General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: DU ... Just So You Know, It's NOT Our Imagination ... [View all]A Round Tuit
(88 posts)Let's take one of the points of the poster...not for any particular reason, but one that invariably provokes a rage, especially amongst whites, is the issue of reparations.
Someone will have to pay for it. Now, realistically, you and I both know it's not going to be the fat-cat Koch Bros types, but is going to be laid on the backs of the working white man.
Why do I say working white man? Well, it wouldn't be a reparation if a working black man had to pay the taxes to allow the payment of reparations to another black man.
Also, the efforts of several Democratic administrations have resulted in welfare programs (I really don't like the word "welfare", but...) that already benefit the black man, as well as the white man. And, I use the terms black man and white man for no other reason than brevity. I intend no gender discrimination.
So, therefore, in the minds of many, payments are being made to the black man. Now, would it make you or anyone else happier if you received a payment that was clearly labeled "Reparation for a Black Man", on it, to distinguish it from "Welfare for a Black Man" on it?
Don't dismiss my words out of hand, until you have given them thought. No matter what you call it, where it comes from or who actually has it put in their hand, there will be a problem.
Also, why should the white man, sitting in some gloomy, forlorn factory making widgets for little more than minimum wage, be told now he has to absorb the blame for what his ancestors may or may not have done 150 years ago?
Someone will chime in here and say: "Well, just have the Bureau of Whoever is Responsible for Printing Money, just print up some money."
Well, you and I both know that won't work, even if they have printed up bushels of money for unjust and uncalled for wars.
I'll not go on, as I'm sure I'll be immediately attacked for this little exercise in advocacy for the devil...but really, I'm not a bigoted person and I do see the problems we are faced with...and at the top of the list of those problems is the one that no wants to recognize that sticking one's fingers in one's ears and going "nah, nah, nah, nah", is not going to solve them. Nor is name calling or screeching about whose ancestors did what and when.
So, please, help me to make a start on it. Seriously, what would you propose for the reparation situation? Perhaps, with your views, your realistic views, may contain something that will provide a solid footing for beginning the discussion.
For the record: I am against reparations, because they cannot be realistically administered and will provoke a backlash that will most certainly result in death and mayhem and the destruction of even more lives. But we can solve it.
What say you?