Reparations for slavery is a proposal in the U.S. for the federal government to pay reparation, in various forms, to slave descendants for the transatlantic slave trade. There is also a newer movement to secure reparations, particularly from Western, ex-colonial powers, for Africa and African nations.
The arguments surrounding reparations is based on the formal discussion about reparations and the actual land reparations received by African Americans which were later taken away. In, 1865 after the South was defeated in the American Civil War, General William Tecumseh Sherman issued Special Field Orders, No. 15 that set aside tracts of land in the sea islands and around Charleston, South Carolina for the exclusive use of Black people who had been enslaved. Around 40,000 freed slaves were settled on 400,000 acres (1,600 km²) in Georgia and South Carolina. However, President Johnson reversed the order after Lincoln was killed and the land ownership reverted back to Whites. In 1867, Thaddeus Stevens sponsored a bill for the redistribution of land to African Americans, but it was not passed.
When reconstruction abruptly ended in 1877 rather than addressing the atrocities of slavery, a deliberate movement of regression and oppression arose in southern states. (Jim Crow) laws passed in the South to reinforce the existing inequality that slavery had produced. In addition White terrorist organizations such as the KKK engaged in a massive campaign of intimidation throughout the South in order to keep African Americans in their prescribed social place. For centuries this inequality, injustice, and was rationalized away in court decisions and in public discourse and reparations dropped off the radar screen
So give us our 40 acres and a mule.
Much of this information is from http://en.wikipedia.org/w iki/Slavery_reparation
Speak Up
anonymous: All valid points. However, most people in this country can only trace their ancestors here back a few generations, which is not far enough for them to have owned slaves. Ergo, these people should not be made to pay reparations for something they had no part in, since they did not own slaves. If you believe that these people are somehow on the same level as slave owners from further back in the past than their own roots in the US, then please feel free to explain how someone like myself, whose ancestors arrived from Italy about 4 generations ago, would need to pay reparations. Also, I don‘t mean to make any generalizations, but people who are descended from, or are, immigrants most likely share my opinion.
anonymous: Oh i‘m sorry. I didn‘t realize that you were kidnapped from your native home in Africa and brought into the U.S. as a slave.
I that case I think that your ‘master‘ should be made to pay reparations. But you won‘t get a cent from me.
anonymous: Following your line of reasoning the desendants who can trace their history back to African nations that engaged in the common practice of slavery [all of them], should also pay reparations. The question is then who should recieve the money.
Because the forefathers of African Americans [who immigrated here or were taken here] engaged in slavery in Africa and actually provided Europeans with their slaves. The slave trade was widely accepted in Africa and slavery was rampant among ther African tribes themselves.
So the issue is not as black and white as you make it seem. The truth is that no single racial or ethnic group is entirely responsible for the trans Atlantic slave trade. So it‘s impossible to identify who should pay and who should recieve the reparations.
Then the situation gets even sticker when you address the fact that everyone who engaged in the slave trade and all of the people who were enslaved are all dead.
How would you feel if you were sent to prison for life because your great grandfather killed someone and the case was just recently solved?
Reparations will not bring justice to the people who were enslaved because all of those people are long gone.
anonymous: As slaves you were nothing but bipedal mules that could be trained to understand English. Be thankful you were given the right to be normal citizens instead of being shipped back to Africa.
anonymous: bullshit
Quaker based Agnostic: Put that hand back in your pocket and fill out a job app.
And quoting wiki as a source is as swift as admitting you drink from toilets.
I‘m not a descendant of slave-owners, slave ship captains, or the KKK. My roots from the period of American slavery lie with the Quakers, and while yes my blood helped escaped slave to a better life I can make no claim to any of that service. And by corollary, none of the people currently in government, the general population, or even the ignorant assbackwards Klan that still exists can or should be held responsible for that time.
Confused: You take your 40 acres and a mule, and see what you can do. Happy plowing.
anonymous: Your insistence on reparations is a manifestation of your deep-seeded feelings of inferiority, and if granted, will only prolong the central beliefs of racism. You demand that someone give you something for whatever sophistical reason simply because you are convinced you cannot earn it yourself.
My ancestors were Scottish coalminers in West Virginia and were horribly exploited for generations by mining companies who kept them from unionizing and securing fair wages. But I spend no time demanding reparations because I am confident that I can make a living on my own, and let the past be the past.
