Goodbye Reparations?

[ManicQueen]

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama opposes offering reparations to the descendants of slaves, putting him at odds with some black groups and leaders.

The man with a serious chance to become the nation's first black president argues that government should instead combat the legacy of slavery by improving schools, health care and the economy for all.

"I have said in the past — and I'll repeat again — that the best reparations we can provide are good schools in the inner city and jobs for people who are unemployed," the Illinois Democrat said recently.

Some two dozen members of Congress are co-sponsors of legislation to create a commission that would study reparations — that is, payments and programs to make up for the damage done by slavery.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People supports the legislation, too. Cities around the country, including Obama's home of Chicago, have endorsed the idea, and so has a major union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Obama has worked to be seen as someone who will bring people together, not divide them into various interest groups with checklists of demands. Supporting reparations could undermine that image and make him appear to be pandering to black voters.

"Let's not be naive. Sen. Obama is running for president of the United States, and so he is in a constant battle to save his political life," said Kibibi Tyehimba, co-chair of the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America. "In light of the demographics of this country, I don't think it's realistic to expect him to do anything other than what he's done."

But this is not a position Obama adopted just for the presidential campaign. He voiced the same concerns about reparations during his successful run for the Senate in 2004.

There's enough flexibility in the term "reparations" that Obama can oppose them and still have plenty of common ground with supporters.

The NAACP says reparations could take the form of government programs to help struggling people of all races. Efforts to improve schools in the inner city could also aid students in the mountains of West Virginia, said Hilary Shelton, director of the NAACP's Washington bureau.

"The solution could be broad and sweeping," Shelton said.

The National Urban League — a group Obama is to address Saturday — avoids the word "reparations" as too vague and highly charged. But the group advocates government action to close the gaps between white America and black America.

Urban League President Marc Morial said he expects his members to press Obama on how he intends to close those gaps and what action he would take in the first 100 days of his presidency.

"What steps should we take as a nation to alleviate the effects of racial exclusion and racial discrimination?" Morial asked.

The House voted this week to apologize for slavery. The resolution, which was approved on a voice vote, does not mention reparations, but past opponents have argued that an apology would increase pressure for concrete action.

Obama says an apology would be appropriate but not particularly helpful in improving the lives of black Americans. Reparations could also be a distraction, he said.

In a 2004 questionnaire, he told the NAACP, "I fear that reparations would be an excuse for some to say, 'We've paid our debt,' and to avoid the much harder work."

Taking questions Sunday at a conference of minority journalists, Obama said he would be willing to talk to American Indian leaders about an apology for the nation's treatment of their people.

Pressed for his position on apologizing to blacks or offering reparations, Obama said he was more interested in taking action to help people struggling to get by. Because many of them are minorities, he said, that would help the same people who would stand to benefit from reparations.

"If we have a program, for example, of universal health care, that will disproportionately affect people of color, because they're disproportionately uninsured," Obama said. "If we've got an agenda that says every child in America should get — should be able to go to college, regardless of income, that will disproportionately affect people of color, because it's oftentimes our children who can't afford to go to college."

One reparations advocate, Vernellia Randall, a law professor at the University of Dayton, bluntly responded: "I think he's dead wrong."

She said aid to the poor in general won't close the gaps — poor blacks would still trail poor whites, and middle-class blacks would still lag behind middle-class whites. Instead, assistance must be aimed directly at the people facing the after-effects of slavery and Jim Crow laws, she said.

"People say he can't run and get elected if he says those kinds of things," Randall said. "I'm like, well does that mean we're really not ready for a black president?"

Any thoughts on this?

[phee]

This I agree with him on....

[Guest GodfallenPromos]

I can't wait for 4 years of "NO RICE KRISPIE TREATS FOR YOU!!!!"

It's gonna be great to finally say "NO...the man isn't keeping you down anymore....Mr. Obama seen fit to that...whats your excuse now?"!!!

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

well, finally the man says something I like.

[pomba gira]

I don't favor reparations but prolly not for the same reason as most people. My thinking is, (a) how do you put a price on what's been done to us? (b) we get reparations, "they" can say "well we gave you the reparations, now we never have to do shit for you again". © likely to cause too many bad feelings all around. Look at the Seminoles- all that $$ did was cause strife & unfairness.

All taken with all, I just can't see how it would do much good in the long run.

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

I am against Reparations for different reasons. My family never owned slaves. My family were Abolitionists... leaders in the cause really. They were some of the.. well, higher up Quakers and had a hand in starting the Abolitionist movement.

Why should I say I am sorry for slavery when my family never owned slaves?

Why should I say I am sorry for slavery when my family helped to free the slaves?

Why should I pay anyone for something that happened a hundred plus years ago that my family opposed at the time?

