd rather invest it by sending troops to iraq? the only return on that kind of investment is bodybags, bastards and dead babies.

Uhm, returns on that type of investment also include your right to live in this country without having to fear additional radical Muslim fundamentalist groups obtaining nuclear capabilities and blowing the **** out of you and everyone within a several mile radius of you. Your precious 40 acres wouldn't be worth much if it was in the middle of a radioactive fall-out zone.

Originally posted here by TIMBSNTRUKS
America does not now nor has it ever respected black people. They have treated and continue to treat them with contempt and "tolerate" them because its the "right" thing to do.

You really should get over this "I'm a victim" thing, it's not very becoming. With your attitude, I'm not surprised that you've been treated your entire life with "contempt and tolerance". However, just because you've been treated that way, doesn't mean that America as a whole treats all people of your race similarly. Perhaps you'd find that if you adjusted your attitude, those around you might gain a bit more respect for you.


It's very easy to sit back and blame others for the troubles in our lives.
What's difficult, is putting forth the effort necessary to work our way out of them. However, it's also by far most rewarding......