Posted on 08/17/2004 5:58:48 AM PDT by Aquinasfan
One day after their first meeting, U.S. Senate hopefuls Barack Obama and Alan Keyes were back on the campaign trail again Monday.
Speaking at a news conference at the Hotel InterContinental in Chicago, Republican Keyes added to his now familiar talking points his stance on slavery reparations.
Prompted by a reporter's question, Keyes gave a brief tutorial on Roman history and said that in regard to reparations for slavery, the U.S. should do what the Romans did: "When a city had been devastated [in the Roman empire], for a certain length of time--a generation or two--they exempted the damaged city from taxation."
Keyes proposed that for a generation or two, African-Americans of slave heritage should be exempted from federal taxes--federal because slavery "was an egregious failure on the part of the federal establishment." In calling for the tax relief, Keyes appeared to be reaching out to capture the black vote, something that may prove difficult to do, particularly after his unwelcome reception at the Bud Billiken Day Parade Saturday...
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
The slaves were freed. They chose not to take the intuitive. They were free to choose any path. They chose.
There is no guilt trip here. I believe slavery was wrong, but if they were left in Africa, they'd be a hell of a lot worse today. They're only victims of themselves if they're not taking advantage of what their new land has offered them.
The more I think about it, the more it sounds like that. This debate is worthwhile.
I'll say none based on the people I meet. Most black people I meet don't want reparations. The few that do are on welfare so you can draw your own conclusions about that.
BS. He's on the record saying this:
"Yet, lawsuits have been filed. Those responsible propose to settle the accounts of slavery leaving the Civil War out of the equation – complete and utter nonsense. The price for the sin of slavery has already been paid, in blood."
I'm in Chicago, I heard the actual tape, Keyes voice, on the news. He most certainly put this bull in the china shop.
First he became a carpetbagger like Hillary, now he is beginning to sound like her...
The duty of the State is NOT to redistribute my blood and treasure, either...
If they can identify descendants of slaves then fine. Not all blacks are descendants of slaves. Some proof should be required.
They chose not to take the initiative? Please. I'm against reparations but not historical ignorance.
I doubt the left will say anything as this is a fringe issue brought up by a fringe candidate. Even Democrats can count- non-blacks are against reparations by about 95%/5%, non-blacks are 87% of the country.
He's also on record as saying he disapproved of carpet bagging. But now he wants slavery paid for in tax breaks for a select group of people in addition to the blood he spoke of. It seems that he is changing his position on a whole bunch of things, doesn't it?
Okay, then no taxes for two generations for those who have had their blood and treasure redistributed.
You're right. But failing to make reparations has a downside as well. Overall, I see the dangers outweighing the benefits. Still... using tax breaks isn't a bad way of going about reparations, if it's going to be done at all.
Additionally, Keyes' spokesman said that it can be seen as part of a plan to roll back the federal income tax altogether.
True. And what about Blacks who came here post-slavery?
Could be. Hopefully Scarborough will ask Keyes about this on his show tonight on MSNBC at 10 ET.
{smile} I think that Dr. Keyes and you may be on to something there....
The slaves were promised their 40 acres and mule (as Sharpton points out, but don't shoot the message due to the messenger). Did they get it? I put it to you all, that this is something to seriously pondeer.
Let's not be knee-jerk conservatives of the status quo. Let's give this some research and reflection.
And since when is "reparations" part of the Conservative Agenda?
Psssst: Alex Rodriguez isn't black, as far as I know.
What would they be doing today if after being freed they were moved back to Africa? America had everything to offer considering the alternative.
I feel no guilt. My ancestors didn't own slaves. There's no scar on my conscience.
How many other nationalities came here with nothing but a dime in their pocket? How many slaved just to stay here? There were other slaves that built this country, not just African Americans. Let's be honest here.
Ever heard of Jim Crow? Plessy vs. Ferguson? The South took their anger over the Civil War and Reconstruction out on the newly freed slaves, with the compliance of the North. Black were essentially second-class citizens up until forty years ago.
A case against reparations can certainly be made without ignoring history.
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