THOUGHTS ABOUT REPARATION NOW

THOUGHTS ABOUT REPARATION NOW – ADOS LEADS The notion of reparation is almost as old as government regulated injustice here in the United States. Slavery and the laws and policies governing the behavior of former slaves have kept reparation in conversations about race; but until recent those conversations have been little more than a moral discussion—an appeal to the goodness of those able to do more than talk about it. Yvette Carnell and Antonio Moore gave reparation a political life with a political identity and purpose. The specific identity of this group of black citizens is the American Descendants of Slavery–ADOS. The purpose of this group is to seek justifiable redress through the courts for grave harm done to slaves and their descendants. This is to be an economic—money—claim, not just an official apology. One would expect there to be few black objections to such a claim but that is not the case. There are blacks who object to the claim and its source on personal grounds. I think reparation is a justifiable claim and deserves the support of all descendants of slaves and all reasonable thinking citizens.

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE ESTIMATE COST OF REPARATIONS

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE ESTIMATED COST OF REPARATION – a big number A young friend of mine has the academic background and experience to ask me what form reparations to the American Descendants of Slavery would take. She is a young white woman with a family and the daughter of a very close friend of mine – now deceased. The daughters question puts reparations in a context which best informs all interested in the subject that reparations is not just about money – but there is a cost to heal the injuries done to American slaves and their descendants. There are persons infinitely smarter than I in economics and finance; they estimate the cost of reparations to be in the trillions. When you think about the billions spent keeping the banks solvent in the most recent financial crash, when you consider the billions in tax cuts for the wealthy, when you consider the billions in aides to Israel, when you consider the millions in tax cuts to business and industry, when we consider aide to developing countries, when we consider aide to states for natural disasters, when we consider these government sanctioned expenditure of tax dollars we might begin to get our minds around the legitimate cost of reparations. I have a semantical problem with the way in which reparations is often referred. More often than not it is referred to as a DEBT owed or a payment for SOMETHING STOLEN. Each of the terms is built on a false assumption: DEBT assumes that there was a legal transaction between the government and slaves or other blacks – that was certainly not the case; SOMETHING STOLEN too is a false assumption – neither slave nor other blacks had the legal right to self-will so it could not be stolen. Perhaps it’s just semantics but setting VALUES where injustices – injuries, harm – have been done to American slaves and their descendants might be a template for establishing the categories of reparations and cost for each. Toward that end it might help us to consider injurious extractions from and injurious denials to American slaves and the American Descendants of Slavery, ADOS.

THOUGHTS ABOUT BLACK IDENTITY

THOUGHTS ABOUT FIGHT FOR BLACK IDENTITY – can one name fit all? My answer to the question is yes there is a unique name for all American blacks. Is it the only name an individual or group of American blacks can use to specifically identify themselves? NO! This name was crafted for legal purposes only. In order for a justice claim to be brought before the court in this country a specific offender and offended must be named – in short, someone or group has suffered harm inflicted on them by some other one or group. American Descendants of Slavery (ADOS) is the name of the group and its stated purpose is to seek reparations for the harm done to American blacks by the United States Government. The just claim for payment is not only for the institution of slavery but includes the generations of exclusion from the economic activity that could have provided black Americans with the same opportunities and quality of life provided white Americans. What is too often not mentioned is the depraved economic condition of blacks where ever they are. Even on the African continent poverty is king despite Africa’s abundant natural wealth. This is planned deprivation and not black laziness and lack of thrift. Those individual blacks who have worked hard for a measure of economic success should be applauded. But when those same individuals out of ignorance and arrogance condemn other blacks for not succeeding they should not be applauded but condemned.

THOUGHTS ABOUT YESTERDAY TODAY AND TOMORROW

THOUGHTS ABOUT YESTERDAY TODAY AND TOMORROW – as seem through my black eyes I have been following the Congressional Committee’s discussion on Reparation for the American Descendants of Slavery. As a historical fiction writer of black family life the concept of reparations is not new to me. What is new is the many interpretations of what reparation is and what it is intended to do and not do. Some people see it as something of value to be taken from white people and given to black people. Some don’t see the need for it–believing the harm to black people by the US Government is too far in the past. Others think reparation would do more harm than good for the already fragile black-white race relationships. It is this point of view that I find most curious even a little strange: it seems to anticipate an angry white response to even the discussion of reparation and perhaps an aggressively physical response if it should become a reality. This fear is well founded in the past white barbaric retaliation to the slightest sign of black economic progress. It’s as if these fearful people see inside the minds of whites and wish to avoid provoking their anger. I think a congressional commission to study reparation–its definition, its scope, and its duration it the just and honorable way to go. The commission must be guided by the specific harm done to African slaves and their American descendants, be guided by the appropriate remedies for bringing good physical, psychological and economic well-being to the whole of American Descendants of Slavery–particularly those descendants still shackled in the prisons of poverty. The commission should not be guided by fear of white retaliation. TODAY DEFINES YESTERDAY AND PREDICTS TOMORROW. We (AMERICANS) can only make our tomorrow today.

ADOS IDENTIFIABLE GROUP FOR REPARATION..

ADOS IS AN IDENTIFIABLE GROUP TO MAKE A LEGAL CLAIM FOR AMERICAN SLAVERY-DISCRIMINATION REPARATION Many groups and individuals have at times laid out a case for reparation. The identity of those groups and individuals have, more often than not, been at least ambiguous and at most virtually useless – for legal purposes. It would be misguided to think that all black groups or individuals with a slavery-discrimination grievance should seek redress from the American Government. Groups and individuals whose ancestors or themselves suffered harm under slavery-discrimination in another country should seek redress from that country. There is yet no world sovereign government with its own judiciary – not forgetting an enforcement arm. The best bet now is for groups within the diaspora to support each other where goals are common. American Descendants Of Slavery’s only reason for being is to secure reparation for ADOS.

REPARATION FOR ADOS - a debt owed

REPARATION FOR ADOS – a debt owed When grave harm has been done to a people those persons suffer a loss that can only be healed by something equivalent to their loss. Slavery, government policies dictating the lives of black people, and legalized discrimination have corrupted the economic, social, and psychological lives of generations from slavery till now. American Descendants of Slavery is a specific group that has been harmed, the United State Government is the institution that inflected the harm; the US Government must pay reparations. If you are one of those who think most black people are doing just fine economically, socially, psychologically–change your perspective. Move into that community you’ve been avoiding, talk to those people; visit their source of services: stores, restaurants, health facilities, liquor stores, churches. Most black people still suffer from the corruption government sanctioned discrimination forced upon their ancestors and themselves.

THOUGHTS ABOUT ADOS REPARATION

THOUGHTS ABOUT ADOS REPARATION – who gets it and why Once again REPARATION is part of conversation in public and social media. This is due in large part to Yvette Carnell of BREAKING BROWN and Antonia Moore of TONETALKS. These two have given reparation a specific focus that was new to me. They have identified who should get reparation, who should pay it and why. I pause here to make it clear that what I say is my take on what they make clear. ADOS is an acronym they created for a group of American Descendants of Slavery. This group has been up and growing for two plus years. I recently joined the group because the group has a specific identify; it has a specific goal and a specific reason for being. Generations of American Descendants of Slavery continue to suffer from the trauma endured during slavery and the many years of exclusion from legal protection, jobs, education, financial-institutions, healthcare-facilities, political-activity, housing and those privileges otherwise enjoyed by white citizens. American Descendants of Slavery have been harmed; the harmer is the American Government; ADOS has the right to a claim for redress; the appropriate party to pay for harm done to ADOS citizens is the United States Government.