The reparation argument is in character much like a slave begging his master for more food, rather than like the emmanicipated slave who embraces (and is completely responsible for) his freedom.
anonymous: There are economically disadvantaged whites in this country who couldn‘t afford to go to law school, medical school or dental school because there‘s no "set-asides" for them, no affirmative action, no NAACP and no generous back pay/front pay and other monetary wards from the EEOC for the white victims of job discrimination such as those who were unjustly denied good jobs due to age, due to being disabled or due to being Jewish. There is no scholarships for poor white people, nothing - zilch. But there are plenty of blacks doing quite well because of those programs - better than the poor whites who have no recourse for getting a chance for good jobs, law school admissions, med school admissions - and the scholarships and grants to pay for it too - due to preferential hiring and college admission practices. Why should those getting favored and preferential treatment over others who are disadvantaged lay claim to even more free money that comes out of everybody else‘s pockets? If you think you have it so bad as a black descendent of slavery, talk to the African slaves living in the Sudan today, the women and children in Africa subjected to FGM, and the African men whose limbs were amputated for punishment under Sharia Law imposed by radical Muslim African warlords. Black Americans should be grateful they were born here - even if their ancestors were slaves because they certainly have it better here than they would back in their "Motherland". If anything, you owe America a debt of gratitude for the horrors you are being spared today because your ancestors came here enslaved.
Da 1 and only: this is very important.All this information is really good and people can learn about important things on whats been going on in the world
Warrior: Understand this, African Reparations for Slavery is the COMPENSATION FOR UNPAID WAGES that are WELL OVER DUE and to be paid by the Governments that benefited off the backs of African Slaves. It‘s not at all entirely about the sufferation and exploitation our ancestors endured for that debt could never be adequately compensated.
See THE ACT of LABOUR BY FORCE and then turning around an REFUSING TO PAY for that Labour, is wrong, it amounts to theft of wages, and is UNJUSTIFIED.
The struggle for African Reparations of Slavery is surely not a new concept if you study your world history you would know it has been a reality pass down since those days of slavery from generation to generation to generation to generation and so on. And it will continue to be passed down until the monies that were robbed is returned by the Governments that possess it.
And know this, it is these Governments that are at fault for failing to pay their debts!
It is not only Africans in America (the descandants of slaves) that should be compensated it is a worldwide struggle for justice among ALL Africans to be compensated. My ancestors were former slaves in Jamaica and England will pay their unpaid wages.
As far as the genocide, slavery, famine, mutilation, poverty and other seriouse issues of our people in Africa today, reflects the result of colonialization and former colonialization. The wealthier western world offers inequitable aid and no equitable trade! Africa needs sustainable development and not permanent dependency!
anonymous: FYI, the average black american earns approximatley 10 x‘s the income of a black in the african nations that slaves came from. If anything the slave traders should be given the reparations for bringing them to a more wealthy nation.
fighting for justice and truth: the majority of you people that have written on this page so far are the most unfair and racist people I have ever came across!!!! it is a great disappointment to humanity that there are still people in this day an age that can be so blatantly ignorant!!! how can any people of anywhere rightly uphold injustice????? to even suggest that slave traders should be compensated is very sickening and plain evil!!! the reason why your countries are wealthy today is because of the african slaves who unwillingly worked for free, who were forced into hard labour!! and as far as black americans today making big income that is only a small (but somewhat growing) percentage of the population, that may be someone like you see on tv. a lot of us are struggling because of things like racism discimination that you people on here seem to glorify!! as a black i do not want to be a victim and i refuse it but i know that i have been taken advantage of and have experience some straight forward racism but you guys are the worst!! i know that the white race that benefited from slavery has had their advantages being overly rich with blacks inheritance. if there are poor whites today that have slave traders as ancestors, they should know their people at one point had riches, and their circumstances today are a result of their ancestors lack of proper investing... i see it as the tide is turning, whatever you sow that is what you‘ll reap. it is very sad that generational curses effect the offspring generations but it is for those individuals to repent of the sins of the forefathers, enlighten themselves and do the good works of the Lord.
