Thoughts on Slavery Reparations

Republican Assembly of Illinois Newsletter ^ | 2-6-04 | Frank Penn

[spintreebob]

Feb, 2004, Federal District Court judge Charles R. Norgle dismissed "without predjudice" a lawsuit bought by descendants of slaves seeking reparations from corporations they say profited from slavery. The legal implications of this lawsuit have been argued at length in many venues. As a result, I have been led to some personal ruminations on this issue.

I have always been mystified by racial grievance mongers who pontificate on the glorious Nirvana that their lives would be had they only been left in Mother Africa, notwithstanding the general quality of life there. Since most American blacks have some measure of Caucasian genealogical ancestry, and since slavery was the transmission belt that enabled the mixing of their black and white ancestor's gene pools,(whether by rape,semi voluntary or voluntary associations) than what they are really saying is that they and their decendents would rather not exist.

I acknowledge the kidnapping and suffering of my African ancestors, and the resultant decades of slavery, oppresion, and discrimination that amounted to a monstrous crime for them. But the result was me and my family living in a nation that provides the most liberty and opportunity for any African descended people on earth. I am profoundly grateful to be here. I welcome the opportunity for any clarifcation of the historical record, and should that clarification reveal more evidence of the often bestial nature of the American institution of slavery, than we should unflinchingly face and acknowledge it. The historical record should be properly contextualized, and honestly examined without any attempt to inflate the crime beyond the actual truth of the injustice. The endless racial navel gazing, racial identity posturing, and puffed up grievance mongering should be rejected for the PC irrelevance that it is.

Sometimes it seems as though the race industry merchants and class action lawyers would divide us into warring ethnic enclaves with mortar pits in the streets sniping at each other ala the Balkans, all of them seeking racial spoils with government help. This is nothing more than a cultural Marxist wealth redistribution scheme.

[mhking]

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[CommandoFrank]

There's not one country that blacks are indigenous to that they are better off than they are here.

A very powerful statement...

[U S Army EOD]

I lived during that time also and observed it. What you are saying is not true, there was an attempt at seperate but equal even though in most cases the attempt at best was dismal. Most of the blacks in the South paid little or not taxes at that time because they didn't have decent jobs. Sorry you can't use that one. Where I live might be an exception, but those seperate waiting rooms at the doctor's office opened into the same doctor's office.

Right now the top 5% of the wealthy pay 90% or more of the taxes, based on your thinking, do you think they get over 90% of the benefits from the government?

[linton59]

I am with you. And just think, since Louis Farakahn claims the Pharoahs were black Africans, it may be they that owe you and every other living Hebrew billions.

[Agnes Heep]

I remain for reparations. With back interest for 3,500 years, Egypt owes me just under $ 2 billion. Small bills, please...

And when you get it, you can hand it right over to the Caananites.

[HP8753]

Give them a mule and a one way ticket to Liberia.

[Prime Choice]

I remain for reparations. With back interest for 3,500 years, Egypt owes me just under $ 2 billion. Small bills, please...

Set some aside for me, for I insist that I am a descendant of Able...and the descendants of Cain owe me. Big time.

[IronJack]

The number of lynchings up through the early decades of this century were horrific.

Do you know how many lynchings occurred up through the early decades of this century? I have never seen any reliable figures on the subject. What research I have done indicates that lynchings were actually far rarer than the revisionists would have us believe. And not all were motivated by racism as much as a somewhat coarse sense of "justice." A number of white people were lynched during that same period.

[IronJack]

Some interesting data:

From 1882 to 1930, there are 2,805 documented victims of lynch mobs in 10 southern states.
300 of them were white men and women.
From its peak in the 1890's, lynching began a protracted decline over the next three decades, reaching a level of fewer than one a month in 1928 - 29.
Mississippi was the worst offender, logging 462 victims during the period. Georgia was next with 423, followed by Louisiana (283), Alabama (262), and South Carolina (143).
The reasons for lynching varied from rape to the practice of voodoo.

