Reparations for Slavery? Lets do It

Chuckmorse.com ^ | Sept. 10, 2001 | Chuck Morse

[Chuckmorse]

Reparations for Slavery? Lets Do It

Reparations to Americans of African ancestry for the slavery of the pre Civil War antebellum South is the latest casus belli for a left that is floundering in its mission to keep race hatred and conflict alive.
The left has instigated such programs in the past as forced desegregation, the burning of American cities particularly black neighborhoods in the 1960’s, racial quota systems, dumning down education that fosters illiteracy in black children, welfare, and other incitements and agitations generally bracketed under the euphemism “social services.”
In spite of the best efforts of the left, African Americans continue on their upward climb into the economic middle, and dare I suggest, wealthy classes.
Lets call their bluff, give the left their “reparations,” and deprive them of this latest propaganda plank.

The question begging for an answer, however, is who gets the money, who pays, and how much.
Regarding who gets the money, it is reasonable to assume that the American taxpayer, who will, after all, be footing this bill, would only be expected to pay out to descendants of American slaves.
Descendants of slaves who immigrated here from, say, Haiti, or other Latin American or Caribbean countries, would, logically, have to seek reparations from the country that enslaved their ancestor.
They chose to leave that country for the same reason as any other immigrant, which was to seek out the opportunities, and freedoms America has to offer.
It stands to reason that the American taxpayer should not be held responsible for the slavery of another country.

What about the descendants of families who fought and died for the Union during the Civil War?
Didn’t they make the supreme sacrifice in ending slavery by defeating the slave owning Confederacy?
What about the descendants of Confederate families and landowners who also made the supreme sacrifice.
The south was decimated and laid waste by the Civil War and it would be generations before it would recover from devastating losses.
What about post-Civil War immigrants who, in many cases, arrived on our shores penniless and destitute.
Should reparations for slavery be levied against all of the above?

Who would actually get the money?
The delicate question would have to be raised at some point regarding the criterion for who would be considered of African-American ancestry.
Would, for example, having one African-American parent, two grandparents or one grandparent meet the qualification?
After all, if money is to be handed out, one needs to know if they qualify.
How would one prove their African-American ancestry?
It’s not always possible to tell by appearance.
The Nazi’s defined a Jew as anyone with one Jewish grandparent.
Would this formula work for our government in the proposed program to racially categorize every citizen or should another be tried.
These are questions that should make any freedom loving, fair minded American uncomfortable, but, this is what the pro-reparations left is asking our government to address whether they admit it or not.

What about a person of African-American ancestry who has an income level that would classify him as middle class or wealthy.
Is it fair for him to take money from his non-African descended neighbor who may be struggling economically?
Embedded in this question is another aspect, besides fanning the flames of racism, regarding the means and motives of the left.
This program would require a massive transfer of capital from citizen A to citizen B with much of the money, in the process, sticking to the fingers of a newly expanded and empowered left-wing bureaucracy.
This program would further nationalize the means of production and expand the non-producing public sector.

These questions, and many more, need to be answered before our government can launch a reparations program.
In the meantime, no doubt, the left will continue to agitate for race hate as a means of dividing our society and empowering themselves.
Once these issues are addressed, the American taxpayer will, no doubt, honor reparations for descendants of slaves.
This is a phony issue and the sooner we have the courage to admit it the better.

Chuck Morse Is the author of the upcoming book “Why I’m a Right-Wing Extremist” www.chuckmorse.com

[camle]

and just what is whitey supposed to think whilst this is going on? Does this concept serve to help or hurt the common cause? Does this concept serve to bring races togethre or rend them apart? Doe this concept serve to aid or thwart the process of coming together in harmony, peace and unision?

[janeliberty]

You failed to clarify two salient points.

What to do with decendants of white slaves. (Laws in the colonies dealing with the issue of slaves escaping separated white and black).

What to do with decendants of blacks who owned slaves. (3000 out of 10000 of free blacks in New Orleans owned slaves according to the 1850 census).

Don't do the "it's so small, it doesn't matter" routine. 4% of Americans owned slaves in 1850. With the massive immigration since then, the decendants' number is probably less than 1% by now.

[Cleburne]

Liberal answer: we'll just put the heaviest tax load on the top 1 percent in terms of wealth! Oh wait, we're already doing that...