ONE LOVE - LETS GET TOGETHER: I BEEN READING THE COMMENTS HERE - I LAUGH AT THE STUPIDITY OF PEOPLE - IN COURT WHEN AN EMPLOYER (SAY THE SLAVE TRADE GOVERNMENTS) IS PROVEN TO OWE PAY TO AN EMPLOYEE (SAY THE SLAVES OR SLAVE DESCENDANTS) - THE EMPLOYER HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO PAY OR THE EMPLOYER WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF THE LAW - I SEE IT NO DIFFERENT WITH ANY GOVERNMENT - BLACKS OF SLAVES DESERVE REPARATIONS PERIOD - THE GOVERNMENTS FOR CENTURIES HAVE LIED TO THEM AND INTURN TRY TO BRAINWASH PEOPLE TO THINK THAT EVERYTHING IS EQUAL - THAT BLACKS GET THEIR SHARE FROM BEING ABLE TO STAY IN AMERICA AN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RUN THE RAT RACE TO GAIN WEALTH - THAT FYI WAS THEIRS TO BEGIN WITH - IT IS GARBAGE AND A LOAD OF PROPAGANDA THAT I HOPE FOR THE SAKE OF OUR NATION THAT MOST PEOPLE DON‘T REALLY BELIEVE - REPARATE BLACKS SO WE CAN BEGIN TO RIGHT OUR WRONGS AND GET MORE FOCUS ON OTHER ISSUES - PEACE
anonymous: Yeah, give us our 40 mules and an acre.
William Randee: Well, slavery was legal for a time. So how can you persecute people for taking advantage of a legal enterprise?
Hell, I wish I could buy a few slaves today since I‘m tired of paying some greedy lawn-care company to take care of my lawn. A couple of slaves to clean the house once in a while wouldn‘t be bad either.
You don‘t have to be brutal to them it‘s just that they‘ll work for you till you get tired of them. Unless you get a couple of cute slaves then you can keep them for a while.
Heh,heh, take them on a slave camping trip, or to slave day at disneyland, or buy them a slave burger and fries once and a while.
I know what I‘m saying a lot of people won‘t like but that‘s okay. I can say what I want. -b.r.
anonymous: slavery as a legal enterprise?...that is a joke...so if genocide was legal that wud make it all right?..if u r that immoral that u can not see at least the basics of right from wrong then may God have mercy on ur soul....and yes i do not agree with what ur saying caus ur obviously prejudice an ur silly racist comments shows ur hatred an lack of intelligence...hey think about it, who made it legal at that time but white racist people who were in power...look at when saddam was in power, he put in place horrible rules and regulations that oppressed the people, he murdered many, even families...did that make it right just because it was legal in his country at that time? in the past hitler did the same and even much worse, he literally try to exterminate millions of the jews, killed deformed newborn babies and disabled children, ...did that make it right because it was legal in his country at that time?... according to u, we should not hold these kind of individual people, extremist groups or corrupted governments in account for their wicked acts just because they were just taking advantage of a legal enterprise at that time?.......can u really believe this??.. u can say what u will but ur not right on this one...
Nubian: The whole offer of 40 acres an a mule to me was and still is an insult to the black nation that they brought under bondage. Yes back then 40 acres and a mule had some worth but it still wasn‘t even enough compared to how much they benefited off our people. It‘s like profiting $300 dollars and u say u will give the workers a combined total of $3 dollars that they must share amongst themselves. They owed us much greater then that and now the amount has increased. they never paid it and we have never forgotten it.
cassava dumplin: You Know What If In Africa Slavery Was So Much Then Why When the Europeans Came They Did Not Free The Enslaved Africans? Why Did They Ship Them Off To A New World And Continued Enslaving Them There? And Why Did the Europeans Took African Families That Were Not Even Enslaved In Africa And Shippped Them Too And Enslaved Them In A New World? You Want To Know Why? For One Thing They Did Not Come To Make Peace But To Divide And Rule. Africa Was Just Another Conquest To Them. They Hated Our Culture, Our Skin Color, Our Hair Texture, But They Lusted After Our Gold, Rubies, Diamonds And Perls. They Saw Us As Lesser Then Dogs But Valuable As Cattel. There Countries Became Wealthy Because Of Our People. Our People Became Poor Because Of Them. They Did Not Want Our People To Get Compensated Then And They Don‘t Want Us Who Remain Of Their Bloodline To Get Reparations Now. But It Is Said That There Is A Season For Everything.
Nubian: Well said cassava.
anonymous: My ancestors were Scottish. They were enslaved by the romans and a the vikings for hundreds of years. I‘m gonna set up a website demanding money for the horrible suffering my "people" endured at the hands of these invaders. I want some money from the Italians for what happened centuries ago!!!! This issue is ridiculous, if anybody should pay reparations its the Africans that sold thier people in the first place. Go demand money from them.