Some interesting historical data at this web site. Check it out, bearing in mind that it is coming from the University of Massachusetts, where the political agenda trumps fact.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

I don't believe in slavery reparations, but those who lived in segregated times and are still alive should get some of their tax money back because they where not allowed to use the same social services, didn't get the same protection from police, schools, and usage of hospitals that their white counterparts received.

Then should I be allowed to sue black Americans because my greatgrand father was killed by one, or my sister was held at gun point while her car was stolen, or a sister in law was mugged by a black man, or another had her house robbed by a black? I also have a former business partner who took me for a bunch who's black.

But you know what? I just look at them as low life's and don't hold it against people who did nothing to me. Nor do I want to sue the French for driving part of my family out for religious reasons, or the English who drove us from Canada, or the Brits who attacked my Highland ancestors ... this talk will divide this country even more, and I assure you people are growing sick of it. It's like saying since most of our troops killed in WWI and WWII were white, that black Americans owe us something. Crazy talk.

[Afro_conservative]

Lets see where do I start with this post. Oh yeah the legal side. You see those crime committed against your family weren't sponsored by the governing bodies we call the local, state and federal governments. Jim Crow and other segregation rules up until the 60's where sponsored by the aforementioned. Please, Please, Please get your facts straight. Do you get it now, I bet you don't because you only want to see one side of this argument. You are probably one of those southern-Dems who only became Republican over pseudo-social reasons. Hence the problem of having this Democrap spending in Washington.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

You are probably one of those southern-Dems who only became Republican over pseudo-social reasons. Hence the problem of having this Democrap spending in Washington.

No I became a Republican at 15 when I had to pay taxes on my minimum wage job. I also supported George Bush's efforts in the 7th Congressional District to do away with southern racial prejudices.

I see however, that you like most who support repressions, and I suspect you really do, just cherry pick the issues that are allowed to be discussed.

[Afro_conservative]

I don't support reparations I support people getting their just do. If you where taxed right now and the government said you can only use rural country roads to go to work and not use the expressway because you are white not only would you be pissed, but you would be getting robbed, you would want your money back. This isn't reparations this is getting their money back.

As far as slavery reparations, yeah slavery reparations to all people who where slaves when slavery was legal. If you weren't a slave then don't complain. Next Question.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

I don't support reparations I support people getting their just do. If you where taxed right now and the government said you can only use rural country roads to go to work and not use the expressway because you are white not only would you be pissed, but you would be getting robbed, you would want your money back.

Well I spent three years in the Army while 90% of American do no service so I guess I'll be pissed about that. I want my three years back......

[thegreatbeast]

Good stuff.

[CSM]

"I don't believe in slavery reparations, but those who lived in segregated times and are still alive should get some of their tax money back because they where not allowed to use the same social services,...."

Great concept. Given that, I would like to get all the money back that I use to fund all of these social services that I get no benefit from. Basically I pay about $2grand a month for garbage collection. Can I get the 90% of my taxes back that don't benefit me?

I would support it for all tax payers, not just those of a certain ethnicity!

[happygrl]

And not all were motivated by racism as much as a somewhat coarse sense of "justice."

Justice was very much influenced by racism. No way that those events were anything other than appalling.

lynchings were actually far rarer than the revisionists would have us believe.

Semamtics.

What number would each side consider to be "rare" or "common" ?

[happygrl]

whoops, Semantics

[happygrl]

I love Iconoclatic information.

Props to your post!

[Afro_conservative]

Sometimes people here just choose to be blind or are just stubborn people. These are people who like to slow down the progress of our party and our nation.

You pay taxes to fund social services that you get no benefit from, but put in certain predicaments you would be eligible to receive them(i.e. loose your job, etc.) You know that so why are acting like a kid. Way back in the Jim Crow days(and a lot of those folks are still alive today) they would pay taxes and if they qualified or didn't qualified, it didn't make a damn bit of difference as they where not gonna get those services(you lost your job...sorry you're a nigger, you need medical attention....sorry you're a nigger, what you need an ambulance because you're mom had a heart attack...sorry we don't go to nigger neighborhood, etc.). See the pattern. Well you already did but you where just trying to ignore it.