Monetary reparations for blacks because of slavery their ancestors suffered is a bad idea. It is an idea rooted in the noble intent to right a wrong, to do penitence, to make "good." Reparations for atrocities are not new. Lincoln had proposed giving each black 40 acres and a mule as well as free passage to their homeland. Andrew Johnson squashed the idea and soon after Jim Crows Laws went into effect in the South. It wasn't until another Johnson with help of Congress passed the ERA amendment in 1972, despite the fact it was introduced in every session of Congress since 1923.
Timely reparations have been done in the past, but not without controversy. In 1988, Regan signed the Civil Liberties Act and gave $20,000 to surviving Japanese victims that were incarcerated in camps during World War II. The keys words here are surviving and victims. The "Wiedergutmachung Agreement" between West Germany and Israel to compensate Jews for losses in 1952 did not go without protest. "Our honor shall not be sold for money; Our blood shall not be atoned by goods. We shall wipe out the disgrace!" was the cry of Jewish protesters. Many black leaders and intellectuals like Glenn Lory feel that any monetary compensation, even with an apology, would be profane. These reparations were made when a more direct connection could be made between the perpetrators and their victims. I believe with the passing of Lincoln and the indifference of his successors, the time has passed for any direct compensation to the true victims of slavery.
Even the articulate and polemic Christopher Hitchens could not muster up a convincing argument for reparations. In an Oxford-style debate in 2001 at Boston University he taught the audience how to pronounce Elgin and little more. Trying to draw comparisons between the theft of the Elgin Marbles from Greece in the 18 century and today's dilemma whether to give people of African descent monetary compensation for the sins committed to their very distant ancestors was feeble at best. Repeatedly boosting: "Don't let the best be the enemy of good" (quoting Voltaire without credit). He outlines:
Was there an original traceable offense?
Was there a taking, a thief, a rape, dispossession, a confiscation?
Can all of it be made "good"? If not all can some of it be make "good?.
No one is arguing that there was an original traceable offense of horrific magnitude. But what, if any, can be made "good" by the exchange of currency from people who never owned a slave and whose ancestors may never have owned a slave, but may have fought and died to free them to a people who are not slaves dumbfounds even black scholars like, Glenn C. Lory. He sees inherent problems with reparations. He fears both white and black might consider the debt paid in full, reducing the horrors to some kind of class action lawsuit. He fears it will diminish support for affirmative action programs and similar programs that aid black folks. He argues any significant amount of compensation could not be absorbed by the economy and any symbolic amount might do more harm than good.
Much has been done to promote equality in this country. We as people cannot enforce attitudes. We can only encourage and enlighten them. We have programs like affirmative action and many other special corporate and educational incentives for the black community. I am happy to see that discrimination is not only against the law but not in vogue. People careers can vanish in a second by the use of "N" word. I applaud that interracial marriages are on the rise. Black athletes can kneel when the National Anthem is being played without losing their job or multi-million dollar contracts. Yes, we have to address and be ever vigilant of the lack of assimilation of blacks in America, but reparation is not the answer in whole or part. We are on the right track: "Don't let best be the enemy of good".
Even the articulate and polemic Christopher Hitchens could not muster up a convincing argument for reparations. In an Oxford-style debate in 2001 at Boston University he taught the audience how to pronounce Elgin and little more. Trying to draw comparisons between the theft of the Elgin Marbles from Greece in the 18 century and today's dilemma whether to give people of African descent monetary compensation for the sins committed to their very distant ancestors was feeble at best. Repeatedly boosting: "Don't let the best be the enemy of good" (quoting Voltaire without credit). He outlines:
Was there an original traceable offense?
Was there a taking, a thief, a rape, dispossession, a confiscation?
Can all of it be made "good"? If not all can some of it be make "good?.
No one is arguing that there was an original traceable offense of horrific magnitude. But what, if any, can be made "good" by the exchange of currency from people who never owned a slave and whose ancestors may never have owned a slave, but may have fought and died to free them to a people who are not slaves dumbfounds even black scholars like, Glenn C. Lory. He sees inherent problems with reparations. He fears both white and black might consider the debt paid in full, reducing the horrors to some kind of class action lawsuit. He fears it will diminish support for affirmative action programs and similar programs that aid black folks. He argues any significant amount of compensation could not be absorbed by the economy and any symbolic amount might do more harm than good.
Much has been done to promote equality in this country. We as people cannot enforce attitudes. We can only encourage and enlighten them. We have programs like affirmative action and many other special corporate and educational incentives for the black community. I am happy to see that discrimination is not only against the law but not in vogue. People careers can vanish in a second by the use of "N" word. I applaud that interracial marriages are on the rise. Black athletes can kneel when the National Anthem is being played without losing their job or multi-million dollar contracts. Yes, we have to address and be ever vigilant of the lack of assimilation of blacks in America, but reparation is not the answer in whole or part. We are on the right track: "Don't let best be the enemy of good".
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