Reparations for slavery...... yay or nay?

[TitoFan]

Apparently, the idea of reparations for slavery is an old idea that has been rekindled as of late.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48665802

"Slavery reparations hearing ignites fiery debate in Congress"



While most may know what all this reparations talk is about, I'll post a neat, concise description from Wikipedia.....

"Reparations for slavery is the idea that some form of compensatory payment needs to be made to the descendants of Africans trafficked to and enslaved in the Americas as part of the Atlantic slave trade. The most notable demands for reparations have been made in the United Kingdom and in the United States. The American, including the Caribbean, and also the African governments, from which the countries where they were taken, have been said to be owed these reparations."


So what say you about this? Dying to hear Denilson's twisted take on this subject, but in the meantime, here's my own two cents.

I'm firmly AGAINST it.

Instead of looking toward the past, and continuing to rehash old history, no matter how bad it was..... society should be looking at the present and the future. Fix things NOW. Make hate groups illegal (KKK, Skinheads, Neo-Nazis), 1st Amendment "skirt hiding" be damned. We all know what our founding fathers meant. And it wasn't that we're free to hate on others because of skin color or the like. It would take someone with major BALLS to go up against that one, but hey..... if Trump was elected, anything's possible.

Forget about tearing down statues and monuments to the nation's past. The past is the past and it's part of the nation's history. Trying to erase it is wrong and dangerous. Instead, use it to keep from making the same terrible mistakes.

Quotas for employment, like EEO has clumsily tried to do, does little but fuel people's anger and resentment. There must be other ways to discourage discrimination due to race or gender (real gender, not imagined ones). We've sent men to the moon (sorry Alpha wherever you are)...... I'm sure we can figure it out. This is the 21st century, FFS. We seem to be going backwards as a society while at the same time inventing more and more technological shit.

Get people of power in government who truly care about the disparity between races in wealth, housing, healthcare, educational opportunities, etc. Not talking heads who say what some people want to hear until they get elected and then get amnesia. Create groups of working people (committees if you will) to work hard at breaking down these disparities. Yes, some people choose to have 10 children and live off the government. Don't punish the whole race because of those. Weed the riff-raff out and deal with them accordingly.

Obama was the first black President and he failed miserably in doing many of these very things. If anything, racial tensions worsened under his watch. Trump is anything but unifying. Let's get somebody up there who's worth a damn.

No quotas..... don't force X percentage of blacks or women to work anywhere. That's hollow and artificial. But at the same time, crack down and protect those worthy enough to get the top jobs who get shunned for no good reason. Again, we're smart enough. We can do it.

BUT....... enough with the paying out reparations to slave descendants. That is the most asinine idea I've ever heard. What on Earth is this going to resolve?? Not an absolute damn thing.

All we're doing is dredging up the past and stirring the shit until it smells real bad. Look forward, not backward.

So basically I'm AGAINST this idea 100%.

[Gandalf]

Me too. 100% against it. Nobody in the here and now is responsible for the actions of others centuries ago. Who would pay and for what? People need to take responsibility for themselves in the here and now. Things like this and feminism are based on a manufactured resentment.

I will double down and say that no group needs special treatment be it women, blacks, whites, gays, Muslims or whatever and that you rise and fall on your own merits and abilities.

[Master]

I think Germany have given out reparations for the horror committed after the Second World War.

[TitoFan]

I think Germany have given out reparations for the horror committed after the Second World War.

Well, that was their decision and it would be interesting to see how they handled/managed that. Difference between the two being that WWII was in the 1940's, whereas slavery was way the hell before that. Slavery was also a lot more widespread..... a practice considered normal at that time and carried out by many white societies over a very much wider area. Attempting to pay reparations for slavery is opening a disastrous can of worms that would have no end. All it would accomplish is create more resentment and it would be impossible to handle. And again... by continuing to dredge up and wallow in the past, we're basically dooming any efforts to deal with the present and the future. I'm surprised this is even being debated and considered by Congress.

[El Kabong]

[p4pking]

I think Germany have given out reparations for the horror committed after the Second World War.

Uh, nope. Germany was demanded to pay massive reparations after the first world war, which had a lot to do with causing the second. Its so obvious why this is always a bad idea.

[Master]

I think Germany have given out reparations for the horror committed after the Second World War.

Uh, nope. Germany was demanded to pay massive reparations after the first world war, which had a lot to do with causing the second. Its so obvious why this is always a bad idea.

No, they gave reparation to the Jewish community. If they can do it, then anyone can.

[El Kabong]

I think Germany have given out reparations for the horror committed after the Second World War.

Uh, nope. Germany was demanded to pay massive reparations after the first world war, which had a lot to do with causing the second. Its so obvious why this is always a bad idea.

No, they gave reparation to the Jewish community. If they can do it, then anyone can.

The Reparations Agreement between Israel and the Federal Republic of Germany was signed on September 10, 1952, and entered in force on March 27, 1953....WW2 ended in 1945.


