Democratic misfires: Reparations

No rights involved so far.

Okay, slavery was an abomination visited upon this country by it's founders: the English, the French, the Spanish, and the Dutch. What is their financial responsibility for slavery?


The United States only came into existence in 1788 with the ratification of the US Constitution. So slavery was allowed to exist in the United States from 1788 to 1865 or 77 years. It is argued that the first African slave (more about this later) came to Virginia in 1637. So slavery existed under Britain for 141 years. Now neither country specified slavery as existing. Only the Confederacy specifically mentions in their Constitution the slavery was a natural state of affairs and that lasted only four years. So England (and Spain, Denmark, and France) should be financially responsible for almost 60% of the cost of reparations, the UNITED STATES about 35% and the Confederacy (the most egregious practioner) about 5%.

Who gets what? I can totally understand the government making someone whole for the result of government action but all the slaves are dead and their children as well. The Japanese are alive and well from the internment camps but that is not slavery is it? The American Indian only became citizens by government action in 1927. Some of them are still alive? Now we add gay couples to the mix according to Warren. She claims that they paid more taxes because they could not legally marry. I call BS on that one. A lot of unmarried couples had to pay a higher rate. That was the norm. The state did NOT make any special law or take any action that says gay couples had to pay more. So this is just shameless pandering. What about the ancestors of white slaves? Yes, they did exist. Indentured servants could buy their way out of their servitude but until they did many slavery laws applied to them. Some actual African slaves could "pass" as they used to say; Octoroons quadroons, etc. Today their families are white. Do they get reparations? They have not suffered from the effects of slavery for several generations.
Who pays? How about some gratitude for the fallen? I think losing an ancestor fighting to end slavery should wipe the slate clean. A lot of us have those ancestors. How about someone who's ancestors arrived after slavery was over? How about someone who can prove that their family had nothing to do with slavery; Quakers and abolitionists.

You come up with an inclusive formula that hurts no innocent and does not reward the unworthy and we'll talk.

President Obama had a two year Supermajority where he could have passed this and didn't. Are we going to revisit the issue in 2065 during the 200 year anniversary of the end of the Civil War?

But keep bringing up issues that get no traction, Dims.

Personally I would agree to reparations minus all the previous benefits received such as affirmative action/diversity/welfare/food stamps/AFDC/set aside contracting requirements/college admissions based upon color or race or ethnicity/etc - a long list of things already done that were justified on past discrimination.

I had a epiphany last night and have to include it in the overall comment. When slavery occurred in the US, each state considered themselves separate and independent of the others. Each state had their own laws and did not under the constitutional umbrella we have today. What this means is that at the founding of the legal entity known as the United States some states had already banned slavery. Those states should be exempt from any reparation talk as well as any state or territory not yet in existence in 1865 when slavery became illegal in the U.S. So Hawaii, Alaska, and Pennsylvania would be exempt.
I guess the next step would be a class action against individual Americans and their descendants. Since our left wing comrades march in lockstep with their various causes and no independence of thought is allowed, you can each save us some time by writing a check to the reparation fund. Good luck with that!

At various times in the area now known as the United States, slavery was practiced under Spain, France , England etc. Should they all pay a share ?
Various tribes such as the Cherokee and Creek owned African slaves. Will they pay extra from their casino revenues ?
Not to mention that many who identify as ' black', such as Kamala Harris, had no ancestors here at the time. Should she get a share ?
My ancestors were serfs in Russia at the time. I guess I should send a bill to Putin.

At various times in the area now known as the United States, slavery was practiced under Spain, France , England etc. Should they all pay a share ?
Various tribes such as the Cherokee and Creek owned African slaves. Will they pay extra from their casino revenues ?
Not to mention that many who identify as ' black', such as Kamala Harris, had no ancestors here at the time. Should she get a share ?
My ancestors were serfs in Russia at the time. I guess I should send a bill to Putin. Originally Posted by Joey_Gleet

Me too!

There were very bad people on all sides. On all sides.

Me too!

There were very bad people on all sides. On all sides. Originally Posted by Yssup Rider

The word slave is even derived from ' slav' .
Slavery was a world wide phenomena.
The first slave owner in the colonies was a black man who refused to honor an indentured servitude contract.
Serfdom and slavery began to disappear as a result of industrialization and the economics involved. Or, are we to believe that all of the tyrants in the world suddenly had a change of heart?
The war between the states was a result of the conflict of interest between the industrialized north and the agriculturally based south.
The Tzar thought the serfs would be grateful for their freedom. Instead, they rose up and slaughtered the Imperial family.

With your statement there YR I see your meater is about to peg!!

Me too!

There were very bad people on all sides. On all sides. Originally Posted by Yssup Rider

Do you include Judah P Benjamin in your list of bad people?

I think he rehabilitated himself in his conduct and achievements after the war between the states.

With your statement there YR I see your meater is about to peg!! Originally Posted by bb1961

Are you talking about my meater?

I want to know whether I should feel insulted or threatened?

Are you talking about my meater?

I want to know whether I should feel insulted or threatened?

Originally Posted by Yssup Rider

welcome back, Grammar Nazi.


boarder/border. meter/meater. potato/potato


BAHHAAAAA

1 week back and you've stooped down to being a grammar Nazi again. Because that always works, right?

Since there were bad people on both sides, one has to assume there were also good people on both sides. Where have I heard that before?

Anyway, to get back on topic ...

“Obviously,” Smith said, “the story should be, needs to be, that the enslaved black people and soon-to-be-exiled red people would join forces and defeat their oppressor.” But such was not the case—far from it. “The Five Civilized Tribes were deeply committed to slavery, established their own racialized black codes, immediately reestablished slavery when they arrived in Indian territory, rebuilt their nations with slave labor, crushed slave rebellions, and enthusiastically sided with the Confederacy in the Civil War.”




https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smith...ive-180968339/