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

[TM99]

364. Thank you.

But you are still wrong. He is not basing it on a headcount. Like Obama, he fundamentally disagrees with reparations as a financial payout. He does, however, strongly believe in ending the apartheid like conditions affect disproportionately the minority populations in this country. It is not just blacks but also Latino's and Native Americans who are suffering.

You think he is ignoring race. No he is not. He is putting forth policies and positions that address both racial justice AND economic justice. I agree with Killer Mike that Sanders is the one candidate right now with the consistent history of following in MLK's footsteps. He is NOT MLK. He is simply agreeing with King that economic reparations comes through a bill of rights for ALL that are disadvantaged because of forced economic inequalities.

Coates is still unclear as to whether he means reparations as a one-time payout or as a systemic change in our economic and social justice policies. He also continues to construct a strawman version of Sanders in order to beat him over the head with the same fucking reframe that we have heard since he announced last May - 'Not good enough Bernie'.

Well, if Coates is truly serious, then why is he not having this discussed at debates or at forums? Why is he not holding ALL three candidates feet to the fire on this issue? Hell, Clinton couldn't have been bothered to show up for the Black & Brown forum.

Until you and others hold all candidates to the same standards, I summarily dismiss your concerns, attempts at point out inconsistencies, etc. They are disingenuous at best.