In a Washington Post article published August 2, 2016, Seattle-based artist Natasha Marin was featured for a site she created which allows white people to offer reparations directly to people of color. Reparations.com allows white people to offer whatever they can (Excel lessons, tarot card readings, money, etc) in order to fix racial injustices. The article says:
White people have created a political and cultural system that discriminates against and excludes people of color every day. Therefore, white people have a responsibility to actively work to level the playing field for the people of color who are disadvantaged and threatened by racism and racial inequality.”
On August 1, 2016 we watched as hundreds of residents took the the streets of London, demanding that reparations be made for slavery. Londoners have made this a yearly protest, campaigning for the country to pay for the enslavement of African people for generations. The petitions state:
“The blood, sweat and tears of our Ancestors financed the economic expansion of the United Kingdom.”
They are correct, not only did the literal blood, sweat and tears finance the United Kingdom, the blood of Africans financed countries throughout the world. But, the question remains – will descendants of Africans ever be paid reparations? By the looks of things, that answer is no, but the question is why?
Of course any government would have an issue releasing millions, perhaps billions out to the descendants of Africans, but take a look at how governments, including the U.S. have made amends to various ethnic groups who have been victims of stolen generations.
Jews – Adolf Hitler/Holocaust:
United States: $12,000 million over 5 years for citizens 65 years + older
Germany: $90 billion
Austria: $25 million
Japanese:
United States: $1.25 billion to heirs in addition to $1.65 billion previously paid out to claimants
Canada: $230 million
American Indians/Alaskan Natives:
United States: $940 million, $3.4 billion in royalties, and $554 million for mismanagement of resources
United States: 44 million acres of land
Canada: 250,000 sq miles of land
Black Aborigines:
Australia: National Sorry Day (May 26 each year) -U.N. currently urging country to pay Aborigines reparations
Black Descendant of African Slaves (America, Europe, etc):
Nothing, not even a National Sorry Day
Slave Owners in the U.S.
The United States paid reparations to SLAVE OWNERS! In 1862, the U.S. compensated slave owners who were loyal to the Union. The compensation included $300 for every slave that was freed and $100 for every person choosing emigration.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that paying reparations isn’t the issue. The issue is paying reparations to black people, of the African diaspora. Why? Because we are black. I know anyone reading this was expecting to hear some well-stated, eloquent detailed explanation about the reasons descendants of Africans have been neglected by governments across the globe in regards to paying restitution for centuries of victimization, crime, stolen land, and blood. But, simply there is no need for a long drawn out answer. It is simply because we are black – its just that simple.
For a detailed explanation of why blacks should be paid reparations, please check out The Atlantic’s epic piece written by Ta-nehisi Coates, “The Case For Reparations” where he lays out the argument, proof, and facts regarding two hundred fifty years of slavery, Ninety years of Jim Crow. Sixty years of separate but equal. and Thirty-five years of racist housing policies.
Sources:
The Atlantic
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