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“I’m descended from slave-owners (from the late 1600s) and I believe in a one-time reparation.”
Oh really? You derive specific financial benefit from the fact that your ancestors owned slaves? Very, very, very little wealth survives more than two generations. From the 1600s? Almost impossible. It is incredibly unlikely that there is even the smallest scrap of your wealth that is derived from slave ownership. So why do you want to just give money away?
Gem – yeah, King Leopold II in the Congo and then the Belgians again in Rwanda. They exploited the differences between Hutu and Tutsi and created a hatred that didn’t really exist prior to the Belgians being there.
First of all, as a black American, I don’t want any reparations. That ship sailed a long time ago. We need to be able to get up on our feet and stand by ourselves. Reparations now, 150 years after the end of slavery is ridiculous, and would rightfully be resented by everyone. We need fair and equal treatment and opportunity. That is reparation enough.
Japanese Americans deserved and got reparations. Different situation. Rob, learn some history. It doesn’t matter that they “don’t need the money now”. Please. They were rounded up during WWII for no other reason than racism, and their valuable land and property was parcelled out to Anglos. No Japanese American was ever found to have been a spy for Japan. It was racist and wrong, and they deserved every penny they got, and more.
Slopey, great explanation of the sovereignty of Indian lands vis a vis taxation, etc.
And where exactly does it end???? Do the descendants of ex-slaves from one tribe get to sue the descendants of ex-slaves from another tribe just because one tribe savaged the other back in Africa before the boats came and took them all away?
Reparations = dumber than a land war in Russia in the winter
“The PLUSA Pres should not be walking on the bridge by himself. He should be in bullet proof car, driven, and with body guards (no mention of those hotties sitting on his lap)”
It’s the damn budget cuts in the PLUSA President security detail. I didn’t even get an umbrella to fend off the rain and potential assassins from other blogs.
“I’m descended from slave-owners (from the late 1600s) and I believe in a one-time reparation.”
Oh really? You derive specific financial benefit from the fact that your ancestors owned slaves? Very, very, very little wealth survives more than two generations. From the 1600s? Almost impossible. It is incredibly unlikely that there is even the smallest scrap of your wealth that is derived from slave ownership. So why do you want to just give money away?
Gem – yeah, King Leopold II in the Congo and then the Belgians again in Rwanda. They exploited the differences between Hutu and Tutsi and created a hatred that didn’t really exist prior to the Belgians being there.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_II_of_Belgium
http://www.slideshare.net/brettpatychuk/the-rwandan-genocide-4076242
“I also believe if taxes were cut 40% across the board this country would be a lot stronger, not weaker. ”
Smartest thing I’ve heard on this blog in a long time, with the excception of some of lechacal’s rantings.
First of all, as a black American, I don’t want any reparations. That ship sailed a long time ago. We need to be able to get up on our feet and stand by ourselves. Reparations now, 150 years after the end of slavery is ridiculous, and would rightfully be resented by everyone. We need fair and equal treatment and opportunity. That is reparation enough.
Japanese Americans deserved and got reparations. Different situation. Rob, learn some history. It doesn’t matter that they “don’t need the money now”. Please. They were rounded up during WWII for no other reason than racism, and their valuable land and property was parcelled out to Anglos. No Japanese American was ever found to have been a spy for Japan. It was racist and wrong, and they deserved every penny they got, and more.
Slopey, great explanation of the sovereignty of Indian lands vis a vis taxation, etc.
And where exactly does it end???? Do the descendants of ex-slaves from one tribe get to sue the descendants of ex-slaves from another tribe just because one tribe savaged the other back in Africa before the boats came and took them all away?
Reparations = dumber than a land war in Russia in the winter
“The PLUSA Pres should not be walking on the bridge by himself. He should be in bullet proof car, driven, and with body guards (no mention of those hotties sitting on his lap)”
It’s the damn budget cuts in the PLUSA President security detail. I didn’t even get an umbrella to fend off the rain and potential assassins from other blogs.
Portugal left lots of disasters behind as well, particularly in Africa. Angola, anyone?
I’m descended from slave-owners (from the late 1600s) and I believe in a one-time reparation. The logistics seem fairly daunting though.
I also believe if taxes were cut 40% across the board this country would be a lot stronger, not weaker.
Biff: “I’m right here, people. When the storm broke, I was reading a book to a bunch of kids in a classroom. ” hahaha
A guy in a soaking-wet suit by the Brooklyn Bridge is a much better photo-op than photo by blown-over trees.