» Question Of The Day: Reparations | Highbrid Nation

Question Of The Day: Reparations

Posted by J. Reid

A, B or C?

So I was talking to one of my friends last night and she asked me a hard question. This is her last year of college and her teacher asked her whole class to take a side on an issue and explain their reasoning in class. Question/ Issue: If you had the authority to give out reparations for slavery would you…

A. Give reparations only to Africans
B. Give reparations only to African Americans
C. Give reparations to no one. Since this is an open forum I would like to know how you would answer that question.

10 Comments »

Comment by Niokho

2008-10-01 08:45:10

how about african american get reparations for slavery and african get reparations for colonisations. Italy just decided not to long ago to give reparations to Libya

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Comment by Juan

2008-10-01 09:07:19

you know what will happen they’ll give reparation and charge a 95% tax on it.

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Comment by malcolm

2008-10-01 10:04:16

I think it’s too late for reparations.
.
Since the government has no money except that which is is collected from the taxpayers, reparations now would be the same as forcing someone who never owned slaves to pay money to someone who never was a slave.
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Now, if you can find a 150 year old former slave and a 150 year old former slave-owner, your welcome to do so, but since 1/2 my family never arrived in the US until 1899, I accept no responsibility.
.

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Comment by Juan

2008-10-01 10:35:01

Well said.

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Comment by M Thomas

2008-10-01 10:48:03

What are reparations really? It doesn’t negate the fact that slavery happened nor does it mend any of the scars that our ancestors bore from being slaves. Contrary to what some people think, you can’t throw money at something and make it all better.
And I agree with Malcolm, even if the government did decide to give reparations, it wouldn’t benefit anyone who actually lived through it, so what’s the point. I’d like to hear a good argument from someone who believes we deserve reparations from slavery.

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Comment by Mike "Evorgleb" Belgrove

2008-10-01 11:47:06

I always thought the idea was a bit silly myself. First off, how many people can actually prove that they are the decendants of slaves? Thouh most people are, there are certainly many who are not. The gonvernment would certainly require proof which few black folks would actually be able to provide.

I do however think for the sake of history that a sitting president should apologize for slavery on behalf of the US. Not that it would mean much to people living today but 100 years from now kids will be able to learn that our country at least admitted wrong doing.

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Comment by malcolm

2008-10-01 12:40:16

I agree that the president should make a formal apology, although it cannot be President Obama who does it.

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Comment by Juan

2008-10-01 15:56:12

I was just about to say that.

(Comments wont nest below this level)

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Comment by adifuluv

2008-10-02 11:00:51

NO reparations until we pay Native Americans full market value for their land that we stole!

btw, I am a Redskins fan.

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Comment by Marcus "Dos Un" Holmes

2008-10-02 13:17:13

i agree with everyone, adifu, I’m waitin’ for that site no diggity

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