In the weeks leading up to his death, Stanley Tookie Williams was a hot topic for debate. I listened to many people explain the reasons why he should die. I even watched Fox and Friends, which I always find entertaining. Aside from his conviction for murder, a frequent attack on his character came from his role in the creation of the Crips, and how they’ve gone on to become such a powerful gang. This line of logic would always cause me to chuckle, because I was imagined that those same people who assigned him blame for the crimes of the Crips would have no problem sidestepping reparations for slavery.

The two concepts really aren’t that different. After all, both are about accepting responsibility for actions not taken by the actual individual. So why is it so easy for Tookie to be accredited with the crimes of the Crips (while noted Crip Snoop Dogg is allowed to become a corporate spokesman) yet so hard for whites to embrace the idea of reparations?

Now I could point out other examples of instances where reparations were paid out (including some involving the United States), but I think that everyone is pretty well familiar with them.

I don’t think that anyone would argue that slaves deserved reparations, but rather that the time has passed for such measures to be met. Obviously I disagree. I see reparations like the emergence of AIDS. Just like AIDS, the situation was initially small and could have been dealt with. However, just like AIDS, the situation was ignored and viewed as “a problem for them” (although in the case of AIDS the “them” in question were gay men.) Now the situation is larger, and needs to be addressed.

Before I go any further, I’d like to point out that it’s not that I think Blacks need reparation, but rather that we are owed reparations.

Naturally this raises the question of who would pay. I think it’s pretty obvious; those who profited. There are family fortunes that were built on slavery. That money is, in my eyes, blood money. They don’t deserve it. They didn’t earn it. No one should have a problem with them making amends for their forefather’s sins, especially since they’ve got no problem accepting estates.

Secondly, there are businesses that are still around that profited from slavery. If people find slavery as deplorable as they say they do, then why shouldn’t a company that made money on the practice?

Finally, the United States should also be held financially responsible. Slave labor contributed greatly to the economy of the country. And the last time I checked, we had largest economy in the world. I’ve got to believe that the free labor from the slaves played a large role in setting the economy up so nicely.

In terms of who should receive the reparations, I think that if your family arrived in this country since Brown v. The Board of Education you shouldn’t be eligible. My rationale is that segregation and Black Codes were responses to the freeing of slaves thus deserved reparations.

Of course there would ramifications should reparations be made. Culturally the resentment that whites have of Blacks getting perceived preferential treatment would increase. But let’s be real; whites have never held Blacks in high regard.

There would also be an economic impact. But, y’know what; I don’t really care. For all of you readers who are white ask yourself this; when was the last time that you considered that Blacks don’t have their own family names? Can you think of the last time you thought about the fact that Blacks don’t have their own religion? How about the last time you reflected upon what it must be like to not know, not only the language of your forefathers, but what country they came from? Have you ever considered how it feels to have your history begin in the countries darkest hour?

Well that indifference you have to my existence is the same indifference I have to the economic repercussions to reparations for slavery. That same shortsightedness that you have to what it’s like to be Black in this country, is how I look at the effect of reparations.

I really don’t care. If the issue had been addressed initially we wouldn’t be here, which really compounded things. And it’s not like we don’t still live in the United States (where Blacks still earn less than their white contemporaries.) The country hasn’t changed; it’s still the same country. The country had the opportunity to address the issue of race and it faltered. The interest has been accruing over the years. It’s time a payment is made.

Last 5 posts by mathan erhardt

• Hodgepodgeatorium - The Most Pressing Issue - October 20th, 2008
• Hodgepodgeatorium - Undecided - October 7th, 2008
• Hodgepodgeatorium - Resolutions - February 10th, 2008
• Hodgepodgeatorium - As American as Apple Pie - January 4th, 2008
• Hodgepodgeatorium - How Far We've Come - September 23rd, 2007