General Discussion

MellowDem

(5,018 posts)

31. That's my point...

Sat May 24, 2014, 12:05 AM

May 2014

The racial gap persisted through affirmative action too. Neither addresses it. If reparations are just meant as an honest apology, then that's all it will be, and not all that effective or easy to administer either, considering how long it has been (if you're half black or recently immigrated from Africa, for example, just some of the questions of who gets what). But it will do nothing to address inequality.

It will do a lot to distract from addressing the forces that continue inequality.

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Highlight:

Ta-Nehisi Coates: "THE CASE FOR REPARATION" A Must Read-Let it marinate in your mind & read it again [View all] kpete May 2014 OP

James Fallows recommends this, comparing the US to Germany, China, Russia, Japan and South Africa pampango May 2014 #1

the historical analogies are really compelling Supersedeas May 2014 #6

One of the best writers of our generation. JaneyVee May 2014 #2

Should be required reading for all who claim to be liberals Supersedeas May 2014 #7

I find the article's reasoning to be weak, and its prescriptions dangerous. appal_jack May 2014 #3

Your reading comprehension is apparently not so awesome then. Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #4

You are quite correct on your first point, but off the mark in the second. appal_jack May 2014 #10

"oh, it's not race, its class." This tiresome argument again. kwassa May 2014 #26

Slavery and it's offshoots Are_grits_groceries May 2014 #5

Yes, absolutely. nt appal_jack May 2014 #11

I saw only one prescription in the article. Laelth May 2014 #102

I thought the article was well done, overall, but... Adrahil May 2014 #8

... napkinz May 2014 #9

Couple of pics to add to your collection. WorseBeforeBetter May 2014 #125

kick aikoaiko May 2014 #12

k&r n/t RainDog May 2014 #13

and another k&r...n/t RainDog May 2014 #14

I have been nothing short of astonished at how little traction this story has gotten here Number23 May 2014 #15

It's weird to me, too RainDog May 2014 #16

You're surprised? I'm not, sadly. Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #53

Plus about a gazillion. chervilant May 2014 #89

The black posters have noticed these people for years. Number23 May 2014 #129

So.............. AnalystInParadise May 2014 #17

And since we are on the topic AnalystInParadise May 2014 #18

Check your priviledge philosslayer May 2014 #19

Reparations reinforces privilege, it doesn't address it... MellowDem May 2014 #22

The racial gap still persists. sheshe2 May 2014 #27

That's my point... MellowDem May 2014 #31

The whole article needs to be read. sheshe2 May 2014 #35

Why? AnalystInParadise May 2014 #44

Because had you read it you would know sheshe2 May 2014 #90

I read it... MellowDem May 2014 #55

Yep...... AnalystInParadise May 2014 #94

Mixed Race....... AnalystInParadise May 2014 #23

"We don't want your opinion, because of the race I ASSUME you are" Kurska May 2014 #36

I doubt you're rich enough for this to matter RainDog May 2014 #20

Top 5% AnalystInParadise May 2014 #24

funny. I'm not African American RainDog May 2014 #25

Thank you AnalystInParadise May 2014 #29

I didn't think you would RainDog May 2014 #33

"have fed from the govt. teet for your entire life." Actually he SERVED his country. Kurska May 2014 #40

So did many African Americans RainDog May 2014 #47

Your smear against veterans isn't anymore acceptable, because you're mad about what he said. Kurska May 2014 #48

Actually, they do. Any government employee does. kwassa May 2014 #127

Wow AnalystInParadise May 2014 #41

I gave as much respect as you did RainDog May 2014 #46

"You were in my mind a jerk, so I was a jerk to an entire class of people that you are a part of" Kurska May 2014 #49

I read the article AnalystInParadise May 2014 #95

You are incorrect, sir. kwassa May 2014 #28

So mass punishment AnalystInParadise May 2014 #30

You are incorrect again. It is not mass punishment. It is collective responsibility. kwassa May 2014 #34

This message was self-deleted by its author Kurska May 2014 #38

Oh.....so I say I am non white Hispanic AnalystInParadise May 2014 #42

You're not just wrong, you're purposefully dense Scootaloo May 2014 #60

"It's a question of the *state's* exploitation of and wealth extraction from a class of people..." Nuclear Unicorn May 2014 #74

And where will the state get the money AnalystInParadise May 2014 #99

You win the prize for the most illogical opposition to this article. kwassa May 2014 #101

Responsibility AnalystInParadise May 2014 #43

I think you are on the wrong website. The tea party websites are elsewhere. kwassa May 2014 #59

No, taxes AnalystInParadise May 2014 #96

Do you have a mortgage? If so, you took part in this Recursion May 2014 #63

NOPE AnalystInParadise May 2014 #97

Why on earth should my Russian-Jewish family take part in collective responsibility for slavery? Kurska May 2014 #39

