Reperation for African americans

http://www.angelfire.com/tx3/rayhomepage/editorials/reperation.html

So, how do you feel about this? I think that it's stupid. I think that we shouldn't have to pay them when there are places liek Vermont that never allowed slavery and such. Also not all white family back then owned slaves. Also whos to say that some of the African Americans didn't move here after slavery was banned. I mean if we are goign to pay them money for being slaves then why shouldn't we pay the Irish for being tormented for so long when the first immigrated here or women for having less rights then men for so many years? There are lots of different types of people who ahve been repressed and don't demand everyone pay them money for it.

If we're going to hold people responsible for the actions of their ancestors, we're all guilty of a whole lot of stuff, probably much worse than slavery. Some of my ancestors were German; should I have to pay Jewish people?

Exactly. Then every European nation would have to pay since they had ancestors who helped int eh slavery and all that. I think it's just a horrible idea.

I think that it sounds like people are just trying to make a excuse for quick cash based on what happened to thier race, not them, maybe not even thier familes even, but thier race in general. Besides I doubt it'll go over well from all the families who never had slaves and are being forced to pay for something a long time ago they they had nothing to do with.

Just to mention a fact: Only 30 percent of the south owned slaves in 1850. Oftentimes, racist African-Americans (yes...they do exist) will try to make the South appear as if everyone owned 100 slaves and lived on a plantation, and north was a safe haven to them. In reality, the entire country was racist at that time, and luckily most of it has now recovered from that era.

I think this suggestion is absurd, for the reasons already stated. I just wanted to back it up with actual facts. I agree that the freed slaves should have been helped out with things like reparations, and they were during Reconstruction, with the Freedmen's Bureau, but it has been 140 years since then, and this nation is a very different place. White people should no longer have to pay for what their ancestors did, as horrible as they were.

Gotta make up the huge deficit somewhere...

But, in all seriousness, this law will never fly. According to a recent census, whites are beginning to be the minority in America, so it would seem highly impossible for a now smaller group to pay a larger group. Besides, as others have said, making the descendants of those who made mistakes pay for the wrongs is very silly. I believe that because of this very principle, there will never be peace in the Middle East, because the hatred is only rooted in the past, and no one can move on from it. Yes, slavery was terrible, probably one of the darkest hours in American history, but I wasn't even born during this time, so I had no sway in the actions. How can I be held responsible, or anyone who had no involvement? It's time to focus on the future. Black or white, we can all get along now, so I say that it's time to bury the hatchet. Passing this law would only open up old wounds and probably create new ones.

Take care all.

I agree with ya, except whites are not beginning to be the minority. Not even close. While the population gap is closing, it's not close yet.

I believe we are though, but the majority won't be our dark-skinned brethren either, it'll be those of Hispanic background very soon.

Take care all.

According to the US Census Bureau: (http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=01000US&-_box_head_nbr=GCT-P6&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-_lang=en&-format=US-9&-_sse=on)

White: 69.1%
Hispanic or Latino: 12.5%
African-American: 12.3%
Asian: 3.6%

There are others, but not enough to make make the list, like Native Americans or Pacific Islanders.

Doesn't seem very close to me. Where do ya live, Captain? I live in the South, and down here we're more racially diverse than the north, amongst Latinos, African-Americans, and Whites. We are probably in a White:Latino:A-A ratio of 40:30:30, with a little taken out for Asians.

In Long Island, about 10 or so miles east of the city. Is that the most recent census? I could have sworn there was one from last year that showed the gap had closed dramatically... perhaps I'm mistaken.

Take care all.

Censuses are taken every 10 years. And it's doubtful that the gap could have closed dramatically over the course of 4 years. Even by 2010, it probably won't be beyond 60-17-17 ratio.

Maybe, I saw a state census then, because I know that the gap in NYC is almost fifty-fifty white to black/hispanic.

Take care all.

They should be paying the people that were slaves, not there children who weren't. There just trying to exploit there ancestors, and if they really want one, they can go back to Africa. Sounds cold but its true.

In certain parts of California, whites are indeed the minority. It's the truth in my home town.

This is a stupid idea, for the reasons already stated. My family wasnt even in America at the time. Sheesh.

Well, it's better than spending the money in weapons.

Also...

Reperation is the biggest sham since Communism and Utopianism.

:rolleyes2

Only for that, I'd start agreeing with reperation just to annoy that gentleman. Well, I actually think many parts of that article suffer from lack of documentation, but eh...whatever.

But OK, to be quite frank, I don't see the point of it. Those people who want money were never slaves, right? I can make a long list of countries where there are people who had been hurt by US external policy and probably deserve that reperation more. I'm not saying I think US should do it, but it makes more sense to give that money to people who have suffered in Chile, Cuba or Nicaragua than to the descendants of people who suffered it more than a century ago.

EDIT: Sorry, I'm kinda going to go off topic but:

http://www.angelfire.com/tx3/rayhomepage/editorials/worstscenario.html

6.) Likely groups to be detained, subjected to summary execution, or shot on sight

Is it me or is this gentleman being a little bit sensationalistic?

I think it's a horrible idea. That being said, I'm not going to consider an article found on an angelfire website to be particularly noteworthy.

The idea of reperations is ridiculous. It's common sense that I didn't enslave anyone and no one alive today wsa enslaved in that manner. It's also insulting to black people who have become successful despite setbacks. Rather than dwell on misfortunes of centuries past, people should look to those who have made it for inspiration and actually work for their success instead of begging for it.

