Ta-Nehisi Coates: Why Precisely Is Bernie Sanders Against Reparations?

[Kalidurga]

228. I might be in the same boat.

But, before I address that. I live in the Mpls area and I have seen the crap they do to Indians it breaks my heart quite literally. I know how the police used to put Indians in the trunks of the police cars and drive around for hours before taking them to jail or detox, detox centers have been shut down since as far as I know. I had a boss that said all Indians do is steal, I hated his guts.

Now as for me. I am just finding out things about my heritage that have either been deliberately hidden or it's just one of those things that happen in families that don't pass down a lot of family lore. An uncle on my dad's side has confirmed that yes my dad is part Indian his mother was half and half Jewish I haven't proven that, but her maiden name is Jewish (many Jewish names are also shared by non Jewish people). I grew up with a mother who was rabidly prejudiced against both groups. I don't know what she knew of my father's family he looks white and he never talked about his mother. I don't know what happened to my dad as a child as a result of this either his mom died when he was 6. I do know there was abuse in the family. I don't know if it was related to anyone's ethnic heritage. I am going to go with my hunch that passing was involved though. My mother's side of the family is even more convoluted. I have found relatives I may or may not be related to, it could take months or years to untangle that mess as very few records are available. So, this is where I am now. I won't claim what I don't know and what I don't know is a lot. I know I am not nearly as white as I look though and that is all I know. I am not going to claim damages that I don't know exist for me. But, I do know for a fact because I am with someone who looks Mexican Indian, that we have been denied housing and that he has faced job discrimination and that one of my daughters who is darker has had some issues in the workforce.