An article I found on Slavery Reparations. Sure to get some people riled up.

[burniegoeasily]

Slavery Reparations .......by Fred Reed

On the Web I find that Henry Louis Gates Jr., the chairman of Afro-
American Studies at Harvard, is demanding that whites pay
reparations to blacks. It's because of slavery, see. He is joined in this
endeavor by a gaggle of other professional blacks. I guess he'll send me a bill,
huh?

I feel like saying, "Let me get this straight, Hank. I'm slow. Be patient.
You want free money because of slavery, right? I don't blame you."
I'd like free money too. Tell you what. I believe in justice. I'll
give you a million dollars for every slave I own, and another million for
every year you were a slave. Fair enough? But tell me, how many slaves do you
suppose I have? In round numbers, I mean...Say to the nearest dozen. And
how long were you a slave?

Oh. In other words, I owe you reparations for something that I didn't do
and didn't happen to you. That makes sense. Like lug nuts on a
birthday cake.
Personally, I think you owe me reparations for things you didn't
do and never happened to me. I've never been coated in Dutch chocolate
and thrown from the Eiffel Tower. I'll bet you've never done it to anyone. I
want reparations. Kinda silly, isn't it?

But if we're going to talk about reparations, that's a street that
runs in two directions. You want money from me for what some other whites
did to some other blacks in another century. How about you guys paying
whites reparations for current expenses caused by blacks? Not long ago
blacks burned down half of Los Angeles, a city in my country. Cities are
expensive, Hank. Build one sometime and you'll see what I mean.
Whites had to pay taxes to repair Los Angeles for you. You can send me a check.
Now, yes, I know you burned LA because you didn't like the verdict
in the trial of those police officers. Well, I didn't like the verdict in
the Simpson trial. But I didn't burn my house and loot Korean grocers.
Over the years blacks have burned a lot of American cities: Newark,
Detroit, Watts, on and on. Now add in the fantastic cost over the years of
welfare in all its forms, of large police forces and jails and security
systems in department stores.

I can't live in the capital city of my own country because of crime
committed by blacks. Toss in the cultural cost of lowering
standards in everything for the benefit of blacks. See what I mean?

Now, I'd view things differently if you said, "Fred, blacks can't get
anywhere in a modern country without education. We know that. We need
better schools, smarter teachers, harder courses, books with smaller
pictures and bigger words. Can you help us?" I'd say, "Hallelujah!
Hoo-ahh! Not just yes, but hell yes. Let's sell an aircraft
carrier and get these folks some real schools and get them into the economic
mainstream." I'd say it partly because it would be the right thing
to do, and partly, because I'd like to add you guys to the tax base.
The current custodial state is expensive. I'd just love for blacks to
study and learn to compete and stop burning places. But is it
going to happen? You may not believe it, but I, and most whites, don't like
seeing blacks as miserable and screwed up as they are. I spend a fair
amount of time in the projects. Those places are ugly. It's no fun watching
perfectly good kids turn into semiliterate dope dealers who barely
speak English. It just plain ain't right. But, Hank, what am I supposed
to do about it? I can't do your children's homework.. At some point,
people have to do things for themselves, or they don't get done.

Maybe it's time. I'll tell you what I see out in the world, Hank.. I think blacks
are too accustomed to getting anything they want by just demanding it.
True, it has worked for over half a century. Get a few hundred people in the
street, implicitly threaten to loot and burn, holler about slavery, and
the Great White Cash Spigot turns on. Thing is, whites don't much
buy it any longer. Most recognize that what once was a civil-rights
movement has become a shakedown game. Few people still feel responsible for the
failings and inadequacies of blacks. Political correctness keeps
the lid on -- but everyone knows the score. Which scares me, Hank.

On one hand, blacks hate whites and incline toward looting and
burning. (The whites you hate are the ones who marched in the civil-rights
movement. Ever think about that?)

On the other hand, whites quietly grow wearier and wearier of it. Not good.


On the third hand (allow me three hands, for rhetorical convenience),
blacks keep demanding things. As I write, you demand reparations for
slavery. Blacks in Oklahoma (I think it was) want money for some
ancient race riot. Other blacks reject the Declaration of Independence,
blacks in New York hint broadly at burning and looting over a trial, yet
more demand the elimination of the Confederate flag, and the federal equal
opportunity apparatus, which means blacks, wants to sue Silicon Valley for not
hiring nonexistent black engineers.

