"Forty Acres and a Lexus" California governor Gray Davis weighs in on behalf of slave reparations

Weekly Standard (subscription only) ^ | 05/27/2002, Volume 007, Issue 36 | Debra J. Saunders

[Teacher317]

Has anyone ever briefed Gray Davis on the concept of "No Ex Post Facto" laws?

[usadave]

At an April 24 press conference with Jesse Jackson, Davis said the reparations law he signed was important, because "clearly we want to right any wrongs and do justice to people who were taken advantage of." Later, his staff tried to spin that statement into meaning that Davis supported the collection of information, but that he has no position on paying reparations.

Politics as usual. Say both yes and no, and then if you're questioned about it, claim that you were misunderstood. Then change the subject.

[dougherty]

BTW I have NO problem giving every African American a 1/4 of a mil...or even 1/2 a mil...as long as there is a contract that they, and future generations will not claim any future government "benefits" for 100 years.

Oh, so you're pro-reparations and on Jesse Jackson's side of this issue. Very interesting.

[17th Miss Regt]

He already has nearly 100% of the black vote in CA so there is nothing to be gained for him there. His magin of victory can be maintained by walkin' around money and busing them from one precinct to another to vote for him. That way he will get 114% of their vote. It works in other places, why not CA?

[DennisR]

"There is no way that you can sue someone for damages you claim happened 137+ years ago."

I hope you are right, but based on the stupid decisions juries have made in this country, I would not rule out billions of dollars going to these whiners. Look at the tobacco settlements--billions of dollars to the states to waste. The only thing that would surprise me would be this whole thing getting thrown out of court on its ear.

[17th Miss Regt]

Fortunately, CA has a huge surplus to spend on this type of stuff....

[bescobar]

I posted this onto two other post but I think it is worth repeating.

Here it is everyone...I am Hispanic...only 1/3 of Hispanics are Republican. Poles, opinion pieces, liberals, all depend on this fact. You want to make a difference?? Whenever you answer a pole or write a complaint use a Hispanic, Arab, or Minority name like Juan Rodriguez or Abdula Ackmed. State you are an African American or a Mexican or a poor immigrant. Then say to the white elite liberal press you are disgusted with their biased trash. Do the same to fat white red headed beast in San Fran and dumb sh@# governors that look like martians. White trash elitist liberals collapse if they aren't loved by their subjects. Declare yourself what you are not when you do not have to be present.

If you are a minority tell the liberals that you have a wide audience of other minorities. Also consider using traditional Liberal jobs as your career when you state what you do. Examples, Teacher, Tree Hugger, Government Administrator, Berkley resident....let us steal the rug from under the fools!!

[usadave]

The suit provided no specific sum for the damages of slavery, but the attorneys noted that the present value of the profits from slave labor amounts to $1.4 trillion.

I think it's about time someone files a lawsuit on behalf of law-abiding white Americans who have suffered at the hands of black criminals throughout our country's history. Many whites have been murdered or raped by black criminals. Plus add in all the property that black criminals have taken from whites by way of burglaries, robberies, carjackings, and auto thefts.
Add in all the damage to our society caused by black criminals with their drug dealing and gang activity. Also add in all the taxpayer benefits given to non-working blacks such as welfare, foodstamps, and subsidized housing. Then add in the costs of incarcerating the disproportionately high number of black criminals in our country's jails and prisons.

After adding up the costs over the years for all the damages caused by blacks due to their criminal behavior, and adding in the costs over the years of providing tax subsidized handouts to non-working black residents, and allowing for inflation, the grand total comes to $1.4 trillion. So why don't we just call it even.

[Young Werther]

Suppose, just suppose that the Native Americans said, "Go Home." I wouldn't have any problem returning to Sicily. I sure would like to see Jesse et al's reaction upon returning to Africa!!!

Heh!Heh!Heh!Heh!Heh!Heh!Heh!

[headsonpikes]

"Forty Acres and a Lexus" bump! LOLOL!

