Should the US provide reparations for slavery and Jim Crow?

[linuxman]

36. No.

There is no way to implement it equitably, nor is there any reason to deal with it now.

1. Who is going to pay, and how? Is it going to be a tax? Is it going to be a seizure of assets? Are the poor descendants of wealthy slave-owners going to pay more, or are the wealthy descendants of poor non-slave-owning people going to pay more? Is the money going to be soured from all non-blacks, or just whites? All whites to include those who arrived way after slavery was over, or just some whites? Would there have to be a genealogical accounting for this as well? How much is it going to be, and based on that number, how are we going to come up with the money? We can't just print it.

2.Who gets it? Only those who can prove a direct genealogical link to slavery? All blacks, as some argue that the reason for reparations isn't for slavery necessarily, but to offset black shortcomings relative to whites since then that were caused by slavery? Is the amount prorated based on genetic percentage of African DNA? Are white-appearing people with African DNA going to get anything? As white-passing, they theoretically don't experience the hardships of other blacks, which some see as a reason for which to give them reparations. Do children get it?

3.How long are the reparations payed? This current generation of those alive? The next generation? All subsequent generations? In 500 years, there is a good chance 99%+ of the citizenry would be getting reparations due to genetic inclusion, if that's how it's done. Are we going to be paying ourselves then?

4. What form would it take? Is it a lump-sum, a monthly check, a tax exemption for all time, free-something or other (College, house, whatever).

5. Once it's done, are the wrongs of the past rectified and settled? If no, then what was really the point?


No, I don't support reparations for things that happened before your lifetime. Not from the Romans to the Gauls, not from the US to Blacks, not from the Turks to the Armenians (Are there still some alive from that?), not from the British to the Boers, not from the Vatican to the middle east, Not from the North African and Arabian peninsula slave raiders to the southern Europeans, not from the Egyptians and countless other ancient empires to the Jews, etc. If you are living today and the injustice you received has been acknowledged, then I suppose there is still time. Outside of that, you're just going to be chasing that ball of string down the hall of history and practicality for all of time. Pass.