Nubian: You seem to not understand what Reparations are and you also don‘t know much of anything about African History of Slavery. And your talking about Governments that no longer exist, Vikings and Romans. Were talking about the same Governments that existed then in slavery times, still exist today. These Governments havn‘t dismanteled and become new countries. So your argument is unfounded.
anonymous: this is a great site to learn about african history of slavery: http://www.africanholocau st.net
anonymous: A Commentary by Oscar L. Beard, Consultant in African Studies 24 May 1999:
"The single most effective White propaganda assertion that continues to make it very difficult for us to reconstruct the African social systems of mutual trust broken down by U.S. Slavery is the statement, unqualified, that, "We sold each other into slavery." Most of us have accepted this statement as true at its face value. It implies that parents sold their children into slavery to Whites, husbands sold their wives, even brothers and sisters selling each other to the Whites. It continues to perpetuate a particularly sinister effluvium of Black character. But deep down in the Black gut, somewhere beneath all the barbecue ribs, gin and whitewashed religions, we know that we are not like this...." can read more here: http://www.africawithin.c om/maafa/did_we_sell.htm there are many great sites that discuss about the real africa and what really occured in african slavery, you just have to look for them if you want to really know the truth. the facts are there not heresy like most are listening to and believing.
anonymous: anybody ever herd of, Caucasians United for Reparations & Emancipation? it is a true blessing to see people of all races united for the right cause, african reparations for slavery: http://www.reparationsthe cure.org
Dave Bart: Sure. Alot of the wealthiest families in the South (and those who migrated North afterward) made their money on the backs of your ancestors. Unfortunately, we can‘t go back in time and give those ancestors their due. But we can give something to their descendants. The tricky part is, to be completely fair in all of this, you would need to be able to legally prove which plantation your ancestors were enslaved by, and then we‘d need to track down the descendants of those plantation owners. Further, 150 years have gone by, and some of those families may have lost their fortunes. It‘s hard to get blood from a rock, so to speak. So, even after we‘ve established who worked for who and who‘s descended from whom, we may still have a problem. For those where the families can be traced, and the money‘s there to be reparated, we can then work on a transfer of property. As for the 40 acres, I have no idea how big an acre is (I‘m from the city), but it sounds like a lot. The South isn‘t very big, and given that African-Americans are about 17% of the US population, you might just well get all of it. Which is fine by me. Maybe you‘ll do a better job of it than the Trent Lott crowd is doing. I don‘t really see how you could do much worse, anyway. Besides, I think African Americans are the majority in a large part of the South nowadays, right? It only makes sense that you‘d make up most of the landowners. There‘s one other serious difficulty. The Native Americans. As legitimate as your claim to the land is, theirs is even more so. While you were promised 40 acres, they had their acres stolen out from underneath them, and it‘s only right that they get first dibs, since their land was stolen before anybody promised you anything. Granted, there aren‘t very many Native Americans left, but we should offer those who have legitimate claims to the land (i.e., their ancestors were there before they got robbed) a chance to get their reparations in before we start.
anonymous: It‘s a deal! I get a cut of your money though since my family never owned slaves and since several of my ancestors fought to give you the freedom you now enjoy in the civil war.
Insightful: Now you are wrong for saying that, you got your information screwed up. See you do not have to go back as far as which plantations our ancestors were enslaved on because that is totally irrelevant. From you can trace back your roots to an actual african slave under the European Government rule, you are entitle to african reparations for slavery, period. And is plain stupid to track down slave owners descendants because you surely can not hold them directly responsible for what there ancestors did despite even if some of them have racist views and would act on them if they could today. The mistake a lot of people that think like you are making is that you guys are putting the blame on the wrong people and on the wrong things.
It is the European Governments that are responsible and even if all those original slave owners were alive today they would have to compensate as well as the entire European Governments whom made it legal. It is not so much the claim to the lands in which our ancestors were enslaved but the many forms of compensation that is due to us. Simple as that.
anonymous: As in other parts of the world Whites enslaved and sold other of their race for centuries in europe. Race was not an issue to those feudal lords. But suddenly when anyone says that the african people did the same, it becomes an insult to their character. Once again race might not have been an issue to the people of africa who are guilty of that same thing. Why should I believe the poeple of africa were special in that they did not practice the trade slaves that looked like them. This character you defend seems to only be racism.
anonymous: The reason I would not want to take reparation money from the Italians for what their ancestors, the Ancient Romans, did is not because their country is no longer called the Roman Empire. It is because they are completely different people with new policies. The current Italian people,who are paying the taxes to the government, are decent people who have never owned slaves, and I would not want to take from them and their families whether their country was still called the Roman Empire or not.
cassava dumplin: Look here, either way you look at it two wrongs does not make it a right. When those whites came to Africa do you honestly believe that they enslaved my people because we were doing the same? They had their own agenda from the start and they did not understand our ways or our culture of life nor did they care. You need to study real African History and you will know that the when the whites came to Africa they enslaved the innocent as well as the guilty because in Africa a lot of the slaves we had were like prisoners usually to the victims, those whom committed crimes like thievery. To understand is to know, and you can not fully know unless you seek the true knowledge of events.
