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Bernardo de La Paz

(48,789 posts)
11. Reparations not a solution. 1) Reconciliation, 2) Truly equal justice, 3) Economic support
Sat Nov 11, 2017, 09:09 AM
Nov 2017

There is a historic wrong that needs to be corrected due to harms done to African-Americans, Native Americans, and Hispanic Americans.

Reparations is the wrong thing to do. It will not work and will not correct the ongoing fundamental problems.

The ongoing problems are fundamentally a lack of justice and a lack of economic support. Fix those and American society will become an even stronger society than it already is.

1) Reconciliation is completely overlooked but very important as the experience in South Africa and Canada shows.

1a) People have to be heard in official public hearings around the country, extensively and widely held.

1b) "The powers that be" (essentially elected government) have to apologize publicly and on the record for past wrongs, sincerely and meaningfully. Meaningfully means putting real legal power and real money behind points 2 and 3.

2) Truly equal justice means access to the courts by real legal subsidies, real justice for people shot by police, equal enforcement across all districts, federal true oversight, civic education for all students, and much more.

It also means elimination of voter suppression and a permanent end to gerrymandering by placing redistricting in the hands of independent impartial commissions permanently taking it out of the hands of partial legislatures.

3) Economic support is much more effective and much more just than reparations.

It helps people directly.
It is not a one time lump sum, so it is not frittered away and gone.
It is provided for as long as is necessary.
It does not perpetuate a racial divide.
It helps all who need it: poor blacks, native Americans, hispanics, unemployed coal miners, etc.
It does not go to people who don't need it as reparations would be given to.
It does not take from other people who would carry it as a racial grievance.
It does not leave an unresolved reverse grievance used to hammer disadvantaged people.
It levels the playing field by raising the low sections.
It can be organized to largely benefit children rather than adults who are less likely to see much change from money.

To be blunt, if reparations are given out on the basis of race, then many whites would forever after say "We fixed it. You poor blacks have no excuse for lagging behind and you aren't getting another penny from us." It would be used as an excuse to strangle welfare. It would perpetuate racial divisions, not solve them.

By creating national economic support for school districts, for example, the effects of income disparity on children would be much reduced, regardless of race or class.

Ultimately the USA has a class problem, which has been in part created by racism but not entirely. Attacking the economic problem on a color blind class basis almost entirely eliminates the racial excuses the upper classes (predominantly white) use to perpetuate their inherited greater opportunities. Attacking the social justice problem will require a more direct address of the racial biases and must be done.


