Prison
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Prison
Articles
-----Original
Message----
I
was checking out your website as I did a search on Larry Elders (because
I've
read his book and think he brings up a lot of good issues that both the
black and white communities hold as truths but are not)... have to tell
you that I think your ideas for slave reparations are ludicrous.
I (yes, I'm white) did nothing to forward the cause for slavery... why
should I pay you who have never known slavery at my hands (or anyone else's)
either? I work just as hard for my salary as you do - for you to
ask me to give you part of it because you have somehow been wronged is
ridiculous... I can't believe your organization has the gall to even raise
such an issue. Say, by some miracle, there actually are any reparations
paid... how then will one determine who is eligible? Historical records?
How "black" will a person
have
to be to be paid? I have black ancestors in my family tree... will
I be exempt from paying then?
My
opinion. Your reply is most welcome.
Thanks
and have a good day.
-
BN
From:
NPVM
Sent:
Tuesday, June 19, 2001
To:
BN
First,
I think you should have the good sense to check out exactly what our
ideas
are on the issue of reparations. Instead you have chosen to make your
own
assumptions which I'm afraid reflects a certain arrogance. We do not and
have
never advocated that individual whites pay reparations. The money made
from
slavery is sitting in the coffers of the multinational corporations,
institutions
and insurance companies and has and can be traced. Nor do we
advocate
that individual people of African descent be given a payment.
I
strongly suggest that before you speak so knowledgeably about our ideas
on
this
issue that you at least make the effort to find out more about our
unique
"intercommunalist" approach to reparations (our booklet dedicated to
this
issue is available from the web site). Once you have done this, then
maybe
we can engage in an intelligent discussion on our approach!
Let
me leave you however with these thoughts, there will be no peace without
justice,
and justice involves the repairing of historical wrongs, especially
when
they are still being perpetuated. Luckily for those of us today living
many
of our ancestors had the "gall" to fight for what was right and what
seemed
then to most white people to be "ludicrous." Even when a white man,
John
Brown fought and died for the right of Black people in America to be
treated
as human beings, the vast majority of whites thought him to be
insane
and this representation of him persists in the history that all our
children
are taught in America today (see The Lies My Teacher Told Me by
James
W. Loewen, a white man).
Reparations
is an idea whose time has come, denying it is akin to the old
slaveocracy
of the South fighting desperately for the continuation of
slavery.
Finally, it is not a miracle that will make it happen but the might
and
will of the people!
-
NPVM
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