Should the descendants of the slave trade be paid reparations for the free labor of thier ancestors ?

Question

there are multi billion dollar corporations that have been built up on the labor of slaves from across the ocean. now these slave descendants are struggling to purchase land and get quality educations...that descendants of slave owners have had handed to them....should there be some sort of government action to insure that these people have equal standing financially in the nation. it has only been 50 years ago they couldnt eat , pee , or vote along side of thier white neighbors...should they get more assistance or has white america done enough to help these people already. finally if anyone feels that they should "go back where they were originated from" would you be willing to fund the trip for them to leave?

Answer 1

If that is your reasoning the Jews and homosexuals do not deserve anything for the Holocaust either! Neither did the Chech Republic, the Native Americans, the Japanese for World War 2...The Pope at least Apologized for the actions of his dead predesseors to the Jews! The Rasicm, Sexism and Bigotry you still see today Is a Direct Result of It!

It's the Dutch, The English, France, Spain and Portugal who made the largest amounts of money from Slavery. The Stock Market is BASED on Slave labor, rum and sugar! May it Crash! Minority women are still not given a fair shake and neither are African Americans. Nobody made a formal apology to them and the Pope still hasn't said not a word to Native Americans or Hispanics and African Americans....

By the way America Belonged to Native Americans First! So much for Your Brand of Christianity when it clearly speaks against menstealers in the New Testament, That's 1st Timothy1....kidnapping, rape, murder and Not treating employees with dignity and respect. Those are the types of Hypocrites Jesus talked about! Then you wonder why there are so many Muslims! According to your own Bible You Are Cursed down to the Fourth and Fifth generations when you do not make restitution for things done wrongly! Deuteronomy 28, Psalm 62. Read it and weep!

America has continued to steal their health with no compunction, treat all minrities as if they are not human, steal their Identities, refuse to admit guilt, stop them from obtaining educations at every hand. You are Full of your selfish selves!

Answer 2

No, they should not be paid reparations. First, what multi-billion corporations are you refering too? There are very few, if any multi-billion corporations still in operation from the days of slavery that made money on the backs of slaves. If you knew anything about history, you'd know that the South was mostly an economy based on agriculture, not industry. Some old companies like DuPont, which is over 200 years old, were located in the North and supplied gun powder for the Union to help free the slaves. There are multiple programs for minority business owners through the Federal government and programs such as Affirmative Action to help minorities obtain jobs. Who should pay the reparations? My family? I'm white, but my Great Grand Father emmigrated from Northern Ireland, because of he couldn't get a decent job since he was a Catholic. He came to this country for opportunity and found it - even though there was still a negative stigma attached to being Irish in America back in the 1890's. Why should I pay reparations? Because I'm white? If so, that reason would be racist in and of itself. My family never owned slaves - I am the descendants of people who were also persecuted, but I'm not demanding money from Great Britain. Quite frankly, the descendants of American slaves are very lucky that they live in this country rather than in Africa. Their ancestors paid a terrible price, as did the entire nation with the onset of the Civil War. However, Africa is a continent in turmoil where anarchy, genocide, and hunger are the rules rather than the exceptions. I'm glad that I don't live in Ireland, and I have no desire to return. People who promote or demand reparations only fuel the fires of racial hatred and play directly into the hands of race pimps and white supremacists. Enough already.

Answer 3

First of all speaking as and African American I have heard this since I was a child and what gets me is that my ancestors did not ask to come here in the first place and when the did get here look what they went through and look what they accomplished from that point on they proved and present day African Americans have proved their Worth to this nation and the world from the Tuskegee Airmen,to the Buffalo Soldier,to the Black fifty forth regimental unit to Colin Powell,to Martin Luther king Jr.,I believe I've made my point.
And that would be one hell of a job trying to get all the present day African Americans to go back were they came from considering we did not come from there our ancestors did we where born here so who would fund that!
You and I both know that they would not have equal standing in this country know matter how much fighting we did for it give them as they once said forty acres of land and a mule will not do it and neither would all the money in the land do it either it would help them live better in this country but it would not change what took place over four hundred years ago now would it.
I am all for trying to make up for what happened to the slaves four hundred years ago but it happened to them not there ancestors and why should there ancestors capitalize on what happened to there relatives it did not happen to them and all the money,land,or any other retribution that maybe offered can change history so it is time to stop all of this and move on.