when politician do talk KT2000 Nov 2017 #1
Strange Things Are Taking Place True Blue American Nov 2017 #2
(self-delete) Ken Burch Nov 2017 #3
No, we are not "all united on social justice," ehrnst Nov 2017 #39
I actually self-deleted that when I saw the piece the OP was responding to. Ken Burch Nov 2017 #41
Good observation. ananda Nov 2017 #10
The term "white working class" is over-used by voting surveys. mdbl Nov 2017 #4
+1 for the op and this comment. NCTraveler Nov 2017 #6
Not backwards. BOTH effects are synergistic in a vicious circle. Avoid "chicken or egg" trap. Bernardo de La Paz Nov 2017 #5
Why pick one? If you do that, you tell part of your base to wait for their dire needs to be met. Squinch Nov 2017 #8
Woosh. "Pick one" as a STARTING point for ANALYSIS. Then pick the OTHER and see how it is a CIRCLE. Bernardo de La Paz Nov 2017 #13
Sigh. Not "woosh." No one is missing your point. It's not that deep. Squinch Nov 2017 #17
Yes, not deep, it's OBVIOUS. But you can't find anything I've written in thread that says "wait" Bernardo de La Paz Nov 2017 #19
Here's where you talk about "doing one first": "if you start with ... bettyellen Nov 2017 #26
Clearly my post is entirely analysis, not prescription. I did not write your false quote. Bernardo de La Paz Nov 2017 #29
Bzzzt. That was rude. I read your post the same way Squinch did. kcr Nov 2017 #34
Bzzzt. They & you complain about prescriptions when the post has no prescriptions. . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Nov 2017 #35
Naaah, it's about the priortization of issues/ which is a legit topic... bettyellen Nov 2017 #59
Read my post #5. It is nothing about prescribing remedies, hence NO PRIORITIZATION therein possible Bernardo de La Paz Nov 2017 #60
+1000 smirkymonkey Nov 2017 #14
Woosh. Bernardo de La Paz Nov 2017 #15
Woosh. The wording makes clear it is ANALYSIS, not prescription. Bernardo de La Paz Nov 2017 #20
I got it. CrispyQ Nov 2017 #31
And that's the argument I've been making the whole time...that we don't have to choose Ken Burch Nov 2017 #42
It isn't about choosing so much as recognizing the relationship. Garrett78 Nov 2017 #55
I recognize the relationship. Ken Burch Nov 2017 #58
A FB "friend", who happens to be black and somewhat well-known........ socialist_n_TN Nov 2017 #24
+1 Bernardo de La Paz Nov 2017 #25
Excellent! CrispyQ Nov 2017 #32
Exactly -- chicken or egg. +11111! KPN Nov 2017 #30
As I wrote in response to someone else: Garrett78 Nov 2017 #53
In practice, it is usually difficult to separate economic power from political power: struggle4progress Nov 2017 #7
We have not yet "ultimately won" the fights against racism, sexism and xenophobia. Squinch Nov 2017 #9
That is quite clear, isn't it? struggle4progress Nov 2017 #12
Agreed. And we don't have to put aside the economic struggle to win those fights Ken Burch Nov 2017 #43
Exactly. Work on both simultaneously. . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Nov 2017 #16
Reparations not a solution. 1) Reconciliation, 2) Truly equal justice, 3) Economic support Bernardo de La Paz Nov 2017 #11
Reconciliation rests on recognition of the wrongs and admission that they WERE wrongs. Ken Burch Nov 2017 #44
Those things you listed are but forms of reparations. Garrett78 Nov 2017 #54
The idea to prioritize the fight for economic injustice seems 2b another trickle down theory. Madam45for2923 Nov 2017 #18
With all due respect, KPN Nov 2017 #28
So perhaps the GOP party will cease to exist and the Dem party will break into two parties? Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #21
It has been postulated ... ? KPN Nov 2017 #22
That's hardly a broad sweeping statement. Garrett78 Nov 2017 #52
Yeah, I misread or should say read more into your "postulated" statement than you intended KPN Nov 2017 #62
May I pose a question? GaryCnf Nov 2017 #23
First, I wish I had written "desire" instead of "need." Garrett78 Nov 2017 #56
I cannot agree more with the positions set out at the link GaryCnf Nov 2017 #57
Excellent, thoughtful post. yardwork Nov 2017 #27
As I mentioned GaryCnf Nov 2017 #33
This message was self-deleted by its author ehrnst Nov 2017 #38
The 1% who control 38% of the wealth in this country would love to make this about race I am sure. jalan48 Nov 2017 #36
Doesn't mean that things aren't about race. Wealthy black men still get stopped for ehrnst Nov 2017 #37
I agree and as a society we need to work to stop racial discrimination and injustice. jalan48 Nov 2017 #40
Europe does not bear that out. ehrnst Nov 2017 #46
Good luck with that approach. I'm sure you'll find people who like to be told what to do. jalan48 Nov 2017 #47
I see plenty of that among many who consider themselves to be the purest ehrnst Nov 2017 #48
Absolutely, keep listening. I'm sure good things will happen. jalan48 Nov 2017 #49
I don't listen to the trope that economic equality and national health mean that sexism and racism ehrnst Nov 2017 #50
Good for you. jalan48 Nov 2017 #51
Agreed. Ken Burch Nov 2017 #45
Wow. ismnotwasm Nov 2017 #61
Thanks for making me aware of this post Garrett78, eloquently stated :) JHan Dec 2017 #63
Sure thing. And thanks. Garrett78 Dec 2017 #64
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