Putting aside the nightmare of trying to decide who would pay reparations and who would receive them, there is no historical or moral precedent for reparations for slavery. The American Natives formed treaties with the US Federal government, resulting in land areas being recognized as their sovereign territories. Any other “reparations” were arranged at time the treaties’ were written and agreed to, and were made to the actual American Natives directly affected by US territorial expansion. Reparations to Japanese Americans were made to the actual American citizens held in the internment camps, or to their immediate children. As such, they had to show proof that they or their parents were interned. Simply being of Japanese decent was not sufficient to be awarded reparations. Jewish recipients of reparations from the German government again had to show that they or their parents actually lost property and/or their freedom to the Nazi regime. Simply being a Jew of European decent was insufficient to gain access to reparations. None of these things apply to the Blacks in America today, or to whites or other minorities who’s ancestors were victims of slavery.
According to a C-SPAN program (American Heritage Panel discussion) I was watching Saturday night, 75% of Blacks are now considered to be living at middle class or above. As such, it is hard to make the case that all or even most black Americans have been unable to overcome the affects of slavery. In the end, giving money to people simply because some of their distant ancestors were part of an ethnic group (and not the only one) that were numbered among slaves, is sending the wrong message to everyone…most especially to Black Americans. It reinforces the idea that they’re victims, powerless to affect their own condition.
The American people, through their government, have gone to great extremes to wipe away the vestiges of slavery. Far greater extremes in fact than any other nation that once did (or still does) endorsed or tolerated slavery. They have often gone beyond simply trying to create a level playing field by creating education assistance, housing assistance, racial quotas, and hiring preferences. In the end, those persons of minority decent that have prospered are those that stopped waiting around for a handout, took their fates and fortunes into their own hands, and embraced the American Dream.
Those that are beating the reparation drum (the non-elected, self-appointed Black Leadership) are not doing so in expectation of actually succeeding, in my opinion. They are pushing this issue so that, once it is struck down in the Capital and in the courts, they can have one more thing to point to and cry with righteous indignation, “See? The white men who govern you are racist, and holding you down. Flock to my banner and I will see that you get what they owe you!” In the end, even if reparations were paid, it would not silence those shrill voices. The only way to do so is to continue to strive for an America where Doctor King’s vision of equality for all (equality; not entitlements, not handouts) is realized to the fullest extent. Are we there yet? No. However, we’ve come far enough that I can envision that America. Reparations will not bring equality, only divisiveness.