The African slave trade was ended by America in 1808 and slavery as a practice ended in America 1865. Also worth noting that Native Americans and free Blacks also held slaves so would their ancestors also pay these reparations? Also what of people whose ancestors never held slaves OR Blacks who came to the United States freely would they receive reparations? What of mixed race people? Would we see a return of the 1 drop rule? I for one wouldn't see such a turn of events as positive...it would be divisive and wrongheaded.



So I'm going to go with NO on reparations. Not because slavery isn't wrong, it IS wrong and it's the original sin of America (among many other nations) and worldwide there are more slaves today than ever before and something should be done about that. But to relitigate the past over 150 after the War Between The States? That will reopen old wounds which won't be positive for anyone AND it would class a group of American citizens as permanent victims. History is often brutal and certain things nations end up lamenting....but this reparations nonsense is typical Democrat identity politics to rile up a base of voters they fear losing hold of which is exactly why it's being brought up by the Democrats, it's the ultimate pandering and it is frankly quite insulting.

[p4pking]

I think Germany have given out reparations for the horror committed after the Second World War.

Uh, nope. Germany was demanded to pay massive reparations after the first world war, which had a lot to do with causing the second. Its so obvious why this is always a bad idea.

No, they gave reparation to the Jewish community. If they can do it, then anyone can.

Anyone can? Poor way to begin this argument. You are wrong by A degree that makes this toohard to argue.

[Fenster]

Give us money because hundreds of years ago dead people were slaves? Hilarious.

Who actually foots the bill and how much do they want?

[X]

Well, I am part black African and I have no personal angst about slavery (not saying it's not evil, but nobody in my family history was ever a slave). In fact, I suspect that some of my ancestors sold subjugated and weaker people to be slaves via Zanzibar.

Understandably, Caribbean people or black people in other countries whose ancestors were enslaved get angry about it. There isn't really a burning sense of injustice amongst Africans from Africa.

Reparations is difficult, there isn't a right answer. People have been impoverished and given little chance of success for generations, and it's not completely their fault. However, white people - and Arabs and Africans - around nowadays arent the ones who enslaved anybody.

Where would the money come from, who would pay it, and who would get it? Would you have to prove your ancestors were slaves? What if it was only one great great grandparent? Would they only get a percentage? What if one ancestor was a slave and one was the owner (which happened a lot)? Would you have to pay yourself?

[TitoFan]

Well, I am part black African and I have no personal angst about slavery (not saying it's not evil, but nobody in my family history was ever a slave). In fact, I suspect that some of my ancestors sold subjugated and weaker people to be slaves via Zanzibar.

Understandably, Caribbean people or black people in other countries whose ancestors were enslaved get angry about it. There isn't really a burning sense of injustice amongst Africans from Africa.

Reparations is difficult, there isn't a right answer. People have been impoverished and given little chance of success for generations, and it's not completely their fault. However, white people - and Arabs and Africans - around nowadays arent the ones who enslaved anybody.

Where would the money come from, who would pay it, and who would get it? Would you have to prove your ancestors were slaves? What if it was only one great great grandparent? Would they only get a percentage? What if one ancestor was a slave and one was the owner (which happened a lot)? Would you have to pay yourself?

Thanks for weighing in and thanks for your honest vote.

Yes, it would be a logistical nightmare.... which is why I believe in putting SOOOO much more weight into efforts to fix whatever inequalities exist today. That is so much easier to manage and put your hands around than going back to 200 years ago and attempt to right a wrong which in the end will probably polarize the races even more. Resentment is sure to bubble up on both sides of the racial divide.

Thanks again for putting your opinion out there on a serious, real, and current issue.

[Spicoli]

Not sure of the practicality or realistic chance of this not ending in a gigantic clusterfeck. Honestly I don't know a single adult man or woman who doesn't know this is primarily a topic geared towards politics rather than some rising wave to seek 'justice' in any way. We as a whole would do better to use such a push to educate what humanity is capable of at it's worst but I believe we're moving more towards half thought out quick fixes..reparations..and are denying that our past..toppling historical statues and monuments into dark warehouses..made us what we are, in fact made us better today. No on reparations for me, though I have to say also that 1865 is really not that long ago. We can all trace our roots over generations be it a slave who was held on a Plantation that still stands today or some chucklehead on a boxing forum whos distant relatives fought both for the Confederacy and the Union army. We don't get do overs. Learn from history, respect and own it in all of it's pros and cons, and move forward.

[Master]

I think Germany have given out reparations for the horror committed after the Second World War.

Uh, nope. Germany was demanded to pay massive reparations after the first world war, which had a lot to do with causing the second. Its so obvious why this is always a bad idea.

No, they gave reparation to the Jewish community. If they can do it, then anyone can.

Anyone can? Poor way to begin this argument. You are wrong by A degree that makes this too hard to argue.

Where there is a will, there is a way.

[TitoFan]

If reparations WERE to be approved, I'd then vote for every single slave descendant to get paid except for Denilson.