This is such a farce; I can't believe the idea gets any traction whatsoever.

Everyone knows that a man needs a Cadillac!

[DennisR]

I thought CA was a few billion in the hole?

In WA (aka "USSRW" and one of the three left-coast Socialist states), our wonderful Democrats chose to sell future rights to the tobacco settlement so they could "balance the budget." Cannot remember how much it was going to cost to do that, but suffice it to say that they must have been smoking something that day.

[Centurion2000]

Or as Eva Paterson of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights told the San Francisco Chronicle, "The high-road side of me says this should go to a fund of some kind. But another side says give me my money. As the saying goes: If not 40 acres and a mule, then 40 acres and a Lexus."

Paging Robert Mugabe and "war veterans", black courtesy phone, black courtesy phone ....

[usadave]

In fact, Manhattan Life volunteered to Harry Low that it had "insured shippers for their cargo of 700 Chinese coolies on a journey from China in 1854." So it's probably only a matter of time before Chinese-American reparations lawsuits are filed. Ditto Mexican Americans who worked for substandard wages because they lacked citizenship.

The Chinese "coolies" were not slaves because they came to the U.S. voluntarily. They may have been lied to about the working conditions or the pay, but if they didn't like it, they could always take a slow boat back to China at their cost. As far as the "Mexican Americans who worked for substandard wages because they lacked citizenship", if they lacked citizenship they weren't Mexican Americans!

[NRA2BFree]

Suppose, just suppose that the Native Americans said, "Go Home." I wouldn't have any problem returning to Sicily. I sure would like to see Jesse et al's reaction upon returning to Africa!!! Heh!Heh!Heh!Heh!Heh!Heh!Heh!

Oh you're bad. I like you. LOL! The thought of JJ and his gang of criminals having to return to their "roots" is quite amusing. Thanks for the chuckle.

[stiga bey]

My ancestors were oppressed in Scotland and Russia. I'll settle for one hectare on the Isle of Man and a Lada Niva. Where do I go to claim them?

[fire_eye]

Suppose, just suppose that the Native Americans said, "Go Home." I wouldn't have any problem returning to Sicily. I sure would like to see Jesse et al's reaction upon returning to Africa!!!

Hold that thought, dude

< < AHEM... > > Once again, this subject having erupted like a sore boil upon the, ah... errrr.... gluteus maximus of the Free Republic website, I find it incumbent upon myself << refill shot glass >> to make the following pronouncement, to wit:

I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AND UNRESERVEDLY SUPPORT REPARATIONS FOR ALL AFRICAN-AMERICANS WHO ASK FOR REPARATIONS!!!!!!!!!

I think that all of us white Americans (do I count? I'm a Jew... hmmmm....) should be required to assist in restoring all African-Americans desiring "Reparations", to the condition in which they would now find themselves had their ancestors not been dragged over here as slaves!!!!

Damn... This is boring. I'm more interested in who's guilty. Hey... Let's say I'm half white and part black. Does that mean the white half owes the black half... << damn, this rum needs some help >>

[RnMomof7]

Nope I am just a good long range planner..I figure in the long run that will save us Billions in welfare,medicaid,social security,educational grants..etc.

[Elsie]

BTW I have NO problem giving every African American a 1/4 of a mil...or even 1/2 a mil...
as long as there is a contract that they, and future generations will not claim any future government "benefits" for 100 years.

---

I'm all for reparations!

After we SUBTRACT all the welfare from it, of course.

Then......... if there is a NEGATIVE amount coming to anyone, THEY have to pay it back to the REST of us!!!!!!!

---

And then just STOP this 'welfare' game.

[RnMomof7]

see my #57

[THEUPMAN]

supports payment of damages to--groups that champion African Americans

The first company to feel that they have to fold, should give a big ol check to
JESSE PETERSON
there are some black conservative groups who could use a few bucks.

I bet you would hear some howls from jackson