Slavery

from JoeUser Forums
Some people want payments for the slavery that their ancestors did. Germany recently settled with workers it "enslaved" without payment during world war II, with payments coming out to about $3500 per person. What are your thoughts on slavery payments?
politics
5,187 views 16 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
I've thought about this issue for quite some time. Obviously there is no way there can be reparations paid. I was watching the West Wing one time and a black activist told a white house aid that it would be about 15 billion (or something like that). The aid said, "Can you take lay-away"? The point of the whole thing was that there is no way to put a price tag on the situation.

The main concern about the slavery issue is that there is still inequality in America today. Many communities of color live in worse conditions than they did 30 years ago. In California, 15 new prisons have been built and only 2 universities/JC's since 1980, I believe. Poverty, Health Care, education, day-care, employment and so on is major concerns in these communities, but their concerns are not heard in the mainstream media. I've never seen these issues brought up on the corporate news outlets, but they do talk about illegal immigration and locking up criminals everyday. I believe most people run away from talking about the issue of race instead of facing it. I saw a piece Tom Brokaw did on the Affirmative Action case in Michigan, and he conceded that America has ignored the problems with race and it has hurt communities of color. I think he is right.
Reply #2 from PolMach Forums Top
I think it's a terrible, disrespectful idea. What, a nation can enslave a people as long as they pay them (or their descendants) at some point for their forced labor? That's ridiculous.

How does money help make it right...the U.S. would still be guilty even after payments are made.

The lingering repercussions of slavery run deep and throwing money at descendants of former slaves will not solve the issue.
Siege of Centauri
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
I've thought about this issue for quite some time. Obviously there is no way there can be reparations paid. I was watching the West Wing one time and a black activist told a white house aid that it would be about 15 billion (or something like that). The aid said, "Can you take lay-away"? The point of the whole thing was that there is no way to put a price tag on the situation.


I saw that west wing episode a few months back and it was one of the things that was left hammering in my head. If I remember correctly it was something more like in the trillions of dollars, maybe not I don't remember, but the point is that payments can't be made.

enkydu


Was the US guilty as a government for slavery? Is it disrespectfull to make a payment as a sign of apology? Is it better to do nothing?
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top

Reparations for slavery, reparations for war crimes, reparations for the holocaust - the line of people with their hands out waiting for payment will just grow longer and longer.  It also perpetuates the idea that money can fix any problem - a big enough issue in this country as it is.


If we could have paid the slaves themselves, then I might have a different opinion about it.  But, to pay out to people who's ancestors were enslaved, who haven't been enslaved themselves and who haven't been directly impacted by that enslavement - that's not the answer.


I doubt those standing in line for the pay-out would say that though.

Reply #5 from PolMach Forums Top
I'm completely against reparations. But if we are going to talk about it, lets talk about giving reparations to native americans before we talk about giving them to black people. Slavery was bad....but what happened to the Native Americans was far worse.
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
As for slavery, where would it end? What about indentured servants, don't they deserve their share?

The point is, reparations are, for the most part, pointless and an insult to every hard working American. If the US decided, for instance, that it worked out to a "trust", then we'd have every person whose ancestor MIGHT have been a slave lined up for a handout. So who gets it and who gets left out? Say a person's 1/16 black, do they get 1/16 a share or a full share? Or say a person's descended from free blacks, or those who immigrated after slavery....how do we determine that they are ineligible, as there weren't the best kept records on slaves...especially since the import of slaves was illegal by the early 1800's and they weren't being brought here legally, so the records needed to be fudged a bit. Do we hand them out to anyone with dark skin then, or is this just racism all over again? (I think we KNOW the answer to that one).

My biggest argument against reparations, however, is that, if we paid reparations, the ones getting the bulk of the money would be lawyers.
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
Slavery was bad....but what happened to the Native Americans was far worse.


Yes and no. But you brush on an interesting point. Many slaves were sold into slavery by rival tribes, so the African countries of origin should bear part of the financial burden.

Oh wait. They can't pay. They're broke.
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
If any former slaves come forward I would be willing to see them compensated.
Reply #9 from PolMach Forums Top
If any former slaves come forward I would be willing to see them compensated.


Make sure you have those former slavemasters shoulder at least 99.9% of the financial compensation burden for those former slaves.
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
Reparations for slavery, reparations for war crimes, reparations for the holocaust - the line of people with their hands out waiting for payment will just grow longer and longer. It also perpetuates the idea that money can fix any problem - a big enough issue in this country as it is.



If we could have paid the slaves themselves, then I might have a different opinion about it. But, to pay out to people who's ancestors were enslaved, who haven't been enslaved themselves and who haven't been directly impacted by that enslavement - that's not the answer.


Indeed. If there are any former slaves still living, I would agree to compensate them for condition of slavery, but I doubt that there is any living now.

My biggest argument against reparations, however, is that, if we paid reparations, the ones getting the bulk of the money would be lawyers.


Yeah. I suspect this is just another scheme to get government to pay for lawyers and the children of slaves. Hey how about those of Chinese or Japanese descent that was held in prison camps when USA was in Vietnam? There is no end if it begins, and government will go broke trying to pay the people that number many times the original people that suffered in one way or other then. A slave could have 5 children, which had 5 children each That would total up to 25 people being paid for *ONE* person's suffering, and that's just TWO generations, which is NOT enough to cover appox 200 years!
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
Slavery was bad....but what happened to the Native Americans was far worse.


Ya, I was about to say that. I read Lies My Teacher Told Me, and it said as many as 50 Million Indians were killed, which was about 90 percent of the population. Some say it could've been worse. That's pretty bad.

Link
Reply #12 from PolMach Forums Top
Spain would have to give compensation to the rest of the Native Americans who lived outside and south of the USA.
Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top
It also perpetuates the idea that money can fix any problem - a big enough issue in this country as it is.


Wow, dharmagrl. I think that is a very profound statement. *insightful*
Reply #15 from PolMach Forums Top
If the modern US government is guilty and should pay reparations, then logically, African governments should also pay reparations since it was African leaders that sold their fellow countrymen to the Europeans and Americans as slaves. They are just as responsible...

That said, I want to reiterate, I think any modern nation giving money to descendants of slaves is stupid...these governments can be doing so much more to help those disenfrancised people get the respect they deserve. Money does not solve all problems...and systemic problems like racism certainly cannot be solved with money...we need to change people's hearts.
Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top
My main question is, people who are in favor or repirations, why should the government shoulder it?