Reasonings: Racism was the cause for African Slavery as well as Greed. The heavy debt that those whites whom controlled the European Governments at that time left is still presently owed and it is not fair to say that it should not be paid because you have to realize that then they wouldn‘t pay it for the obvious fact that they were racist! So if the European Governments continue not to pay it, its to say they are still racist today and are condoning that practice that came from their forefathers.
GottaLetYallKnow: one thing we gotta remember is that when it comes 2 us Blacks a lot of these peeple love 2 say we are not entitle 2 anything, but lets speak of the jews OR native indians and then thats a different story. is it fair? NO! but life isn‘t fair and i say we should continue 2 fight for what we want which is our rightful reparations and teach not only our peeples but all peeples of what it is about because they seem not 2 understand over all these years.
fortwynt: i hate to break it to you, but as lousy as it is, it wasn‘t a legal "promise" to begin with, and even if it were it was reversed Legally...if you are living now you never saw a day of slavery in your life, save the sort of slavery that ALL people experience, and not to mention only around 6 percent of Americans owned slaves to begin with and that 6 percent didn‘t include my family...so frankly I don‘t owe you a penny...while it was sad, the whole slavery mess, those slaves and their immediate families are dead....if Hitlers family were tracked down would they be liable to pay for the misdeeds of him? no. If the slaves would have been given something for their trouble THEN thats one thing I would agree with, but waiting a hundred or more years and then forcing the decendants of those slave owners to pay for something their great great great grandfathers did is just ridiculous...You weren‘t a slave, my family did not own slaves....end of story....besides even if the psychotic notion of reparations could be made reality, who would get them? All Blacks? Even the ones of non-african descent (many), what about the whites with black ancestry? In other words it would never work.
anonymous: I SEE IT ALL AS A NO CHOICE DEAL WHEN THE WHITE EUROPEANS WENT TO AFRICA BECAUSE THE SITUATION WAS THIS: THE WHITES EITHER TOOK WHAT THEY WANTED BY FORCE WHICH CAUSED A LOT OF BLOODSHED OR WE SEMICOOPERATED WITH THEIR BULLYING.
anonymous: If your skin color is white, by that I mean you are dominately caucasian, and you can trace back your ancestry to an actual african slave under european rule then you too should be getting some level of reparations. This is not so much an issue of skin color anymore as it was in the beginning, for there are black asians and black indians, people have mixed heritage now so it would be dealt with on a case by case basis. And another thing we did not wait hundreds of years to claim reparations, that is an outright insult because the fights for African Reparations for Slavery started from the times of Slavery but of course it was ignored and still being ignored.
ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS: Who should pay out Reparations? All of the European Governments that directly benefited off the backs of African Slaves. Who should get this Reparations? Should have been our African Enslaved Ancestors but now it is the nearest of kin which are the African Descendants of Slaves that can trace back there lineage to actual African Slave Survivors. How should Reparations be paid? In more then one form and lasting for a certain period of time, from debt relief in Africa to free education and so on... that is just a few suggestions on how these monies should be spent; for the greater good towards equality and justice. How should Reparations pay out be done? Well one good way is the European Governments could set up a special private trust for only African Descendants of Slaves that will easily be accessable to us. The trust should be financed by funds drawn annually from the general revenue of all these European Governments for just a certain period of time and a certain set amount that can all be negotiated.
anonymous: If it helps promote emotional healing and social harmony then I‘m for reparations regardless of whether or not all those benifitting are actually descended from slaves and whether or not you have a legal claim to it because of the actual slavery. A gesture of concern in the form of voluntary slavery reparations might bring closure and reduce emotional disturbances of people who beleive their descendants were mistreated because of african slavory.
anonymous: Does the amount that these governments owe in reparations depend on their current level of wealth?
Nubian: No, see I personal believe it dosn‘t matter on their current level of wealth that dictates how much they will payout. However a lot of those Governments that were involved in Slavery more are the wealthiest nations today. So as it was said previously it all can be discussed and worked out.
