Black Reparations: The Ultimate Prize

Go to http://www.issues-views.com/index.php/sect/2000/article/2001

"THEY OWE US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

My turn to speak. It seems a good solution is to take the profits of publicly-owned federal and state landmarks that was owned by slave owners or used in the promotion and maintenance of slavery and equally distribute that money to Black colleges and universities.

Some people say scholarships. Others say trust funds. Others say "Where's my check?"
There are thousands of Blacks who are expecting a check for $500,000 each, thanks to Attorney Robert Brock.

Here is what I don't understand. Why have not we gone after the descendents of the slave owners for reparations. (Should Al Sharpton go to the Thurmond family to get his money?) Does that not seem logical? No one is calling for that. Their pockets are not deep enough, I guess.

Also too, should we not go after the Democratic Party that supported slavery before the Civil War? (Don't tell nobody, but the Republicans were never the slave owners.)

Also, there are those who advocate cash payments direct to Blacks. Is this a one-time payment or is it annuitized for a certain period of time or for life?

Suppose a Black person cannot prove slave ancestry? What does he get? Suppose a Black person, such as my late grandmother and the late Carol Channing, who can pass for White can prove slave ancestry? Is that person "Black enough" to get reparations? (Senator Barack Obama can comment on that I'm sure.)

How would the dark-skinned Blacks who cannot prove their slave ancestry feel when ancestry-verified Blacks who can pass for White get reparations? There is going to be some violence in the reparations office. How about the ones who lived as Whites who did not suffer any kind of racism? Do wealthy Blacks like Oprah Winfrey, Robert Johnson of BET, Bill Cosby, etc. get reparations too?

Also too, what about mixed race Blacks. Does someone like Halle Berry or Jasmine Guy who are half White get half the reparation money? Does someone who has 25% slave ancestry get 25% of the reparation amount? What about someone like the character in the Spike Lee joint Bamboozled who was 1/16th Black (6.25% Black and 93.75% white "devil") and appropriated named "1/16th Black"? Tiger Woods is mixed with several ethnic groups. Since he is does not have 100% Black blood, what shall we do with him? And does the "One Drop Rule" apply? How much Black blood must you have to qualify for reparations?

Believe it or not, there were free Black slave owners in the South. The descendents could not claim slave ancestry. Their neighbors get something, but they don't. Do we say, "Sorry Charlie?"
What about the descendents of slaves who actually fought for the Confederacy. Yes, they actually existed. Are the descendents disqualified because there were "Uncle Tom's" in the family? Or do they get 50% because the other side of the family supported the Union during the Civil War?

Some ancestors only experienced slavery. Some of us have slave ancestors and lynched ancestors. Will we who have lynched ancestors get extra consideration added to our regular reparation check? That is like compesation for victims of violent crime.

Also will reparations in cash be on going because there will be more Blacks born in the future? Do Blacks not even born yet deserve reparations? That means there must be a payment system for every new Black boy or girl born whose parents can prove slave ancestry. And it will be a permanent thing. Checks will be cut 24/7. (There will be reparation check cash advance businesses like paycheck cash advance businesses. Business will be booming.)

Will there be systems in place to guard against fraud? There has been welfare fraud, Medicaid fraud, so there will be reparations fraud.

What about people such as parents and grandparents who are dead. They did not get reparations, so can we claim their share as ours too? Did they not deserve it too? Look at it as a legal inheritance.

Do people who are considered "Uncle Tom's" get reparations, i.e., Clarence Thomas?

Also too, if the U.S. Treasury dispenses reparations, does that not mean that the tax-paying immigrant native African, tax-paying immigrant Black Caribbean, and tax-paying 2nd generation Blacks from those groups born here also contribute to those reparations. Is it fair to expect them to also pay to Black Americans?

I'm not a fan of President Bush. However, I have seen bitter compaints about his opposition to reparations. But President Bill Clinton also opposed reparations. I have not seen any bitter complaints about him. Is our "first Black president" an Uncle Tom? Clinton is acting just like a White man. No reparations for him.