This lawsuit may have lost, but reparations will win (Slavery reparations barf alert)

Chicago Sun-Times ^ | July 7, 2005 | MARY MITCHELL

[Land_of_Lincoln_John]

I don't know what it will take for the folks in control of this country to understand that reparations for slavery is going to happen. I can't say when it is going to happen, but it will. Despite legal setbacks, black conservatives and David Horowitz, reparations is the best way to build a bridge across our great divide. Otherwise, African Americans and Caucasians will just keep sniping away at each other.

Even kids get tired of bickering.

Yet, a sincere apology is a hard thing for most of us. When we've wronged someone, I mean really shamefully wronged them in a way that you wouldn't want anyone to know about, saying "I'm sorry" can get stuck in your throat.

That's why reparations has been a hairball in America's throat for a century.

It seemed that U.S. District Judge Charles R. Norgle had the same problem when he issued his opinion dismissing a lawsuit filed by slave descendants seeking reparations from corporations that benefitted from slave labor.

Norgle acknowledged slavery caused "tremendous suffering and ineliminable scars." But he ruled attempts to bring claims "over a century old are barred by the applicable statutes of limitations."

Obviously, he knows his reasoning places an unrealistically high barrier for slave descendants -- just as everyone knows slavery was a "malignant impact, in body and spirit," as Norgle pointed out.

We know what would have happened had the sons and daughters of ex-slaves tried to get their day in a Mississippi or Alabama or Virginia court. They would have been beaten by angry mobs. And if they had persisted in protesting, they would have been lynched. And their sons and their daughters would have likely suffered the same fate.

But Norgle ignores this violent history against African Americans when he says that plaintiffs in this suit pleaded "vague factual generalities [and] chronicling the social and economic injustices that have befallen African-Americans due to slavery."

All suffering not the same

In his conclusion, he devotes a few lines to condemning slavery and takes paragraphs to praise efforts made to end slavery, without ever mentioning that the Civil War itself was fought to prevent the spread of slavery -- not to end it.

In fact, Norgle goes on and on about the war, pointing out that approximately 620,000 people died (he forgot some of them were black people), and that 360,000 were Union troops.

"Union soldiers, sailors and marines gave their lives on bloody battlefields and the sea to maintain one sovereign nation in which slavery would be eradicated," Norgle wrote. "The impact of this struggle on the families of the wounded and the dead is immeasurable and lasting."

The impact of the war on the Union was "significant," Norgle said, reminding the plaintiffs that the "enslavers" also sustained great personal and economic loss.

It must have taken a lot of self-control to keep the slave descendants from reacting. I have only a vague knowledge of my slave roots. But to know your slave ancestor's name, and to know details about his or her life makes them more than dry bones.

In the end, Norgle sounds like reparations aren't needed.

The "sensitive ear has heard the collective 'thank you' from those who were freed," he wrote, as well as hearing the "historic apologies in words and deeds from persons of good will for the evils of slavery."

No wonder Conrad Worrill, chairman of the National Black United Front, denounced Norgle as "just a liar."

Sets stage for serious dialogue

Too many slaves were lost before they ever reached America. Too many were maimed. Too many were killed before the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. And if they survived the horrors of slavery, too many ex-slaves didn't have a thing to pass on to their children -- not even their own names.

The collective "thank-you" for black freedom can be found in a Negro spiritual, "Free at las', free at las', I thank God I'm free at las.' "

Long after these ex-slaves were dead, their descendants were still enduring the brunt of the ugliest of human behavior: racial hatred. After slavery ended, too many whites grabbed sheets and took sport in lynching black people just because they could. And too many whites used intimidation and violence to steal black land for the statutes of limitations to be an issue.

Although Norgle threw out the complaint, this lawsuit has given the reparations movement a huge boost. Along with local ordinances -- like the one in Chicago that requires corporations doing business with the city to research their ties to slavery -- the reparations lawsuit has forced the courts to take this issue seriously.

More important, Norgle points out reparations is a matter that should be left with the president and Congress.

That's the only point where Norgle and I agree.

Given the country is enmeshed in another war, President Bush should have at least coughed up the nation's apology for slavery by now.

[jblair]

Which big corporations? GM(Cadillac), KFC, Sony, Nike, Reebok?? Change in my portfolio is just a mouse click away.

[rbg81]

Interesting analysis and, sadly, very plausible. Corporatings caving is one thing. As you point out, in many ways "caving" will strongly resemble what they are already doing + payments to law firms.

However, I can't see the US Government paying "reparations" to black citizens given all the other competing priorities, not to mention indignation among non-black taxpayers. If they succeed, where does it stop? There is no end to the list of people who have been wronged (however slightly) in one way, shape, or form by the Government.

[goldstategop]

To Mary Mitchell: I wasn't born in this country. My ancestors never owed a single slave. In fact, I come from a nation of former slaves, the Jews. I'll be damned if I apologize or give my money for an act neither I nor my ancestors perpetrated. For that reason, I'm opposed to reparations on principle.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[DMZFrank]

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.