Art Avedisian: Did we all forget that it was the African trible Chiefs that SOLD there people into slavery for gold. What are you people thinking. My ancesters did not have slaves, they were not even in this country during slavery, why should my money be used for this. I think not.
anonymous: Fuck you, no one living did any slave labor, so stop bitching and do some work and earn your money
anonymous: Why not just offer a one ticket back to Africa? That would put everything back the way it was before the ancestors were brought from Africa. You might find the decendants of those who caught and sold your ancestors off still in Africa.
Look to the future: There was a very relevant issue brought up by a Scot that he should claim compensation from the Vikings and the Romans for the enslaving of his ancestors.
Many people countered this argument with the equally relevant point that the Roman Empire no longer exists in its current form, nor the Norwegians or Swedes. The government of these nations is made up of completely different people, with different policies and opinions.
Why is this any different to the case in point? To bring in an even more contemporary example, to use your logic would imply that the Kurds now have the right to ask for compensation from the new Iraqi government.
Surely I don‘t have to labour the point as to why that is clearly unjust?
To say that an individual is responsible for the actions of their ancestors is ridiculous. This is akin to saying that anyone who has had a relative sent to prison should also go to prison for the same crime.
To say it of a government is even more ridiculous. A government by its very democratic nature is a transient entity. If the entire government was blown up by a bomb, and then replaced a week later by entirely new people, would that be the SAME government? No, of course not.
My main point is this. None of the people involved in the slave trade are alive today. Blacks and whites (and all other colours) have bravely fought for the emancipation from slavery. They won their battle, the slaves are now free.
These people made a huge leap forward for human society, and we should all be very gretful to them for it. Don‘t belittle their efforts by standing still and squabling about the past. Continue the push forwards and upwards, use the freedom you have been given and do good with it, prove that they did something worthwhile.
We‘re all given one chance in life, some are dealt better hands than others, but success is not measured in the final score, but in how far you have come.
anonymous: Die in a fucking fire, you stupid fucking niggers.
anonymous: Who should pay reparitions?
How about the black Africans who originally kidnapped and sold the slaves to white slave traders?
anonymous: I‘m a bit confused. I read the arguement that the Vikings and the Romans don‘t owe reparations to the Scots because those governments no longer exist. Ummmmmmm,,, last time I checked the Confederacy has long since ceased to exist as a government. Wasn‘t it the Union (aka the USA) that fought and lost thousands of lives to put an end to slavery? Based on that, it sounds like you‘re barking up the wrong tree. I‘m thinking you need to hit up the Confederacy. Let me know how that works out for you.
At best, you‘re 4 generations removed from slavery. It is a sickening insult to those that endured slavery and those that lost their lives fighting to bring it to an end for you to try scrounge an extra buck for their suffering.
anonymous: HEY THE EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS HAVE MANY BIG OVERDUE DEBTS ESPECIALLY TO BLACKS, LIKE IT OR NOT THIS IS THE TRUTH AND A STRAIGHT UP FACT! WHAT THE EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS ALWAYS TRYING TO DO IS AVOID AND IGNORE THE ISSUE THROUGH USEAGE OF PROPOGANDA SO THEY DO NOT PAY THEIR BILLS! IT IS NOT FAIR WHAT THESE RACIST GOVERNMENTS DID TO BLACK PEOPLE AND ARE YET TO PAYOUT A CENT! AND REALIZE THAT BLACKS ARE NOT ONLY IN AMERICA BUT ALL OVER THE WORLD SO STOP LOOKING AT JUST LOCAL BUT THE GLOBAL ISSUE OF AFRICAN REPARATIONS! THE REAL REASON WHY THESE RACIST GOVERNMENTS DON‘T WANT TO PAY IS BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY BLACK PEOPLE! IF THEY HAD SUCEEDED IN WIPEING OUT THE MAJORITY OF US LIKE WHAT FOR EXAMPLE THEY DID WITH THE NATIVE INDIANS I BET THEN THEY WOULD PAY BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE A VERY FEW NUMBER OF US LEFT! THE HATRED I SEE IN HERE JUST PROVES THE SLAVE MASTER MENTALITY THE WHITE RACISTS HAVE SO OF COURSE THEY WILL FIGHT BLACK REPARATIONS, THEY HATE US SO THEY DO NOT WANT US TO GET WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY OURS!
array: you people in here talking about blacks sold out blacks do not know or understand black history at all. you try see what blacks did but you did not see what whites did, why is that? why is that everytime they try to point out what the black man did but refuse to acknowledge what the white man did and his part in it? like the white man innocent in what he did to us, that is ridiculous and then try say that we are the cause of us being enslaved that is the most ignorant and insensitive thing I have ever herd. you see what this all is manipulation, they forced and manipulated us into slavery and continue to do so mentally even today, when will it end.
anonymous: This whole argument is so indicative of this insipid compensation culture that is taking over the world right now.