Yet more ignorant commentary from someone who clearly didn't read the article Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #54

And I was responsible for those how? n/t Kurska May 2014 #56

This isn't about *you*, it's about the collective responsibility of the US government. Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #57

That will be enforced by taking from me AnalystInParadise May 2014 #98

Did you have anything to do with putting Japanese-Americans in camps? Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #100

Here is the big difference I think. Kurska May 2014 #105

You keep missing the point here. Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #107

You didn't actually read my entire post did you? n/t Kurska May 2014 #108

Sure, I read it, most of it is about slavery, which isn't want's being talked about here. Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #109

You know how I know you didn't? Kurska May 2014 #111

I read that. Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #112

"I have no idea what form reparations should take' Kurska May 2014 #113

Saying we should address something isn't the same thing as offering concrete proposals. Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #114

No one on DU or in this thread is saying African Americans didn't get screwed. Kurska May 2014 #116

Your proposal really doesn't deserve to be taken seriously. Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #119

Okay let me explain something. Kurska May 2014 #121

This is something that would require separate legislation; YOU do realise THAT, yes? Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #122

You'd have to repeal or heavily modify title VI of the civil rights act to do it. Kurska May 2014 #123

You seem to be implying Benjamin Jealous is not black. Is that what you are saying? kwassa May 2014 #128

Actually, I was using him as an example of how being black can go beyond skin color. Kurska May 2014 #132

Are reparations for slavery off the table? I don think so. aikoaiko May 2014 #64

Read the article. You might see why Recursion May 2014 #62

Because your Russian Jewish family benefits from the wealth built by slave labor. kwassa May 2014 #65

Yeah, all the racist whites were lining up to provide my Jewish relatives jobs. Kurska May 2014 #103

So if the government violates someones rights, you would be against... killbotfactory May 2014 #104

That is totally what I said Kurska May 2014 #106

No one is holding you or your family personally responsible for slavery killbotfactory May 2014 #120

yes, a racist would hire a Jew before hiring a black. kwassa May 2014 #126

Read the article before commenting upon it. Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #50

Reparations would do nothing to close the racial gap... MellowDem May 2014 #21

KnR sheshe2 May 2014 #32

Checks to African Americans for being African Americans isn't going to advance race relations Kurska May 2014 #37

why is there an idea that blacks are dependent on govt and incapable of making it on their own JI7 May 2014 #45

Who thinks American Blacks are "incapable..."? This is the crap Republicans spout in their anti- WinkyDink May 2014 #52

Well, at least you're consistent Scootaloo May 2014 #58

So how do you think reparations should work? Kurska May 2014 #110

The vaunted postwar middle class was perfectly happy with checks to them for being white Recursion May 2014 #61

America prefers myth to history. See: Americans, Native. See: VietNam. See: Reagan. WinkyDink May 2014 #51

It's an awful idea. My family never owned slaves LittleBlue May 2014 #66

it's NOT ABOUT SLAVERY. Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #67

Stop saying "read the article" LittleBlue May 2014 #68

If you bothered to read it (which you pretty clearly haven't)... Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #70

It will change my views LittleBlue May 2014 #72

No, I think no-one can comment on the article without reading it. Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #75

I came here to comment on reparations LittleBlue May 2014 #77

This thread is about the article. Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #79

It's also about reparations LittleBlue May 2014 #80

I'm calling you ignorant... Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #81

I do know the subject the thread is about LittleBlue May 2014 #84

it's pretty clear that you don't, actually Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #88

Then why does he keep referring to slavery and reconstruction in the article? aikoaiko May 2014 #71

Only as something that's constant and pervasive in American history. Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #73

And I think that my point is that is connected and difficult to deal with in terms of reparations. aikoaiko May 2014 #76

He never makes a case for reparations specifically for slavery. Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #78

Fair enough, but others have when using the term reparations with black Americans. aikoaiko May 2014 #82

You read it, right? Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #83

Maybe I'm getting caught up in the semantics and general use of reparations aikoaiko May 2014 #85

I don't think that's it, no Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #87

I kind of get his point. aikoaiko May 2014 #124

America as a whole owes its wealth to slavery gollygee May 2014 #91

It doesn't, really LittleBlue May 2014 #92

The money for the industrial revolution came largely from the slave trade gollygee May 2014 #93

Wall Street wasn't the reason we had an industrial revolution. Kurska May 2014 #115

We had money in this country to build factories gollygee May 2014 #117

Except we nearly bankrupted ourselves during the civil war over slavery. Kurska May 2014 #118

You are wrong again. The industrial revolution in the US started with slave-grown cotton. kwassa May 2014 #130

Yet those weren't the industries that spurred forth America's real economic revolution. Kurska May 2014 #131

Intersting article. Rhinodawg May 2014 #69

reading a magazine article, hearing a speaker Leme May 2014 #86