Opposing Reparations - You Bet I Am
Posted: Sunday, August 03, 2008
by Roschelle Nelson
The President of the National Urban League Marc Moriel asked the following question "What steps should we take as a nation to alleviate the effects of racial exclusion and racial discrimination?"
There isn't anything that can be done to alleviate the effects of racial exclusion and/or discrimination in this country. The only thing that could possibly begin to right a wrong so deeply rooted in our country's history is to invest in the future of those who the atrocities of slavery affected.
How would a country even attempt to figure out who slavery affected. First of all if you're black, you can rest assured it affected YOU. Was the plight of your ancestors any worse than the plight of mine. If this is the case, will your check be more than the one I receive. It's a silly idea.
Vernellia Randall, a law professor at the University of Dayton thinks Barack Obama is wrong in his idea that reparations wouldn't help.
She said aid to the poor in general won't close the gaps - poor blacks would still trail poor whites, and middle-class blacks would still lag behind middle-class whites. Instead, assistance must be aimed directly at the people facing the after-effects of slavery and Jim Crow laws.
The answer to that Ms. Randall is a quote I remember from a PSA back in the 1970s for the United Negro College Fund , "We're not asking for a handout...just a hand.
If policies and legislation to improve the plight of those this country feels were adversely affected by slavery isn't enough THEN let's close the gap ourselves! Let's make education a top priority again. I can't sit at home waiting on someone to right a wrong. I've got to proactively ensure that my sons and other minority children or all children for that matter understand that with hard work, a sound education, and determination to BE SOMEBODY, they can achieve whatever they set out to do.
Not saying it will be easy. Nothing has ever come easy to those the system is designed to keep on the bottom. But rising to the top can be done. It's been proven time and time again.
The United States Government could no more pay for the pain, suffering, degradation, humiliation, mutilation, crimes gone unpunished, families broken apart, children sold from the mother's arms, land stolen from father's hands, than I could purchase the Trump Palace.
Improving the educational system and other measures to help African Americans is the best form of reparation possible. And as far as an apology goes, you must offend someone; realize the offense and then sincerely render an apology. Those who established slavery and profited for several hundred years from it are long gone. Apologizing now is irrelevant. Show me by putting policies in place to help our nation's public school systems especially for those inner city minority youths who so desperately need as much help as possible.
There isn't anything that can be done to alleviate the effects of racial exclusion and/or discrimination in this country. The only thing that could possibly begin to right a wrong so deeply rooted in our country's history is to invest in the future of those who the atrocities of slavery affected.
Vernellia Randall, a law professor at the University of Dayton thinks Barack Obama is wrong in his idea that reparations wouldn't help.
She said aid to the poor in general won't close the gaps - poor blacks would still trail poor whites, and middle-class blacks would still lag behind middle-class whites. Instead, assistance must be aimed directly at the people facing the after-effects of slavery and Jim Crow laws.
The answer to that Ms. Randall is a quote I remember from a PSA back in the 1970s for the United Negro College Fund , "We're not asking for a handout...just a hand.
If policies and legislation to improve the plight of those this country feels were adversely affected by slavery isn't enough THEN let's close the gap ourselves! Let's make education a top priority again. I can't sit at home waiting on someone to right a wrong. I've got to proactively ensure that my sons and other minority children or all children for that matter understand that with hard work, a sound education, and determination to BE SOMEBODY, they can achieve whatever they set out to do.
Not saying it will be easy. Nothing has ever come easy to those the system is designed to keep on the bottom. But rising to the top can be done. It's been proven time and time again.
The United States Government could no more pay for the pain, suffering, degradation, humiliation, mutilation, crimes gone unpunished, families broken apart, children sold from the mother's arms, land stolen from father's hands, than I could purchase the Trump Palace.
Improving the educational system and other measures to help African Americans is the best form of reparation possible. And as far as an apology goes, you must offend someone; realize the offense and then sincerely render an apology. Those who established slavery and profited for several hundred years from it are long gone. Apologizing now is irrelevant. Show me by putting policies in place to help our nation's public school systems especially for those inner city minority youths who so desperately need as much help as possible.
The whole thing reminds me of a poem I had to memorize in 7th grade English class:
excerpt from Invictus
"................
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul."
This Article has been viewed 750 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (6 total)Roschelle another really good article that will spark much debate for those who wish to comment. I won't debate reparations because in my mind slavery was and still is practiced today by people of all races and creeds. The horrible sin of enslaving another by any means in my mind can never be satisfied and while a verbal acknowledgment and or some monetary compensation might do in the immediate, in reality it never takes away the act, the deed, the works and if offered only for political expediency serves no true purpose. It will always be questioned as to sincerity and how much is enough is always in the picture. Yet for many that may suffice? A simple acknowledgment. Yet was that great war that caused the death of untold numbers not a statement in of itself of the wrong? Only the abused can answer that question and when one regards the words of those freed slaves one senses great gratitude to the many that died. Yet in my mind the true repartition is in real works of equality, justice a sharing for all men of every race, color or creed and by providing opportunity for all. While many have struggled up the ladder of success without any of this not all have had that same opportunity. A walk through the poor and impoverished area's of this nation speak to it. Can we say racial hatred is dead and gone, the answer certainly not. I seek justice for all those who underwent that horror and not just an open door to all who never shared in that, via compensation in a tangible manner which acknowledges the wrong and allows for opportunity, perhaps a grant or scholarship fund to those who's families underwent this horror. That does not say that many suffer, especially blacks, for racial hatred. In that I find no justice but it is also different and we speak of that we open an entirely separate argument for people everywhere who undergo racial hatred. The root of it all. Hard to write and I do hope I made some points for consideration. With best wishes. Robert.Please log in to respond to this comment.Robert,you made some excellent points....as always! Thanks for readingRoschellePlease log in to respond to this comment.
hi roschelle,your keys on your keyboard are going to wear away, like mine:) i had to paint over them! only God himself would have the wisdom and power to know how to solve this one, but your ideas about making the schools better, i think, is a great one, and a perfect place to start. isn't good education the key to everyone's knowledge, therefore, success, along with one's character traits of tenacity and willingness to learn? good article, thanks for sharing,best regards,suePlease log in to respond to this comment.
thanks for taking the time to read. I try to use different computers...in an effort to keep one from having to suffer to much under the assault from my fingertips! Thank God I took typing in high school.Please log in to respond to this comment.
Bravo, Roschelle. Once again you have hit the nail on the head. Well done. By the way, I was just wondering if the feds decide to make reparations whether the Italians would be eligible for some $$$ too. Italians were lynched in the south also. A little known fact. Or how about the Irish, who suffered terrible discrimination? Or how about the Indians. Where does it end? Good article!Please log in to respond to this comment.thanks for commenting. You know I love all of your articles....and after Michelle revealed that you were "hubby", I see you have a talented wife as well....on second thought, I'm sure she rubbed off on you since we all know GIRLS RULE!!!!Please log in to respond to this comment.
I'm anon...btw. Forgot I wasn't logged in...:-(Please log in to respond to this comment.
Thank you Roschelle! Another article of truth. Thank you for the nice comment, and yes, I rubbed off on him. Now that you know, he will have to continue to write more articles to stay ahead. LOL Just playing, I am more of a numbers kind of girl. I have been writing because of his encouragement and from old and new friends. Blessings :-)Please log in to respond to this comment.
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.