Blacks Rally for Slave Reparations

Associated Press/NY Times ^ | 8/17/2002 | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

[07055]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Hundreds of blacks rallied in front of the Capitol on Saturday to demand slavery reparations, saying that compensation is long overdue for the ills of that institution.

``It seems that America owes black people a lot for what we have endured,'' Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan told the crowd. ``We cannot settle for some little jive token. We need millions of acres of land that black people can build.''

``We're not begging white people,'' said Farrakhan, one of several speakers at a rally organizers billed as ``Millions for Reparations.'' ````We are just demanding what is justly ours.''

While Farrakhan and Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., did attend, many major names in the black civil rights movement were absent, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rev. Al Sharpton.

``The people on the ground are the ones we want to give exposure to,'' said one speaker, Hannibal Afrik, 68, of Port Gibson, Miss. ``If it's grounded in the people, it will be victorious.'' Conyers, who has proposed a commission to study the institution of slavery for the past 13 years, urged the crowd to pressure Congress.

``Only the Congress can do what we want done,'' Conyers said. Lawmakers are now on their summer break until September.

The reparations movement has gained momentum in the past year.

Earlier this year, a group of slave descendants sued three companies, claiming the companies -- or their corporate predecessors -- unjustly profited from slavery.

The Reparations Coordinating Committee, which includes many prominent attorneys and scholars, is working on a separate lawsuit against the federal government.

Those at the rally said it was time for action.

``They owe us. I want justice,'' said Antoinette Harrell-Miller, who drove 19 hours from New Orleans with her husband Dennis to attend. ``They built this country off the free labor of our ancestors.''

Jaki Mungai of Philadelphia called the rally ``a dream that's starting to come true.''

``Every other group has been compensated for the wrongs done against them. Africans in America -- we are the only ones who haven't,'' said Mungai, who heard about the rally on the radio and decided to join in.

Ken McDouall of Durham, N.C., one of a handful of whites at the rally, said the reparations issue ``cuts to the core of the history of injustice of America.''

``America likes to pretend there are equal rights for everyone but look at the history of black people,'' McDouall said.

[07055]

Did any of you catch this rally on C-Span?

"Hundreds of Blacks" is being generous.

[Illbay]

Hundreds? HUNDREDS!?!?!?

PLEASE tell me that they stuck the word "Million" in the name of this "march" somewhere!!!!

[deport]

"Hundreds of Blacks" is being generous.

Maybe they meant "in spirit"

[07055]

Millions for Reparations, August 17, 2002, is a grassroots led and organized rally.

http://www.millionsforreparations.com/index.html

[LiteKeeper]

I know of some land they can have - it is just east of Atlantic City - about 5 miles out. It is covered by water, but Oh well!

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

Yes. I am guilty. My Swiss ancestors had a secret cotton plantation up in the Alps. The black slaves were forced to yodel as they picked cotton. I have a small fortune of Swiss bank account notes hidden under my mattress. I only look poor. It's just to hide from the slave raparationists. I'll pay up. The guilt is unbearable. I'll pay every last penny... in 'That Ain't Hay' money. Freegards....

[daler]

Where do I apply for my compensation check re: my great-great-uncle Barnaby who died at Antietam fighting to free the slaves?

[Paulus Invictus]

Reparations for Blacks? That means I'll stop paying taxes for sure if the congresscrittersand sinators vote for this abomination. If they do (and it will be the last election for those voting in favor), then there will be reparations for Indians, for Irish, for Germans, for Japanese, for Mexicans etc.. It will never end!

This country is fast becoming fragmented by illegals and people like these DC protestors that have been on the gubmint teat for generations.

[big bad easter bunny]

If a pharmaceutical company created a drug that turned the pigment of your skin black, could you then get reparations. They won't be able to use genetics since all humans are virtually identical genetically. Out 40,000 genes only 6 make up the code for skin color. Should not all slaves be reperated? Especially those who are currently alive? Are we not buying $3 cotton shirts at Target because of slave labor in China?

