what do yall think about reparations?

[ballistic]

there's been an intensified furor of late over reparations, especially in virgina. one of our congressman, i think, said that blacks should 'get over slavery'. this, of course, is an unbelievably ignorant and ludicrous thing to say. there isn't any question that slavery still has a palpable effect on our society. however, i'm not sure i agree with reparations. i agree with the concept, whole-heartedly, but can money really repare something so irreparable? and if the government was to give out reparations, which i'm sure it won't anyway, what would the message be? "here's some money, now shut up and move on."? if we're thinking in the vein of reparations, then there should be an emphasis on the structure of our society. the problem should be taken by the roots. because of who's in power, however, i'm afraid this will never happen, at least with any noticable effects.
and what of native americans? i mean, as a white person, sometimes i feel guilty just for being on this soil! the government just straight jacked their whole land and banished them to reservations. thats like barging into someone's home and telling them to go stand in a corner while you take all their furniture.
what do yall think? even if reparations aren't the best thing, the situation needs to be addressed somehow. our society tries to whitewash the whole thing and tells us to forget about it, and that's bullshit.

[Gawd]

the slaves who were freed deserved reparations/land and money. the African Americans that live today deserve what they make for themselves.

[']

The End.

[ballistic]

well im not sure its as simple as that. ideally, shouldnt the uneven playing field in our society be remedied?

[born invincible]

well im not sure its as simple as that. ideally, shouldnt the uneven playing field in our society be remedied?

uneven? please elaborate?

[ballistic]

in western society, black people generally have to work harder to get high-paying jobs. sure there's affirmative action, but thats like snipping the top of a weed instead of taking it up by the root. racism is documented regularly, and because of segregation (residue of anti-emancipation fervor) african-americans are largely concentrated in poor areas of cities, which the government almost completly ignores and neglects. and then there's the lingering angst of slavery itself. white america looks at black america with apprehension, and black people are always reminded that they're black people. im not even sure that any of this can be fixed with any real efficacy, but this is some of what is behind the sentiments of asking for reparations. there's been cosmetic improvement, but beneath all of the bullshit there's still a raging problem. its crazy that a certain group of people have to walk around with an asterik because of skin pigmentation, but thats how it is. i dont know if there's anything that can overcome the truths of history.

[7EL7]

the slaves who were freed deserved reparations/land and money. the African Americans that live today deserve what they make for themselves.

if i take you to africa by force, teach you swahili,abuse you and make you think that having white skin is a curse, give you an african name,train you like an animal, feed you the worst food ever,make you have children with who i say you can have children with,then i train your children the same way i trained you, then i have your children train their children this way, so they can do this for generations, and now your whole family tree works for me and does what me and my children say. Then i intergrate them and tell them that they can now go to school with my great grand children, and get the same jobs as us....etc.....


never mind - its too much for you think about - if i cripple you in front of your children, and you cannot take care of them anymore, what effect do you think that will have on your children... but don't answer

[ballistic]

^yeah. can anyone really argue with that? im just not sure that money should be the form of reparation.

[Gawd]

well im not sure its as simple as that. ideally, shouldnt the uneven playing field in our society be remedied?

the playing field is level......

if i take you to africa by force, teach you swahili,abuse you and make you think that having white skin is a curse, give you an african name,train you like an animal, feed you the worst food ever,make you have children with who i say you can have children with,then i train your children the same way i trained you, then i have your children train their children this way, so they can do this for generations, and now your whole family tree works for me and does what me and my children say. Then i intergrate them and tell them that they can now go to school with my great grand children, and get the same jobs as us....etc.....


never mind - its too much for you think about - if i cripple you in front of your children, and you cannot take care of them anymore, what effect do you think that will have on your children... but don't answer

lawls.....shit happened 200 years ago. it was wrong. but i commited no crimes. i owned no slaves.

[7EL7]

the playing field is level......


lawls.....shit happened 200 years ago. it was wrong. but i commited no crimes. i owned no slaves.

shit is sad

^yeah. can anyone really argue with that? im just not sure that money should be the form of reparation.

no amount of money can REPAIR the damage done
Justice needs to be served

[whitey]

the playing field is level......


lawls.....shit happened 200 years ago. it was wrong. but i commited no crimes. i owned no slaves.

true you did nothing wrong but if you cant see it has reprocussions then your just not wanting to see it. everyone has personal responsibility and that is part of it for blacks today. but the situation that a lot of them start off in and how they are raised and all that is definatly a hinderence that slavery had brought about.

i dont agree with repirations however and i dont agree with afirmative action either.

with the reps. if all blacks were given money i doubt a lot of the people who need it most would be out investing in 401ks and stocks and what not.

and with affrimative action, i dont think making people unequal makes them equal. there are better ways.

[Battle 1]

if i take you to africa by force, teach you swahili,abuse you and make you think that having white skin is a curse, give you an african name,train you like an animal, feed you the worst food ever,make you have children with who i say you can have children with,then i train your children the same way i trained you, then i have your children train their children this way, so they can do this for generations, and now your whole family tree works for me and does what me and my children say. Then i intergrate them and tell them that they can now go to school with my great grand children, and get the same jobs as us....etc.....


never mind - its too much for you think about - if i cripple you in front of your children, and you cannot take care of them anymore, what effect do you think that will have on your children... but don't answer

Horrible beyond words even.

^yeah. can anyone really argue with that? im just not sure that money should be the form of reparation.

True. BUT what do you want white people to do now then ??

Money is not the answer but it would be nice for starters.

Even though that shit is as horrible as it gets and no amount of money is worth your soul.

BUT the only form of equality that exists in a democratic society nowadays is money anyway basically regardless of race. Money is as much a freedom as it gets nowadays anyways. The more you have the more freedom, assuming that your health is in order. But even if your sick your gonna need money to get by. SO it always comes down to the dollars bottom-line anyways. It is the democratic way in the world today.

[Gawd]

the sad thing is that some people think they are owed something simply because they are black. not because they personally were enslaved, raped, humiliated etc etc......but because they are black.

and that is wrong.

The slaves we owe our apologies and if this were those days we would owe them a lot more no doubt.

But to say today that the playing field is not level is just plain dumb.

I started with nothing, I grew up in poverty. Am I owed something? No.Or do I owe it to myself to make something out of myself? Or when i fail should I blame another race? Another class? No. If I fail I failed. Simple as that. You cant waste your life pointing fingers etc and blaming others for what ultimately is your own responsibility and your own destiny.

[Ultimate Fist]

The rich bastards who own big companies whose ancestors got there from slavery should pay. I think the reason people like eD get all reactionary is they know they owe nobody cuz it was rich SOBs who owned slaves then and it's rich bastards who are using slaves (sweatshops, "made in the Dominican Republic") today. Something like 1 in 10 people in the South owned slaves and even less (like 1 in 100 I think) owned more than 4. Probably will never be reparations though cuz those rich fucks rule the country.

[Gawd]

Ahem....The companies that you speak of are now most likely publicly traded companies and are not 'owned' by anyone but the investors. normal people like you and me can buy into these companies with little money.