July 12, 2006 6:20 AM

Ah, jeez...not this again??

A quick look at slavery reparations efforts

Man, I thought we were past this silliness. Apparently, in my naivete, I just figured that reasonable people would come to see that reparations- the idea of paying money to current generations for crimes visited upon past generations- is simply not a fair, reasonable, or workable solution to a problem that’s almost 150 years old. Of course, if you’re looking for a quick and easy lifestyle upgrade, reparations are sure a Hell of a lot eaiser to win than the lottery, eh? AND you can play upon the collective artificially-created guilt of White Americans. Yeah, I know; it’s hell being Caucasian these days. Man, I had NO idea I have so much to feel guilty for.

You think it’s easy being a member of the oppressing class. Lemme tell ya…it ain’t all it’s cracked up to be.

How about we do this? If you can demonstrate that you yourself were ever enslaved by an American landowner or corporation, we’ll agree to pay you $10 million in small, unmarked bills immediately. Why do I make this offer so blithely? Well, maybe ‘cuz I know that you’d have to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 160 years old to be eligible for your windfall. Not gonna happen…knowwhutImean???

Just for giggles, then, let’s review where the campaign for reparations stands:

Every year since 1989, Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., has pushed unsuccessfully for a federal law ordering a study of reparations.

Yeah, and every year Rep. Ron Paul (R-19th century) introduces a bill to make adultresses wear a scarlet letter. That’s not going to happen, either.

Disclosure laws have prompted companies including health provider Aetna Inc. and financiers Lehman Brothers and Wachovia Corp. to apologize for slavery ties. After JPMorgan Chase reported that two of its predecessor banks owned more than 1,200 Louisiana slaves taken as collateral in the 1800s, the bank established a $5 million scholarship fund for Louisiana blacks.

Uh, I think one of my relatives might have particiated in plundering Jerusalem during the Crusades. As a recognition of my implied guilt by association, I’m pledging to subsist on a diet consisting of nothing but gefilte fish and matzo balls. How’s that for recognizing my responsibility to right an age-old wrong that I had nothing to do with?? And if I’m lucky, perhaps I’ll lose a few pounds while I’m cleansing my conscience.

Several lawsuits against 19 insurance, textile, railroad, financial services and tobacco companies with similar ties are making their way through federal courts.

Hmm…I seem to remember reading somewhere about “the sins of the fathers….” I don’t remember the rest of it, though. I must have slept through that part. Anyway, I’m still trying to figure out how anyone can be held responsible for actions taken 150+ years ago by their ancestors.

Advocates are calling for boycotts until such companies make reparations, said Kibibi Tyehimba, national co-chair of the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America, or N’COBRA.

Ah, so we’re resorting to economic blackmail now, are we? Apparently the National Coalition for an Immediate Lifestyle Upgrade needs to do a better job of explaining exactly how and why they, who to the best of my knowledge have never been enslaved in any sense of the word, deserve reparations for something that was never actually done to them? I mean, am I missing something here? African-Americans are calling for boycotts unless companies pay them huge sums of money as compensations for crimes they didn’t commit to people who have no claim to victimhood in any sense of the word??

Academics are researching the issue and publicizing their work at conferences, including one in February at the University of California, Berkeley, and two in March at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Another is scheduled this month in Ghana.

OK, I don’t want to seem insensitive here, but can someone please explain to me why this generation of African-Americans deserves to be paid ANYTHING for crimes that were committed 150 or more years ago? And if African-Americans deserve reparations, what about the millions of us Irish-Americans whose ancestors were oppressed and discriminated against for so long? Where’s my check? No, my ancestors were never legally defined as “property” or as 3/5 of a human being, but they weren’t exactly welcomed with open arms, either.

IF corporations choose to make some sort of payment, that is their decision, but under NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD PAYMENTS OF ANY SORT BE MADE TO INDIVIDUALS. This money could probably most effectively be used to fund scholarship programs, public works projects, or similar programs that will benefit a wide range of people- not just African-Americans. No institution or corporation should be paying money to individuals so they can put a big-screen television in their living room.

If this opens me to charges of racism, so be it. Those who know me know that nothing could be further from the truth. All I’m asking for is for reasonable people to prevail. No matter how much some groups might be demanding money for nothing, reparations are simply not a reasonable or fair expectation. Trying to create a sense of collective guilt is neither fair nor productive, and it certain will do nothing to improve the state of race relations in this country.

Of course, reparations WILL put a lot of big-screen televisions in the living rooms of African-Americans….

blog comments powered by Disqus

Technorati

Technorati search

» Blogs that link here

About this Entry

This page contains a single entry by Jack Cluth published on July 12, 2006 6:20 AM.

And now for the truly important news.... was the previous entry in this blog.

Smoke 'em if ya got 'em.... is the next entry in this blog.

Find recent content on the main index or look in the archives to find all content.

Contact Me

Powered by Movable Type 5.12