Answer 4

Paid by who? The US government can't give money to ANYBODY, until they TAKE that money from somebody else. So, you are suggesting that today's citizens give money, for actions done by dead folks, to dead folks. How about people that are both the descendants of slaves, and the descendants of slave owners? Do they pay, or get paid? How about citizens who are descendants of people that came to the US after the end of slavery? Why should they be taxed to pay a debt they don't share? What about people that have some black ancestors as well as white? Tax them, or pay them? I don't understand exactly what you mean when you talk of sending "them" back where they came from. A person born in the US, IS where they come from. Where their ancestors came from is immaterial.

Answer 5

Yes, they should get reparation from the kings of Africa who sold them. They were purchased. Remember how the slave trade started. First the higher ups wanted to get rid of the prisoners. Not only did they get rid of them they also profitted off of them. They liked the money so much they started taking people from towns and cities. IT was the Greed of their African government at the time.

Answer 6

Why should the sins of the father be passed to his son? Justice is not punishing someone for something their ancestors did. If that is the case then everyone has sinned. And everyone is a victim of the sinner because if you go back in history far enough everyone had an ancestor who was king, and one who was a slave.

If we are to give repreations for this then I want some for the injustice Napoleon did to my ancestorial home in Bavaria. I will also expect to pay up for the injustice my ancestor did for sacking Rome. What about the reperations for what they did the ancient Christians. Surely I am related to them somehow.

Answer 7

Yes. MORE IMPORTANTLY Every black child should be given free college admission. This would just barely make up for the: lost relatives, rapes,emotional abuse, physical abuse, being taken by force from your home, not being able to vote, having to use a "colored",jacked-up stall, having to enter restaurants in the back entrance, enduring KKK, worrying about being lynched 24/7 for just looking at a white woman wrong,etc,etc. I could go on, but then I'd just be ranting. If every black youth was given free admission to college, we'd be educated enough to hopefully make up for those lost 300+ years of ignorance and bondage. Education is one of the keys to success. Giving black people money might not work if we spent it on G-unit clothes, air forces, bling, etc. We NEED EDUCATION.

Answer 8

Are you serious!?! What more can we give....We have Affirmative Action....We have Scholarships for Minorities...and other social programs what more do you want to give!?!
You think they should be given money for four hundred years ago or 50 yrs ago...fine...then give them the amount of money from that time not todays standard back then....
What they did back then has nothing to do with today...if they are too lazy to do for themselves thats their fault...Nobody owes anybody anything...look at Denzel or Samuel L. do you think they sat on their as*ses in the Projects and thought what the hell they owe me so I will sit here and waste my life away....I think NO they dont need money for something SOMEONE ELSE worked for....
Heres another tidbit for you to think on....

Now this is a very valid point and well made...............So I pass it
> >to
> > >you
> > >
> > > >>
> > > >> Like a lot of people, I have a job. I work, they pay me. I pay my
> > >taxes
> > > >> and the government distributes my taxes as they see fit. In order to
> > >get
> > > >> that paycheck. I am required to pass a random urine test, which I
> >have
> > > >> no problem with. What I do have a problem with is the distribution of
> > >my
> > > >> taxes to people who don't have to pass a urine test.
> > > >> Shouldn't one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare check,
> > >because
> > > >> I have to pass one to earn it for them? Please understand, I have no
> > > >> problem with helping people get back on their feet. I do, on the
> >other
> > > >> hand, have a problem with helping someone sit on their butt. Could
> >you
> > > >> imagine how much money the state would save if people had to pass a
> > > >> urine test to get a public assistance check.
> > > >>
> > > >> Pass on if you agree

That is from an email that I was sent....so think about it and then you tell me if you think they really need money for a generation so long ago its ridiculous....by the way did the Jews get any money for their 6 million people burned and gassed??....Have the American Indians gotten any money for all the women of their tribe raped and warriors killed for land...NO...I DIDNT THINK SO!

Answer 9

The problem with reparations is that it rewards those who have never been slaves by punishing those who have never owned slaves.

To pay reparations, the government would have to raise taxes. That means that people who have never owned slaves will be forced to pay those who were never slaves as a way to pay back slavery. Reparations will do nothing to overcome racism. In fact, many believe that it will make many more people racist.

Answer 10

Should the descendents of Native Americans get paid back rent on all the property that was stolen from their ancestors?

Should the descendents of Viking raiders pay back with interest to the descendents of Viking victims for goods stolen?

John F. Kennedy said, "We must be masters, not victims, of our history."