[Whispering Smith]

It is quite simple. You give the money to the HCPinC (Head Clored Person in Charge.) He will determine how to further distribute the money.

[Marauder]

I find myself in favor of awarding any and all reparations-seekers a one-way passage to South Africa. Whatever that would cost, it would be worth it.

[William Terrell]

What to do with decendants of blacks who owned slaves. (3000 out of 10000 of free blacks in New Orleans owned slaves according to the 1850 census).

Don't do the "it's so small, it doesn't matter" routine. 4% of Americans owned slaves in 1850. With the massive immigration since then, the decendants' number is probably less than 1% by now

Article in Amendment 14 Sect. 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations, and claims shall be held illegal and void.

They can't do the "it's so small, it doesn't matter" routine. Unless they can guarantee to cull the decendents of those 3000, and others elsewhere, any reparations would be unconstitutional. For them, the part in bold would apply.

[goldstategop]

Its really simple: lets give Jesse Jackson a $1 trillion reparations fund to distribute to lesser colored people on the condition that there will be no further outstanding claims, demands, and obligations ever again sought against the United States in connection with slavery or any related matter arising therefrom and that it is agreed the aforegoing reparations fund constitutes full and final payment of the debt owed by the United States Of America against all whose ancestors were enslaved. The only question is whether JJ would be willing to accept such a condition. Provided there was a condition like that I would see reparations as being a small price to pay to shut JJ and all of the other racial shakedown artists who bitch and whine every day about what a racist country this is up once and for all.

[wingnuts'nbolts]

Haven't you heard? they want a seperate black state carved out of the US for them, mineral rich, oil rich and air rights (no flyover zone). On top of that they want enough money to put it all together and then they each want a nice piece of change. Piece of cake. Makes my teeth itch.

[Whispering Smith]

The HCPinC could decide to use the money to buy up several states if he determined that was the appropriate course of action and use of the money. He could also decide to use the money to buy himself a Pacific atoll. The HCPinC is the man. Now, how do the reparations recipients determine who they are and who the HCPinC will be?

[mathurine]

You want to see a revolution? Reparations will lead there.

[William Terrell]

Makes my fingers itch. . .

[babylonian]

Yes, and you'll have to hurry to beat me there!

[Deb]

Umm..."...dumning (sic) down education standards..."?

[mountaineer]

Here's a poll to freep on the subject. Scroll down a bit; it's on the right side of the page.

[William Terrell]

I don't know. There seems to be a moral principal operating here. We, English, American, people pretty much ended slavery in our hemisphere, at least. We did it with Wilberforce and a war.

Reparations are like charging the savior for saving. Actually, every person that would qualify to receive reparations should, instead, qualify to do eight hours of community service every week for being saved.

[ivanhoe116]

Haven't you heard? they want a seperate black state carved out of the US for them, mineral rich, oil rich and air rights (no flyover zone).

Land locked? Hum...that might work.

[MHGinTN]

Many years ago I tried to maintain a tank of saltwater fish. The things were colorful and quite entertaining, and I liked them very much as they brought a sense of peace to my harried life when I sat contemplating them. But the whole process was such a hassle! If you've ever raise saltwater fish, you would understanbd how high their maintenance.

To the John Con you-Jesse Jackasson-Al Sharptoon-Kuitesy Mifumer wing of the black leadership I would caution, black people are not saltwater fish.

There are at least three races of black people represented in America and a wide mix of races with black also, so the idea of treating balck people like saltwater fish is offensive to my sensibilities ... I don't relish the horrors of the race war that would ensue either. I'd rather try and slow or halt the black on black crime that is soaring in America. Now that! That would be something to get to work on, eh Luis F? Hehehehe people are gonna realize Luis Farrakhan is more valuable than he's been given credit ... he at least believes in standing on one's feet and trying to do right, even if he is racist, which he is, but then there's the KKK and Neo-Nazis to the other end of that spectrum.

[In mourning for six years]

I will gladly move and they can have New York. After all the FIRST black president lives here and Broom Hildary is senator what more could anyone ask for???

[AmericanCheeseFood]

You apparently have ran out of tin foil .

"Whitey " has nothing to do with the recent racist act of trying for handouts from the government (My money, your money.) called reparations . Perhaps you should pay reparations to me for having to figure out what your post was about .

Just a thought .

Whitey Cheese