[Guest GodfallenPromos]

I look at it this way

I'm Apache and Irish....sorry to hear about your damn luck.

[Destroit]

Omfg...finally...something Obama said that makes sense. I still hope he doesn't win but at least I have a LITTLE more respect for him now.

[Guest Megalicious]

Omfg...finally...something Obama said that makes sense. I still hope he doesn't win but at least I have a LITTLE more respect for him now.

Dude, I want him to win, though I may not agree with him on somethings I'm glad to know that he KNOWS Czechoslovakia split off into 2 different countries, like what 15 years ago?

Like many of my teachers have told me, its not always about the right answer, but the best answer out of the choices given.

Then again Mcain ows a ferret ::ponders::

And I agree with GF, fuck that.

I was raised Pagan, where the fuck is my money for witch hunting HUH? (<---- Joke, I don't mean to be offensive)

[Rev.Reverence]

:peanutbutterjellytime:

:peanutbutterjellytime:

:peanutbutterjellytime: :peanutbutterjellytime:

My prayer may have been answered!

The one that goes:

Oh BIG DUDE...{that's what I call "G*D"}

How about you manifest some "GOOD" Politicians that can still effect a viable change?

THANX!K I L-ov-E YOU.

[Enishi]

I do wonder whether he's just saying this to score political points, but I like the sound of it.

[Guest GodfallenPromos]

I do wonder whether he's just saying this to score political points, but I like the sound of it.

honestly...it's a dbl-edged sword

you get points among the slightly below average and average middle class (with the better community/ education comment)...and most of the white community, as well as hispanic and asian (because they don't get to have a "reparations wagon). You loose out amongst a good number of African American voters and the lower class, because your basically telling everyone "no more free handouts".

[ManicQueen]

Is it safe to safe that without slavery, they wouldn't have the right's they have today? This goes for any race that endured slavery as well.

Please do not take offense to this question people.

[freydis]

I am against Reparations for different reasons. My family never owned slaves. My family were Abolitionists... leaders in the cause really. They were some of the.. well, higher up Quakers and had a hand in starting the Abolitionist movement.

Why should I say I am sorry for slavery when my family never owned slaves?

Why should I say I am sorry for slavery when my family helped to free the slaves?

Why should I pay anyone for something that happened a hundred plus years ago that my family opposed at the time?

Or folks like me.... I'm technically only 2nd generation american. Both sets of grandparents moved here from Canada, after moving from England, Ireland, and Germany.

I think reparations would do more to divide than unite. I DO think more jobs and aid programs are a better idea.

[machine]

I am happy he has this opinion. Reparations are themselves racist. This whole idea of paying people because of what happened 100+ years ago is total non-sense and should be ILLEGAL.

Do the Germans owe the Jews anything?

Who owes the familys of the victims of the 'witch hunts'?

Does Canada owe the world for Celene Dion?

Get my point? Ignorance, thats all this is. White guilt and Ignorance.

(I also noticed that Obama flip-flopped on offshore drilling today. It made me feel he is not all that bad... but then again, too bad hes still a TERRIBLE candidate.)

[Rev.Reverence]

I am happy he has this opinion. Reparations are themselves racist. This whole idea of paying people because of what happened 100+ years ago is total non-sense and should be ILLEGAL.

Do the Germans owe the Jews anything?No...Hitler DID it.

Who owes the familys of the victims of the 'witch hunts'?The Vatican...but those Popes are dead.

Does Canada owe the world for Celene Dion?......I THINK SO!

[machine]

Do the Germans owe the Jews anything?No...Hitler DID it.

Thats my point. Hitler did it, not today's Germans.

I didn't own slaves, nor did my parents, or my friends. Why do I have to pay? Why does ANYONE ALIVE TODAY have to pay?

White guilt. Thats why... and thats also why Obama is going to get elected.

[pomba gira]

I am against Reparations for different reasons. My family never owned slaves. My family were Abolitionists... leaders in the cause really. They were some of the.. well, higher up Quakers and had a hand in starting the Abolitionist movement.

Why should I say I am sorry for slavery when my family never owned slaves?

Why should I say I am sorry for slavery when my family helped to free the slaves?

Why should I pay anyone for something that happened a hundred plus years ago that my family opposed at the time?

Not gonna get into a big debate here, this is my last comment in this thread:

It isn't "something that happened a hundred plus years ago"... it's everything that happened then, since, and is still going on. And won't change until people start acknowledging that fact.

[machine]

Not gonna get into a big debate here, this is my last comment in this thread:

It isn't "something that happened a hundred plus years ago"... it's everything that happened then, since, and is still going on. And won't change until people start acknowledging that fact.

So by giving people money means we are acknowledging the fact?