The main reason that I am not entitled to slavery reperations is because I was NOT ENSLAVED. I grew up in an era in which I remember all of the visible (literally) signs of Jim Crow when I visited relatives in the south in the early 60's. I experienced numerous physical racial attacks as my newly acquired Souh side Chicagoneighborhood underwent racial intergration. I experienced some minor racial discrimination at other times and places. The United States today is NO LONGER THE NATION THAT ONCE OFFICIALLY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IT'S CITIZENS, unless you wish to consider "Racial Preferences" for preferred minorities, admittedly still discrimination. None of that changes the fact that I am blessed to be a citizen of the greatest nation in the history of mankind, with a higher standard of living, opportunity and liberty than any other. I am proud to have enlisted and fought for this country as a soldier during the Vietnam era, despite all those who told me that no black man should do so on behalf of such a racist and oppressive nation.

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.

[Let's Roll]

Ms. Mitchell, you got your reparations when over a quarter of a million Yankee soldiers died - and countless others lost limbs and eyes - to end slavery.

Since that is mentioned in the article, it obviously means nothing to you because that was then and this is now? Well, slavery was then too.

Another nonsense "cause" that would not exist if we weren't infested with lawyers.

[teenyelliott]

Wow. Great post.

First, let me thank you for your service. Without men like you our country would not be what it is. You are a real life hero.

Second, my great great grandma was black. She was married to a white man, so I do not know if she was a freed slave, the daughter of freed slaves, or if she was an immigrant. Given the time frame, I do not imagine she was an immigrant. I ought to do some checking.

Slavery, of any human being on any continent, is always a terrible thing. The years of slavery that we, as a country, endured were certainly not the first time slavery was in practice, and it also was not the last. It is still widespread in other countries, and there was a case last year in my hometown that involved Chinese immigrants.

I wonder why my country is still so torn regarding something that happened during a time in which none of us lived, and we certainly cannot understand.

It is over, and has been for generations. The only people who continue to cry foul are those who want something for nothing.

[Alia]

Dated February 14, 2005 (search of Black United Front):

Massive Non-Compliance with Chicago Slavery Disclosure Law Revealed, and a Trail of Lies Exposed

--snip

Summary of Vendor Compliance with Chicago Slavery Era Disclosure Ordinance

(PRWEB) February 14, 2005 --In a statement released this morning, Dr. Conrad Worrill, Chairperson of the National Black United Front, denounced what he called "a pattern of massive non-compliance with the Chicago Slavery Era Disclosure Law, and a trail of lies that have been left in the public record by at least 41 companies and non-profits entities who do business with the City of Chicago."

"Bob Brown, our researcher," Dr. Worrill announced, "has proven that the Slavery Era Disclosure Ordinance has been willfully, repeatedly, and maliciously violated, by at least 41 Vendors who lied, withheld information, committed perjury, and/or failed to fully and truthfully fill out or submit their Certifications Regarding Slavery Era Business."

Mr. Brown is co-director of Pan-African Roots, and the author of a recently published book titled Slavery and the Slavery Trade Were and Are Crimes Against Humanity! "Research by Bob Brown, Deadria Farmer-Paellman, Alice Hammon, and numerous other academic and movement researchers, proves, without any legal doubt," Dr. Worrill stated, "that the predecessor entities of these and other Chicago Vendors invested in and/or profited from slavery, the slave industry, and/or slaveholder insurance policies from the slavery era; owned, held, mortgaged or leased slaves; and/or profited from damage to slaves or their injury or death."

The Vendors identified in Bob's report include: Catholic Church, Ilinois International Port District Landing, Air France, Iberia Airlines, British Air, Olin-Winchester, Tate & Lyle PLC, Bacardi Limited, Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation, Conwood Sales Company LP, Dimon Inc., Ligget & Meyers Tobacco Company,Lorillard Tobacco Company Inc., Philip Morris Companies Inc., RJ Reynolds Tobacco Holdings Inc., Standard Commercial Corporation, United States Tobacco Inc., Universal Corporation, Cargill, Incorporated, John Deere Company, Illinois Central Railroad, CSX Transportation, Inc., Kansas City Southern Railroad, Norfolk Southern Railway Co., Union Pacific Railroad, American Express, Bank of America, Bank of New York, Citi Bank, Citybank and Citigroup, Federal Express Corporation, Western Union, J.P. Morgan Chase and Bank One,Lehman Brothers, Lloyds TSB Bank, State Street Bank, Stern Brothers, Dun & Bradstreet Inc., UBS Financial Services Inc., Wells Fargo Bank, Georgetown University, Harvard University and the Chicago Tribune.

--end snips

George Soros funding the National Black United Fund

[Land_of_Lincoln_John]

On tonite's (7/13) O'Reilly Factor, the Unresolved Promblem segment will be about slavery "reparations."