Reparations for Slavery?

Question

I don't know what your opinion is on this, but I think it's an important topic to bring up. African-Americans were enslaved from the early 1600s-1860s, and faced discrimination after that. If the amount earned from their labor was returned to them. Ex. if $150,000 was paid out to every black man and woman, society would be more equal. Seeing that payouts will be made to a mere 20% of the population, each non-black person would only need to pay about $40,000 in reparation fees.

I don't want anything for FREE! I don't want any handouts... I just want what is RIGHTFULLY MINE. Something that I deserve, something to counteract discrimination. I don't expect you to understand, but please remain respectful.

Affirmative action is not enough... CAN'T you people see that. We are still not equals. As for the reparations, no group of people in any point in history has been discriminated against like black people in America. And we won't seek reparations against fellow members of the race since you were the 'rich' 'civilized' greedy pigs who brought us to suffer in this crap nation!

All I have to say is that ignorance breeds more ignorance. I see thats true here.

Answer 1

So...you want what is rightfully yours. YOU were in-slaved? Personally? I regret that our country's history contains such inhumanity of man to man. It is time, however, to realize that some debts cannot be paid in monetary value. Is the life of a man really only worth $150,000? Can money repay the loss of dignity that Africans and African Americans experienced during this dark time?

America is a place of opportunity. Each person is responsible for his own destiny. If you seek assistance to better your situation, there are programs out there. I hope you find your answers.

Answer 2

for heavens sake.... why should we pay for something that happened in the 1600-1800s. Furthermore.. society would not be equal if the payment was made.
Racism is perpetuated by statements and comment like yours. .. The statement Non blacks .. a perpetuation of racism whats wrong with saying white people... can i call you non white.. I guess not...
The problem is that black people like you !! blame everthing on the past living in poverty today is not a result of being a slave.
I worked in belle glade fl. The majorty of my clients were black. The majority were wonderful, some of the nicest people i have ever met in my whole life. However, you also had the I hate the white man attitude of the few .. your fault i am poor attitude. Funny isnt it.. I am not a racist .. I am an equalist. I believe in the idea of equality for all . I believe that the best person for the job is the one that does it best and is best qualified. I dont believe in possitive discrimination because the idea itself is racist...
So if we have to pay for everything that happened in the past.. may i ask for a few thousand from the scandinavians becasue the Vikings killed my ancestors and raped the women.
You want something for nothing. what have you done to deserve a payment...
There is another couple of things i find strange... why do we have black history month and thats ok ... yet if we have white history month it would be racist. why do we have black nurses association . ( it excludes white nurses!! ) yet if we had a white nurses association it would be seen as racist.
Why should I having worked hard all my life.. I got a degree I worked hard to get that and to get thehouse i have, give to you .. becasue you think you should get a free handout $40,000 ...... The world does not owe you a living you owe the likes of Dr King. and the many thousands of white people.. yes white people who helped to bring about the changes in the laws to move away from racism. It wasnt a a "black" vote. Black people were not allowed to vote, and even if they were there were not the numbers to actually change anything. The End the color bar was actually supported by white people it had to be or racist laws like the color bar and slavery would never have been abolished. remember black people were not allowed to vote.. So My friend get your 150,000 and then pay the good white folks who voted for an end to slavery and those who voted against the color bar racism for the rights you have today, the freedom to go to college , the freedom to work.....
yep.... the very non black people you want to take money from, the majority of their ancestors voted for your rights... look at history correctly and you will see this.. The so called black movement could not have changed anything on its own without the political pressure brought about by the non blacks.. who could vote at the time.
to be perfectly honest the only ones deserving of such payments in this country are the Native Americans... !!!

