Questions From Brian
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I think that I have a subject for you to comment on
for your site. More and more of late there has been
talk of reparations being made to the black community
for slavery. On a televised conference of black owned
broadcasters one of the panelists commented that the
fact that so few blacks graduate high school and even
less go to college compared to whites can be traced to
slavery. He also stated that since banks made money
off loans to purchase slave, insurance companies
insured slaves as property, and the government
collected taxes these are the ones who need to
basically pay up.
In a recent feature in the Arizona Republic one
business leader stated he wanted his forty acres and a
mule, saying this quite literally. He said that it
could be put to use for his children.
At the conference I first mentioned it was also stated
that the UN has declared slavery a crime against
humanity and that the United States would be brought
to reconcile the matter as such.
My problems with this are many.
1) My family as with a great majority of Americans
did not arrive in the United States until after
slavery. We have not even been here for a hundred
years yet. Why should I be affected by this.
2) Not all black people are descendants of slaves.
How do we prove who is and who is not to dole out
payments?
3) As to the gentleman wanting his forty acres and a
mule. That is what his ancestor would have gotten.
With the property being split between the other
descendants his share would be 4 acres and a horseshoe.
4) Do we pay all descendants or the oldest living.
After all it would be their decision to give their
share to the kids or not.
5) When do we stop giving out reparations? After how
many generations will it be payment enough?
6) Irish were sold as slaves in the 1700's and mixed
with those in Africa. Does this mean since I may be
related I get something?
7) The Jews persecuted by the Nazis whom are still
alive have not gotten reparations. Why should I give
a sh** if someone who may or not had a bad day in
their life get reparations because they are black?
They may have never known any form of persecution.
8) Don't the Indians have first dibs?
9) While many bad things have come from slavery the
fact is that if those sold into slavery had never left
Africa, their descendants would have had a harder life.
Most would be dead. Are we to look at only the bad
side effects or can we allow for the positive by
products?
10) What about those who died in illegal indentured
servitude which is in fact slavery. They were told
they still had time left on their contracts when they
did not. Unfortunately they were too ignorant to know
and kept working when they should have been free. Or
do only black slaves count?
11) What about reparations for the many Chinese who
died building the railroad?
12) The Irish, Jews and every other nationality have
been used as slaves by another group at one time or
another. Why is it that nobody thinks we should get
reparations?
13) As far as the college thing goes, if someone
really wants it they can get it. Just because I am
white did not me anything was handed to me. I grew up
on welfare. My family never even encouraged me to try
to go to college. I passed high school by one
question. If I had missed one more I would have
failed my final and my senior year. No money was set
aside for me to attend college, and I never took the
SAT's. I am now close to getting an Associates
degree, which while not something stellar by nature it
is something that I have earned. With no handouts or
help. Anyone can get an education if they are willing
to apply themselves and put it as a priority. It is
not my fault if they do not.
14) Everyone will agree that slavery was a terrible
thing. By those who are seeking reparations are not
helping to bring people together, they have their own
agendas. There is enough working against racial
harmony without someone coming out saying give me
money cause I am black and you are white. And someone
who you have no connection with other than your skin
color did something bad to someone I may or may not be
related to before any of us were born. It is not that
I don't believe in reparations, I just believe that
everyone who deserved them most died years ago.
I hope that you find something in this for your site,
or at the very least gives you something to think
about. I hope I have not bored you. The site looks
very nice, though it makes me wonder why all my web
design efforts are in vain. Let me know your thoughts.