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As our first African American president, should Barack Obama implement reparations, for African Americans? African Americans are still disproportionately poor, unemployed, targeted and profiled by law enforcement, and face many other injustices, based on their race. So, is it high time, that Obama get serious about reparations for African Americans now?
He already is: social justice via trickle-up poverty. Apparently you didn't see the threads about Obama reporting so-called "human rights" violations by the US to the UN. It is Democrat social entitlement policies that have kept a significant number of inner-city black Americans, as well as other races, from reaching for success rather than sitting back for the welfare check.
And JazzyTallGuy, here is the link, to the article regarding why African Americans deserve reparations. I'm hoping that it will enlighten you on the subject: Why American Blacks Deserve Reparations
sickofnyc99, you took my comment to Metro Matt, as race-baiting. I meant it to be a wake-up call to him, regarding the fact that most whites, don't know much about, or approve of, reparations.
The article in your link is dated February 5th 2001. The ideal may have been in vogue back then, now, not so much. Again my point is NOT whether reparations are valid it's whether reparations are politically possible. I don't think they are and I'm much too pragmatic to go tilting windmills on this issue.
Why?
In order for this to be possible it has to POLITICALLY VIABLE and in order for it to be politically viable it has to have considerable support among White Americans.
As I've stated in earlier post most White Americans don't give a f**K about Black Americans, Black American history, what Black Americans have contributed to this country, or the blatant unfairness of slavery. Most White American also fail to take into account the legacy that for each generation where a black person was enslaved, or discriminated against was a generation that a White American was able to hold land, build a business, and do other things that transfer wealth. It's the equivalent of have a relay race and for every leg of that race one team in the race has a 100 pound weight tied to them and the other one does not. Naturally as every generation passes chances the runner without the weight moves farther and farther ahead.
If anything the economic growth amongst Black Americans in the last 50 years has been rather amazing considering the starting point and the obstacles. There are some very promising and entrepreneurial young Black Americans that have some bright futures ahead of them.
But getting back to your point because I don't see any prospects of the politically viability of Black Americans getting reparations I think the focus should be more on what Black Americans can do for themselves instead of asking the government to do something for them whether it is justified or not.
I'm more in favor of Black Americans empowering themselves than waiting for something from the government that may never come.
To the posters who want to debate African American heritage; slaves that were brought here from Africa, did mix with other races. Regardles of that, you are considered an African American, if you had ancestors from Africa, who were slaves in American.
No matter what names we have been known by over the years (Negroe, colored, Afro-American, Black, and now African American), we were the decendents of slaves in America.
Then by your own reasoning, Obama isn't African-American as no-one in his heritage was a slave in America?
Why should they get anything for being African American? Will I get something for being a woman and Indian? I am sorry but I feel the African community needs to stop playing victim.
Instead of asking for handouts and whining, get up and do something. How come most of the ghettos and dangerous areas have mostly black people in it? No, this is not a racist post. This is coming from someone who lives near Detroit.
Why don't you clean up your areas and make sure there is security? If you think your schools are inferior and do not have resources, WORK TOWARD IT. Instead of having rap battles and having a 70 percent out of wedlock rate, why not focus on improving the reputation Africans got?
And I laugh at the fact that they hold onto slavery still. No, I am not laughing at the actual history where blacks were treated as slaves (that was HORRIBLE) but at the fact they still are angry at the white people about it. No white person today is responsible for anything that had to do with slavery.
I am a Indian person (before anyone accuses me of being a white nationalist) and I see how the white race is put down by some people. Why should whites feel guilty now about slavery? We learned from that. It wont happen in the USA again.
I am sick of the "poor me I need a handout" mentality. You have darker skin. Big deal.
very well said, i repped you on this one. and you are right, white people have put down other races in the past. but we have to learn to move on and stop holding onto the past. otherwise we will never make the leap to the future.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mohawkx
That's simply not true. You can get some limited benefits if you are a card carrying member of a recognized Tribe but there is no blanket coverage for NDNs that give away free money, free education or a free place to live. Additionally you must be at least 1/4 NDN to get a tribal card and live on the res to recieve any benefits. We always laugh at the whites who brag about being Cherokee. Usually 1/16th or less. The joke is that there must have been a lot of cherokee woodcutters stacking woodpiles in the back of the white man's house back in the old days.
from what i understand it is only 10% indian blood and you can be recognized as indian, at least at the federal government level.
as for me, i recognize that while some of my ancestors were in fact indian, i dont claim to be indian as it is quite diluted with the blood of other ancestors.