Answer 3

I don't owe Black people any reparations just because I'm White. Not all Black people are the descendants of slaves and for certain not all White people were involved in their exploitation. From genealogy I know that my ancestors were never involved in any sort of slave activity. I think it's a racist concept to hold responsible any one group of people for the problems or mistreatment of any other group of people. Color notwithstanding.
It would be a good study to discover the family names of those that were in fact slave holders and/or traders and hold them responsible but that would be too hard I suppose. It's easier to blame all White people. Jewish people don't blame all Germans. Countless civilizations have been enslaved over the centuries. Why are they not all asking for reparations? What is special about the Black race in that sense? I myself am not a racist and I resent the suggestion that I am because of my color at birth.

Answer 4

My ancestors didn't move here until after all this am I still subject to pay because I'm white? Or since I wasn't alive at the time is it fair to ask for this? Can Jewish people demand reparations from Egyptians for building the pyramids? Shouldn't the people who sold these slaves to the white man also be responsible? Should Africans be forced to pay reparations for selling their fellow countrymen into slavery?

Answer 5

Blacks were not enslaved from the early 1600s -1860. Blacks were enslaving EACH OTHER for thousands of years in Africa before that, so you need to start your timeline around, say....3000 B.C. for starters, and then take it all the way up to 1860.

In fact, this is STILL going on in many African nations.

Are you planning on going to the Africans and demanding reparations from them as well? You'd be entitled to a LOT more compensation as it was done there for thousands of years longer than the small amount of time done in America.

White man came into Africa and horned in on the AFRICAN slave trade already in existance there, and took many Africans out of it and into slavery in the USA for a few hundred years, and then ABOLISHED slavery - if these blacks were still in Africa, there is a good chance that they would STILL be being subjected to slavery!

So, get your facts straight. You cannot demand reparations for only a few hundred years of slavery in the US from people who ended up putting an END to slavery for blacks, and not also go after the people who enslaved blacks for thousands of years before that, and still are. Otherwise it's being racist to just single out the whites for it, when the blacks did it to each other for much, much longer, and the conditions were just as severe or worse.

Also, I think it would be a good idea for each black person to know if one of their own ancestors was involved in the black slave trade between African tribes before they were brought over here, so that other Africans whose ancestors were not involved, might be able to demand reparations from them as well.

Answer 6

I think that every former USA slave should be given reparations of $ 2 million. I think that every child of a USA slave should receive $1 million.

After that? Get a job, slacker. You were never enslaved, and neither were your parents. If you're a loser, it's your own d-mned fault. Stop looking to blame society. Michael Jackson, a black man, was KING of pop in 1984 -- and that was 23 years ago, a generation ago. You can succeed. Stop holding yourself back with your loser attitude problem.

Answer 7

by the same token, every single human being on this planet would have reparations coming to them, all races and cultures have at one time or another suffered slavery. It didn't happen to you, and it wasn't done by me. I don't owe you a damned thing. Caucasian Americans got over the idea of enslavement when they freed themselves from British tyranny, it's long past time the black man got over it too. As long as those of the black culture view themselves as victims, they will BE victims.

Answer 8

Why should I pay for past mistakes when my family was Yankee factory workers,for more than five generations?My great uncle Charles was killed at Malvern Hill,VA trying to capture the confederate capital at Richmond,VA.His brother James was wounded the day previously at Gaines Mill,VA.4th Michigan infantry;Co. "G".And how about emigrants who came after the civil war?I had a great-great grandfather that died of cholera trying to bring his children to the US from England in 1849.Trying to prove that you are descended from slaves is very,very hard without $150,000 worth of research done by professionals like Alex Halley.Most people in Africa would do anything to get here.Be glad you are already here.Making the innocent pay for the guilty is not justice!

Answer 9

humans have enslaved other humans way before that and the origanal slaves were back in the roman times.there are slaves today of all colors.give the past a rest we cant change it for anyone so lets start living for today.

Answer 10

Get over yourself and stop trying to get something for nothing. I have never owned any slaves nor did my parents, grandparents, great-grandparents. This generation DOES NOT OWE YOU ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you dont want anything for free what do you call reparations???????????? Thats free. It is complete BS and I WILL NOT pay one thin dime just because your ancestors were slaves. That was then , just drop it already.