Do white people feel that reparations monies should be dispersed to the descendents of former slaves.?

Question

Do whites feel that the familes of former slaves were or were not properly comepensated for work that was done on plantations of the past,that have afforded descendents of former plantation owners means to financial security. For example, former presidernt Jefferson owned slaves and now his descendants have been able to capitalize from his business transactions using black slaves

Answer 1

First, there is not a single former slave alive today. If there were they would certainly be due just compensation for their labor, but the ancestors of atrocities do not deserve compensation in any way. As a precedent for this point of view, from the last century, let us look at how the compensation of slave labor during the holocaust of World War II has been handled. The thousands of people that survived that inequity are being compensated by both the government of Germany and by the companies that gained from their forced labor, and rightfully so. But their children have no inherited right to collect for the uncompensated labor of their parents. Certainly the grandchildren and great grandchildren of American slaves never experienced the appalling life of slavery, and therefore, like the children of Jews and others enslaved in Germany 50 years ago, they have no claim for themselves.

Secondly, blacks do not have a monopoly on living in poverty in this country. According to the latest census data approximately 30 percent of blacks and whites live in poverty. Hispanics unfortunately have an even higher percentage living below the poverty line. All this current day poverty can not be attributed to a disgusting institution that was ended 150 years ago. It can however be attributed to present day governmental policy. There should be a monumental effort made by the government, at all levels, to get all Americans out of poverty, but a policy centered on only one race is just as wrong as slavery was.

Thirdly, slavery could not have existed without the complicity of black Africans who supplied most of the unfortunate humans that were sold into this dreadful condition. It was not just whites that kept this retched institution going for over 200 years. In addition, there were over 200,000 white Americans that paid the ultimate retribution during the Civil War, when they gave their lives to end slavery. The reparation debt owed to slaves was paid a long time ago when the North won the Civil War and freed them.

Answer 2

YES! and blacks of egyptian heritage must pay reparations to the jews for the slavery we read about in the bible. Where's that money?

What if you found that the original sale was made by a black african, as was usually the case? Wouldn't the original seller be just as liable as the buyer?

Normally it is against the interest of justie to punish someone for the actions of their great-grandparents, but then again, you are correct in that their descendants prifited from it, so why shouldnt that profit be attacked?

Now if soneone's great-grandchild of a slaveowner who had 8 children, and their grandparent had 4 and their parent had 4, they would be 1/128 responsible to pay back money inherited from their parents. Usually, that's going to be enough to buy a TV set. Hooray. A TV!

Still, africans have their own ill-gotten gain out of the slave trade in their past as well. It is only fair and honest to acknowledge that when pointing the finger and pulling the purse strings upon the great-grandchildren of slave-owners.

no. no sarcasm, I truly understand here...if you're the son of someone who stole a billion dollars , your entire inheritance should be taken away and given back, because you profited from the actions of your grandparents.

Yes, we can whine that it's punishing someone who did no wrong...but isn't it equally bad to REWARD someone who has done no right?

Inheritance is the very source of inequality. Only humans pass property along to children who did not earn it. IF we did not, then everyone would start off mostly equal...make their way in life on their own two feet, and to a much greater extent they would be the authors of their own destiny.

Answer 3

Alot of black people built up this country. It is the same way now with any low income worker. They can be doing the bulk of the work & working for someone who is out on the golf course or living like Paris Hilton. The problem is that I was just as poor as lot of black people growing up & they may have actually had better opportunities for me so it really isn't fair to think that everything is so black & white. We have to just live in the present moment & know we can have whatever success we choose to have if something stops us then we have to trust it is for a good reason. When someone black can have the success that Oprah has we have to face it that success is possilble no matter what you skin color.

Answer 4

Not until the American Indians get compensated for all the things that were done to them...... The White man Stole land and Slaughtered Thousands of American Indians .The American Indians are still being Discriminated against more then any other race.
Besides what do you do with all those people who are mixed blood? Black/White , Black/Indian , White/Indian , etc. you see if we really started looking deep we would owe it to ourselves.

Answer 5

I never owned slaves, so why should I have to pay for it?
And why should we pay someone who wasn't personally a slave?
And no, my ancestors didn't own slaves either. They were working poor, famine Irish. My grandmother was put to work in a factory when she was 7 years old. Should I get a payola for that??
I don't think so.

Answer 6

No. An unreserved and sincere apology is the most that can be offered. If monetary compensation were offered to the descendents of every oppressed people, we would all be in debt to each other.

Answer 7

hell no!!! insane. watch the bullshit episode on this and it will answer your question.