If you look through history, virtually every country owes some other country reparations, using your logic.
In 99% of the cases, no one who was alive at the time, on either side of the claim, are alive today. In my mind, that nullifies the debt. So for exactly the same reason that the Italians don‘t owe the Scots, ‘the whites‘ (however you deign to classify that one) therefore do not owe ‘the blacks‘.
If you want to get one over on the whites - go out, work hard and create your own empire - beat them at their own game. Don‘t sit around kicking your heels feeling like the world owes you a living.
anonymous: IF THAT IS SO TRUE THEN GO TAKE BACK THE MONIES PAID OUT TO THE NATIVE INDIANS AND THE JEWS AND JAPANESE AND ALL THOSE OTHER GROUPS SINCE THEY DID NOT DESERVE IT BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE BASICALLY SAYING!!!
anonymous: Beat the whites at their own game??? ::laughing:: How can blacks ever win a game when the other opponents always cheating? Honestly we have to stop fool ourselves, it was unfair from the start, blacks had the disadvantage. And as an activist against human suffering I see it as nothing compensating any rightful black person. our governmentes could have done it many years ago so it is better late then never because the situation is getting out of hand. blacks are right it is an injustice.
NO MORE RACISM: The compensation for the Black Holocaust includes all the damages afflicted on the African people and the African continent caused by the European/Arab Governments. African Reparations for Slavery is just apart of that and is a justified cause that regard to race, one should take a stand for it.
anonymous: Reparation has been paid to blacks. It‘s called welfare and it‘s created generations of people that are solely dependent on the government for their existance. What exactly is another money grab going to fix? Will it stop racism? Will it change anything at all? No, people that feel they‘re oppressed will feel that way no matter how much money is dropped into their hand. The fact still remains, you are owed nothing. Paying reparations to the Japanese is different because it was paid to the people directly affected. Let me point this out one more time, YOU WERE NOT A SLAVE. Therefore the government owes you nothing for having enslaved you. To compare the situation blacks have today with slavery is a direct slap in the face to your ancestors. This is nothing but a shameless money grab. Anyone with an ounce of pride would not stand their with their hand out wanting to cash in on someone elses suffering.
anonymous: Lots of valid points, but who would be expected to pay for this? You could print loads of money, make everyone a paper millionaire, the money of course would be worthless and massive unemployment would ensue. Blacks woould be blamed and massive racism would ensue. In a lot of ways reparation has been paid, how much money in the form of aid has fruitlessly been pumped into African countries? Fine, next time they have a disaster or famine charge them the going rate for sorting it out. When Africa needs medicine and technology, charge them the going market rate. Once reparations have been paid, are the next generation then going to get paid as well, and for how long - or at that point do they get told "your daddy got paid reparations but blew it all on a caddilac and crack".
Bob Harris: What a bunch of crap... if anyone is owed reparations it‘s women who for thousands of years were treated as second class citizens. And, I‘m a guy!
Damned funny request: Good luck finding a mule for every black man, woman and child. And where do you suppose we get all this land from? Invade Canada and plow the tundra?
Then the eskimos will be asking the same thing of your ancestors in 200 years.
AFFER MAYS: I feel that all African Americans that were 18 years of age at the time the Civil Rights act was put into affect should recieve 40 acres anywhere in the U.S., or a couple of Hud homes in desirable zip codes. There is plenty of open land, or Hud homes available to settle this debt. I also feel that the deffinition of the word "NIGGER" should be changed in the dictionary. There are many more niggers in the country of all races than there are dark skinned people. I would like to see all the contributions of African Americans that led to the development of this great country, added to all history books K thru 12. Lastly, I would like a formal nation wide apology from the president of the United States to Afican Americans for all of the horrible things that this government condoned, that has been done to them.
Solas: The American government never keep their side of any bargin- just ask the Native Americans who they slaughtered and stole from.