No one at the rally has placed a dollar amount on it. Would they have to have a national referendum? If so would they win?

Maybe we could give them federal land instead of money, the feds own 95% of American land. That way it wouldn't come out of taxpayer money. Or how about they don't pay income tax at all for ever? I am for no income tax.

It is sad to watch this in all honesty. I was brought up by my parents to believe that there were no differences between people except their beliefs. I think most of the racism is on their side these days. Considering white woman are the fans of Oprah, it's white golfers that love Tiger, white men who pay thousands for basketball tickets to watch their black Gods. It's white folks who fill that stadium when two black guys fight. Where is all the racism we are getting accused of? It ain't me and it ain't my friends either. I think the shoe is on the other foot! Martin Luther King said he prayed for a day when all were color blind, this is going in the opposite direction. If you're black you get a check.

[Thisiswhoweare]

They did, they were wearing "Millions for Reparations" T-shirts.

I saw a few minutes of the show on C-SPAN, quite a spectacle. Nausea set in at time 00:01.

I am not by any means a racist, but I have no respect for this crowd - they are looters, pure and simple. There have been decades of special funding, scholarships, weighted hiring, promotions and contract opportunities in the name of 'affirmative action' which amount to deliberate discrimination on their behalf. Enough is enough.

I know this group gets a little bit of interest from .gov and competing political factions so hear me now:

I WAS NEVER A SLAVE OWNER,
THEY WERE NEVER SLAVES,
I WILL NEVER PAY REPARATIONS.

Any attempt to make me pay directly via taxation or indirectly via corporate tort law I will consider as theft, and I will act accordingly.

[aculeus]

NO SNEAKERS NO PEACE.

None of that K-Mart crap either.

[joesnuffy]

Amen...and not to mention the numbers of northern poor folks and immigrants drafted into the Union who gave up eyes and limbs to free those slaves... and never a word of gratitude from them or their relatives

[archy]

Blacks Rally for Slave Reparations ***** *****

Did any of you catch this rally on C-Span?

"Hundreds of Blacks" is being generous.

I'm hardly surprised that not many of them would want a repetition of slavery....

[wontbackdown]

Some of my ancestors did own slaves...but other ancestors were forced to abandon their homes and walk to Oklahoma on the Trail of Tears. If Blacks get reparations, then American Indians should also get reparations. And if that happens, will I just pay myself? I'm SO confused!

[archy]

Where do I apply for my compensation check re: my great-great-uncle Barnaby who died at Antietam fighting to free the slaves?

Check? No, son, no checks here; cash on the barrelhead! That's the good news for ya!

Now, about the bad news....

[End The Hypocrisy]

Strangely enough, the Washington Post gave a conservative figure for the http://www.millionsforreparations.com event today:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30662-2002Aug17.html

"Hundreds of blacks rallied in front of the Capitol on Saturday to demand slavery reparations, saying that compensation is long overdue for the ills of that institution."

Ouch! :-)

[Paul Atreides]

``We cannot settle for some little jive token.

It seems to me that every Dim administration has been full of little jive tokens.

We need millions of acres of land that black people can build.''

The Million Acre March. And just how do you build land? From what I have seen, these perpetual whiners can barely take care of a tiny front lawn. How are they going to manager millions of acres?

[thucydides]

When are decent black folks going to disavow this embarrassing rabble of black racists? They should thank their lucky stars (as Muhammad Ali did) that their forebears were brought to America. Had they stayed in the dark continent, they would long ago have died of disease, or been eaten by some wild animal or neighbor.

[Texas Eagle]

I was amused by the numerous invocations of the name of Frederick Douglass.

Douglass would be ashamed that his name was attached to this travesty.

[Texas Eagle]

``It seems that America owes black people a lot for what we have endured,'' Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan told the crowd......while dressed in his thousand dollar Armani suit.