The slaves are dead, so we cannot do anything to settle things right with them. Slavery for reparations are impossible, because there are no slaves to make reparations to.
Most of the blacks growing up in the Jim Crow era are gone as well.
Younger blacks haven't experienced significant racism to warrant reparations.
But what about older blacks? There are some folks in their 50's, 60's, 70's and older who are still alive, and who experienced institutional racism. We can do something for them.
I think we should:
1) As a nation, present a formal apology (something more than what Clinton tried).
2) Provide reparations for institutional racism by way of special tax breaks to those of black ancestry, with increasing returns the older a person is (because the oldest suffered the worst).
Tax cuts, not payments. I think it would work and I think it's fair.
I also think we will have future regrets if we do not act before too much time has passed.
Thoughts?
2007-09-11 08:33:09 · 30 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
For those who just don't get it, maybe "a picture is worth a 1,000 words":
http://www.withoutsanctuary.org/main.html
2007-09-11 08:41:11 · update #1
If you mean just plain everyday prejudice then you need to look at the Irish, Italian, poles etc that are still alive and went through extreme prejudice......................
2007-09-11 08:37:46 · answer #1 · answered by Brian 7 · 5⤊ 2⤋
There are plenty of injustices in US history that will never be heard of and reparations will cause more problems than solutions. People that support reparations will talk about the holocaust and the Native Americans. This still divides our countries and healing takes time. The world is full of sitituations like this even before 0 AD.
2007-09-11 08:45:05 · answer #2 · answered by MIE 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You're right, the slaves are dead. Nobody in this era caused slavery nor do I think anybody in this era should pay for it. When you get into this stuff, you open a can of worms for many other people who feel they have been wronged.
2007-09-11 08:42:35 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
My great great grandfather gave his life fighting in the war that freed the slaves. My family has always been from Ohio, we never owned slaves. Fast forward to the modern day I have black people in my immediate family, and I love them. I don't owe any culture any apology and certainly not any money. It's hard enough to pay my own damned bills.
As far as giving out tax cuts to one ethnic group, that's ridiculous. Haven't you ever read "Animal Farm" by George Orwell? "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others."
2007-09-11 08:41:56 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
What?... it fairly is rediculous... and that i'm no longer racist or something, in case you study my different posts someplace else you will come across that yet, In all honesty i think of time for reperations is over. My ancestors weren't slave proprietors, and Black, or African American persons, as you will, have not been in slavery via fact the Civil war, consequently no crime upon any residing man or woman interior this style of Slavery interior of u . s . a . of america have been committed via anybody residing immediately for this reason those residing immediately are neither owed anyhthing or to blame to pay for the sins of the previous. We had no longer something to do with it, and stressful retribution for this is purely grasping for my area. -- The English could as properly ask for Reperations from Rome, or the chinese language ask for Reperations from Mongolia, or India could ask for Reperations from England, ... this is fairly somewhat a rediculous theory all jointly.
2016-10-04 09:38:41 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If my ancestors never owned slaves, and died in the fight to free slaves, would a son of a slave share the reparation with the son of one who died to free slaves?
Slave ownership was defended primarily by states. Should the Federal government distribute the burden on paying people equally among the states?
What is one of the old guys were, say, Wilt Chamberlain? Has he benefitted more from the blessing of liberty, or suffered more from the legacy of slavery?
What if my ancestors were in China during the Civil War?
Slavery still exists in parts of Africa. Will reparations be paid by ancestors of warring African tribes who forced the losers into slavery?
Will reparations be paid by Muslim Slave Traders?
2007-09-11 08:41:43 · answer #6 · answered by ? 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Last chance? There was never any chance. You're suffering from white woman's burden. But, if you feel strongly about it, go ahead and give some reparations to some people, out of your own pocket. That should take care of any guilt feelings you might be experiencing.
2007-09-11 08:42:39 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 2⤋
I am not quite ready to apologize for being born some unknown shade of cream or tan. Sixty five years later I am working seven days a week and thinking I am a slave. You can just stick your reparations.
2007-09-11 08:46:10 · answer #8 · answered by Kenny Ray 3 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Reparations were paid in full during the Civil War. Many good men died to free the slaves. Case closed.
2007-09-11 08:39:59 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 2⤋
I'm for tax cuts...the more the better.
The idea of reparations is a little convoluted, but if you can get a democrat to buy a tax cut for anyone...you've done a good thing.
2007-09-11 08:38:56 · answer #10 · answered by Yahoo Answer Angel 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I wouldn't mind a formal apology, because I think the ability to admit one's mistakes makes one stronger, not weaker. I'm less certain about reparations--although tax cuts are a less extreme way to do it--because of the administrative costs/hassles of clarifying who should receive those breaks. But I'm not afraid to hear it debated.
2007-09-11 08:39:35 · answer #11 · answered by Vaughn 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