Kathleen: I just want to say for all the people regardless of your race that think that African americans should get the promise that was going to be given to us if President Lincoln was able to sign that piece of paper you are heartless bastards. For the person that say fuck you niggers, that shows that you are pathetic, envious, and just plain stupid. We as in the Descendants of the slaves deserve what are ancestors are not able to have. You think that just because its 2007 that we are not slaves some kind of way you need to wake the fuck up. We were happy in our native land before we were kidnapped because the white people could not make the USA prosper without us. The white people should thank us for doing what we did even if it was against our will. So should we get our 40 acres and a mule? Hell Yeah we should. So again all the people that are fucking stupid haters on this page go fuck yourself or actually read some african history better yet watch roots stupid asses maybe you will realize that we deserve our fucking 40 acres a mule.
terrell ray: first to the individuals who are out there and you are under anonymous and your throwing that bulshit out there stop it cus your cowards second the state of many of our black males is because of a constant flow of poverty yea ill atmit that there are blacks that are lazy but what the fuck you cant put that on a race and if those people who need the scholar ships and soforth are able to get these reparations cus there is no mor forty acres and a mule you have to pay back wages and the equals to money secondly all this bullshit about how you race was treated when they came to this country GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE your race made the consious choice to come we were stolen bamboozeled hood winked there has never been an atrocity in america like slavery of african people so shut the fuck up young punk live a little
anonymous: AFRICAN REPARATIONS FOR THE BLACK HOLOCAUST PETITION: www.gopetition.co.uk/onli ne/10151.html
anonymous: Ummm. Who do you think "the government" is? Perhaps you neglected to pay attention that day in civics class. But, umm, YOU are the people who will pay on behalf of the government. One way or the other, the US government is a "pass through" organization. They don‘t intrinsically have any earnings that they don‘t get off the backs of you and I. So, taking from the government is really just taking from yourself. Now, if you don‘t earn any money, then what you are really talking about is redistribution of money from current wage earners and companys to current non wage earners. In today‘s America, you are therefore asking people like me, who come from decidedly middle class, scotch-irish (came in the 1880s) and lower class jewish (came pre WWI) background to pay for something that none of my ancestors did or probably even supported. For those who say "the government OWES me", let‘s get it straight one more time, "the government" is the people. There is no big safe full of money made from dead black people that it is currently being used to fund the college educations of white kids. The benefits which accrued to the US from slavery are long since diffused into the fabric of the country. It certainly does suck that slavery happened (that is the understatement of the century) and it is very bad that there is still a lot of institutionalized racism in America. You have really got to open your eyes though. Imagine reparations were paid, what then? You can be sure that all those affirmative action laws would be repealed. If you think latent racism is bad now, oh man, just wait until every white person is another $1000 in the hole annually for the "reparations tax". Never mind the fact that in order to pay reparations you would have to print so much money that the currency would be worthless. Want to get ahead? Stop feeling as if though someone owes you something.
anonymous: Slave reparations are rediculous. You can‘t change history. Slavery was slavery because they didn‘t get paid for it. And these greeding money grubbing people shouldnt get paid. all they do is ruin america
Getoveryourselfyouwerenttheonl: Putting your "problems" above others makes me dislike this claim even more. What happened to the First Nation communities was just as devastating and is stil occuring to this day. Remember Residential schools? The death rate at these schools was and still is astounding. What about Reservations, where many still live on today, are often desolate places and many are considered worse than third world countries by the UN. Now let‘s talk about freedom and your dues.
You think you have problems? Go ask an Aboriginee about theirs. Then you can go buy your ticket back to Africa.
anonymous: The comment is illegible in Mozilla Firefox due to the sponsored links, dude.
anonymous: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) was signed into law by President Obama on February 17th, 2009. It is your 40 acres and a mule. It is an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, create or save millions of jobs, and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century. The Act is an extraordinary response to a crisis unlike any since the Great Depression, and includes measures to modernize our nation‘s infrastructure, enhance energy independence, expand educational opportunities, preserve and improve affordable health care, provide tax relief, and protect those in greatest need. Read the full bill here.
Copy and paste the following into your wed brouser for full details on your 40 acres and a mule http://www.usda.gov/wps/p ortal/?navid=USDA_ARRA
anonymous: We‘ve given you all your rights back and are trying to treat you as equals. If you want reperations for something that‘s happened in the past, then everyone will. The descendents of whites don‘t owe the descendants of blacks anything, because WE didn‘t enslave YOU. The people demanding reparation don‘t deserve anything, because they were never slaves.