That article only shows the percentages of welfare recipients by race. Apparently 37% or parents on welfare are black, while 39% of them are white. And you seem to want to use those percentages to suggest that whites use welfare more than blacks do. That's incorrect, though. And some simple math will demonstrate that. In addition to the percentages above, that article tells us that there are 14million welfare recipients. 37% of 14million is 5,180,000 black welfare recipients, and 39% of 14million is 5,640,000 white welfare recipients. The US Census tells us that the white population of America is just about 224million, and the black population of America is 37 million. 5,180,000 welfare recipients out of a total population of 37 million is 14%, while 5,640,000 welfare recipients out of a total population of 224 million is 2.5%.
So, while the statement you make is correct, there are more white welfare recipients than black, the implication you give, that whites use welfare more frequently than blacks, is totally incorrect.
As I've stated in earlier post most White Americans don't give a f**K about Black Americans, Black American history, what Black Americans have contributed to this country, or the blatant unfairness of slavery. Most White American also fail to take into account the legacy that for each generation where a black person was enslaved, or discriminated against was a generation that a White American was able to hold land, build a business, and do other things that transfer wealth. It's the equivalent of have a relay race and for every leg of that race one team in the race has a 100 pound weight tied to them and the other one does not. Naturally as every generation passes chances the runner without the weight moves farther and farther ahead.
If anything the economic growth amongst Black Americans in the last 50 years has been rather amazing considering the starting point and the obstacles. There are some very promising and entrepreneurial young Black Americans that have some bright futures ahead of them.
But getting back to your point because I don't see any prospects of the politically viability of Black Americans getting reparations I think the focus should be more on what Black Americans can do for themselves instead of asking the government to do something for them whether it is justified or not.
I'm more in favor of Black Americans empowering themselves than waiting for something from the government that may never come.
I will be happy to support any living slave-owner having to pay reparations to any living slave.
None of my ancestors had slaves, and they weren't at the top of economic heap when they came here. Same with my spouse's family. In fact, we aren't now.
African-Americans are not poor because they were once slaves. They are poor because our nation abandoned an economy that would provide decent jobs, for an economy that made a very few very rich at the cost of everyone else's future.
You guys are missing a great opportunity for social engineering.
I would envision a 4-Tiered System:
Tier 1:
Born before January 1, 1949
No felony convictions
Must provide a preponderance of evidence that a direct ancestor was a slave (that means great-grandparent, great-great grandparent etc, not 13th Cousins or great-aunts/uncles etc) and that they were resident of the US (Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Islands don't count).
Gets $2 Million paid in installments of $200,000 for 10 years.
Tier 2
Born on or after January 1, 1949 and before January 1, 1965
Void if currently incarcerated.
Cannot apply until at least 20 years lapse since last felony conviction
Cannot be receiving welfare benefits at time of application (No HUD, ADC, TANF, WIC or Food Stamps)
Must provide a preponderance of evidence that a direct ancestor was a slave and that they were resident of the US.
Gets $1 Million paid as installments of $50,000 for 20 years. Installment payments terminated if convicted for misdemeanor or felony offense, or upon application for HUD, WIC, TANF, ADC or Food Stamps
Tier 3
Born on or after January 1, 1965 and before January 1, 2000
Cannot apply until at least 20 years lapse since last felony conviction
Cannot be receiving welfare benefits at time of application (No HUD, ADC, TANF, WIC or Food Stamps)
Must provide a preponderance of evidence that a direct ancestor was a slave and that they were resident of the US.
Gets $500,000 paid as installments of $25,000 for 20 years. Installment payments terminated if convicted for misdemeanor or felony offense, or upon application for HUD, WIC, TANF, ADC or Food Stamps
Tier 4
Born on or after January 1, 2000 and before January 1, 2050
Cannot apply until at least 20 years lapse since last felony conviction
Cannot be receiving welfare benefits at time of application (No HUD, ADC, TANF, WIC or Food Stamps)
Must provide a preponderance of evidence that a direct ancestor was a slave and that they were resident of the US.
Gets $100,000 paid as installments of $5,000 for 20 years. Installment payments terminated if convicted for misdemeanor or felony offense, or upon application for HUD, WIC, TANF, ADC or Food Stamps
You'd have to consider the money saved by not making welfare payments, lower crime rate, etc etc.
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