That's a lot of demanding for one month, Hank. What happens if
whites ever say, "No"?
Now, how about you? You've got a cushy job up there at Harvard,
and you can hoot and holler about what swine and bandits whites are. I
guess it's lots of fun, and you get a salary for it. But don't you think you
might do blacks more good if you told them to complain less and study more?
For example, if you want blacks to work in Silicon Gulch, the best
approach might be to find some really smart black guys, and get
them to study digital design, not Black Studies. That's how everybody else
does it. It works. Then blacks wouldn't feel left out, and racial
tension would decline.

Sound like a plan?
Just out of curiosity, how many hours a week do professors of
Afro-American Studies spend in the projects, encouraging poor
black kids to study real life sho-nuf subjects?

Fred

[Sylvan]

This kind of ignorant tripe doesn't get me riled up at all, it just makes me kind of sad that there are people who can write such garbage and think it can be passed of as serious political discourse. Looks like it was written by a bigoted 12 year old. Not worthy of comment.

[underdog]

Why get riled up over something that isn't even a legitimate issue? I get more riled up with stupid copy n pastes like this that don't properly cite the source.

Looks like this one is about 4 years old, but maybe you copied from Outdoors Unlimited posts that copied from that.

You can do better, burnie.

_________________

Edited: Sylvan, I guess we were posting simultaneously. Similar takes, I see.

[BenGarrett]

Good for the author. I wish more white people would stand up and call these racism-promoting black "leaders" for what they are.

[Charlie P]

Didn't this country promise the slaves 40 acres and mule?

Ben, how about if folks would call it like they see it?

[Strange Biller]

I wish I lived in the same world as Fred Reed - everything is nice and pleasant there, where all racism ended as soon as slavery was outlawed. In Reedland, race is a completely dead issue and "blacks" should just get over it and move on with their lives. Clearly, according to Reedland philosophy, "blacks" are the only people keeping racism alive.


Aside from this ignorant/hateful article, anyone who opposes reparations of any kind answer me this: If you found out that the government stole your great grandfather's farm - just came and took it - and no restitution was ever made, wouldn't you think it would be reasonable to at least havea discussion of whether or not something should be done to set things right? Or would you just say, that was merely my family's property and I have no right to try and get something for it?

And yes, slavery was a government institution - it was sanctioned, taxed and encouraged by the government. Just because the things that were lost were not physical property doesn't mean it can't be paid for.

[CalHunter]

I wish people would stop trying to force us (you and I) to pay for mistakes, sins, screwups, etc. that dead people made in the past regarding other people who are also dead. I don't mean to dishonor the dead but at what point do we stop punishing the living for the sins of others? I noted some people on here simply dismiss what this Reed guy said as being "bigoted" or saying that "racism no longer exists." I don't see where Reed made either statement.

Some members obviously don't like Reed's mocking tone or his smartaleck response to the chairman at Harvard. I would have to read what the chairman said before I could make an honest assessment of whether Reed was out of line or not. Yes, Reed mentions the basic point that the chairman made (reparations for past slavery) but that is not nearly the same as reading the whole statement, argument or proposal.

I think Reed did make a few good points however. Providing all citizens (not just blacks) with the opportunity for a good college education at no cost would be a good start. Advising blacks (and other interested races) to study "digital design" would obviously better prepare them for a career in computers. And as Reed said,

At some point, people have to do things for themselves, or they don't get done.

I agree with these basic points that Reed made.

[Strange Biller]

Again, how about my scenario? You're family's property was confiscated by the government. How long do you have to get it back before you should give up? One generation? Two?

Reparations are something that have been talked about in one form or another since the end of slavery. Just because the government has refuse to give in for 150 years doesn't mean it is a dead issue.

[bawanajim]

The greatest reparation that black people could have is the right to leave this country and go any where they would like.
America stands for freedom,freedom for all.If you feel this country has failed you in some way you have the freedom to go any where thatthey will treat you better.

And as far as your great great great grandmothers farm,well your Just shi! outta luck.[]

[underdog]

bawanajim:

And as far as your great great great grandmothers farm,well your Just shi! outta luck.

Unless she was an Indian. That's what this black reparation is all about. They see the billions the Indians are being paid and want their share.