Something tells me that even the black people who would be benefiting from reperations would find it absolutely ridiculous.

Reverse racism is still racism.

I know! Reperations against England for all the pre-united states stuff. Being Irish also I can go back to the 11th centruy also and get double the reparations!

This is one sweet deal.

Well, this is a bit off, since we're talking about a looong time ago... but, compensation on such matters exists. Countries pay each other compensation sums for the cost of wars they started, for crimes committed against them or their people, etc. I think it's a just idea.

Originally posted by War Angel
Well, this is a bit off, since we're talking about a looong time ago... but, compensation on such matters exists. Countries pay each other compensation sums for the cost of wars they started, for crimes committed against them or their people, etc. I think it's a just idea.

The idea, yes. Not that money solves problems or make anything better (save for rebuilding costs), but it's ludicis to pay someone for the suffering they never suffered. The U.S. paid reperations to the Japanese they interned during WWII, they were actually still alive (some, at least).

Also, all Italians should have to pay all the Christians reparations, for all the Christians that were fed to the lions in Roman collosseums. And then the Christians should just send all that money to the Muslims for the whole Crusades deal. But then, the Muslims didn't exactly have their hands clean in that one, so they should just share the Italian money.

Although I'm not sure what you'd do if you were an Italian Christian or an Italian Muslim.

I think we all agree that this plan is terminally flawed.

Take care all.

Sure im all for reperations. I will give my slaves all the money they want...OH! WAIT! have never enslaved anyone! DUH!

If i have wronged anyone personaly i will sure make it up to them.
But since i was never guilty of this i shouldn't OWE anyone diddly squat. If anything its robery.

Something like this would set inter-racial relations back a hundred years I reckon. Most sources that are to be found on the internet, while they make interesting points for discussion, are rubbish. It is often difficult, especially when doing research, to find reputable internet sources and this clearly is not one of them.

We, as individuals, can only be held morally responsible for our own actions. My father's faults are not mine. Same goes here. I have never held slaves, nor been a slave, because this is a country that does not tolerate slavery, racial slavery or no. I think that it is sheer, utter weakness and lack of respect on those that can try to win cash off of their ancestor's problems.

This is such a ridiculous notion, that I can't see how anyone can support such a baseless cause.

What a pathetic article -
The problem among Blacks is they have a lack of father figure in their life. Many Blacks come from illegitimate relationship and single parent household, which is a huge problem, bigger than racism. How about legislation to deal with skinhead attitudes like this? The only 'racism' in that article came from the author himself.

Also, current generations of African-Americans are paying the price for past injustices. Disproportionate levels of poverty, crime, poor education and unemployment are a direct result of having been second-class citizens, not only during the slavery era, but right up until the legal activism in the '60s. Effects linger from one generation to the next, it's an undeniable fact. If your father was poor, uneducated and abused, you're going to have a poor and uneducated uprbringing - add to that the knowledge that your circumstances are due to the colour of your skin... my point is made, I think.

Now, I'm opposed to the prinicple of ever-lasting preferential treatment for ethnic minorities; but, where people are genuinely suffering because of past injustices, the rest of us can't just say, "Hey, it was in the past, it wasn't my fault, sucks to be you." At least, the government can't afford to take such a stance if it truly cares about furthering equality and closing the gaps that still exist.Multiculturalist and the idea of multiculturalism is racist and a huge failure.Yes, deny the other cultures! White, middle-class culture is the true face of America and anyone who wants to be different is a "racist PC nazi".:rolleyes2

Yes, deny the other cultures! White, middle-class culture is the true face of America and anyone who wants to be different is a "racist PC nazi"

:rolleyes2

Just look at the rest of the site.

Indeed. (http://www.angelfire.com/tx3/rayhomepage/editorials/editorialarchive.html)

Plenty of fine material there... *projectile vomits*

This is my favourite, talks about how everyone on my university would be killed (http://www.angelfire.com/tx3/rayhomepage/editorials/worstscenario.html).

"1.) Communists and other radical leftists (Socialists and Fascists)."

XD

The "best" article there, I believe, was the one on Light Pollution, the worst form of environmental pollution. It's far more serious than degredation of air and water quality, because Light Pollution prevents Americans from seeing the stars. Other forms of pollution aren't really bad at all, they were just made up by evil foreign terrorist nations who want to control the US with evil powers like the Kyoto Protocol.

Yes, gotta cut down on that excess light.

Well, light pollution is not nice but...I don't see it as a ver big problem, really.

But well, that site is a comedy goldmine. There's also an attempt of justification to the coupe d'etat in Chile, where CIA was so nice to help. Yet, after that, he says he is against fascism.

But isn't it fun to read and feel intelligent?

Also, current generations of African-Americans are paying the price for past injustices. Disproportionate levels of poverty, crime, poor education and unemployment are a direct result of having been second-class citizens, not only during the slavery era, but right up until the legal activism in the '60s. Effects linger from one generation to the next, it's an undeniable fact. If your father was poor, uneducated and abused, you're going to have a poor and uneducated uprbringing - add to that the knowledge that your circumstances are due to the colour of your skin... my point is made, I think.

But, Look at a state like Vermont where There was NEVER slavery. It was put into the constitution that slaves were illigal. Why should people who's familys even be made to pay? And my father was poor and uneducated and I am not. Most of my fathers side of the family are dairy farmers who have a high school education at most and yest seem to still lead a happy life and beable to provide for there familys.