No, they should not, if so, that would be an awful case of PREJUDISM!

Way to go. I totally agree with you.

Isn't it interesting to look at the different ways of viewing these points?

What if we extended these points to all people - for instance:

"We want freed all people unjustly imprisoned."

"We want freedom, and self-determination for our communities."

"We desire full employment."

"We want decent housing for everyone."

"We desire free health care for those who need it."

These are made by simple, subtle changes to the wording to make them more universal - and no one could possibly disagree with the morals behind them, to my mind . . . right?

However, I don't think that reparations for slavery makes any of these happen, directly, so it therefore doesn't make sense to my mind. Giving somebody X dollars doesn't make them more educated or give them better job skills - however, opening the pathways to acquiring these things can come through money, so concentration on those efforts seems more appropriate.

Changing the system that ends with whites on top and blacks on bottom is the goal, not giving somebody a small amount of money to play with.

BRILLIANT...I totally agree with you.

All the different groups you mentioned are totally meaningless in regards to your argument.

-Rudey
--I wanted to discuss this issue but nobody here would even care.

I wrote a debate-style paper in high school on slavery reparations, and I agree that they're just ridiculous. And it'll never happen -- there are too many loopholes where people could just walk in and be handed money.

However, I do think that the idea that Optimist Prime proposed is both more realistic and a better solution.

I care.

Reparations for me are a touchy subject...I guess that I'm against the handing out of money directly to individuals, but I am strongly in favor of investment in depressed communities. As a sociology major, I've done a lot of reading on the conditions that exist in primarily minority neighborhoods, and found some telling statistics. The most telling one in my mind is that unemployment is the single biggest factor in crime rate for all races, and further that whites and blacks have the same incidence of crime among the employed populations and the unemployed populations - ie. that the crime rate among employed whites and employed blacks is almost exactly the same (within statistical values of error), as is the rate among unemployed whites/blacks. Simply put, the creation of jobs can lower crime rate undoubtedly.

However other issues are very interconnected. Namely education and the discrepency between academic programs at suburban schools and inner city schools. Education brings up even more issues about testing bias, and tracking systems and teacher expectations and so on and so forth...

I find it very unfortunate that some people are unwilling to hear crys of help in their fellow humans. As KSig RC pointed out so eloquently many of these demands are actually universal wants/need/desires.

Finally I think that everyone...no matter your political affiliation should determine how they can be a better human being. We, as greeks, often talk about reaching out to other GLO's, and working together to improve the image of the Greek System, and I'm sure that many rituals are based on this type of mutual aid and the helping of others in doing the right thing. Why can't this extend out to the others in our communities, states and our country? We can do all the philanthropy we want, but until we as voters elect people who want to create real change (and not just the candidate with the most cash) I cannot believe that any of these demands will ever be accomplished, nor will there be very many steps of progress to achieving them...

<steps off of mini soap box> As you can see it's hit a nerve with me...if anyone wants more information try PM me and I can give you some places to get information.

i saw the thread title, and i thought it was a coincidence because yesterday or before i was watching C-SPAN. i saw the National Black Farmer's Association have their Rally for Black Farmers.

does C-SPAN do a lot of stories on mules and congress?

LAWD HELP the massas decendents, help the massas decendents!
 

PUHLEEZE, you all brought us here! It's your fault. Ya should have left us alone and not brought us on those ships.

Shoot yourself for that one!

PLUS, we do not have any money. All you will get are clothes. :p (you really do not have a clue, do you?)

For clarification: go to my post re: the Black Teen pageant for the definition of "you", so folks will not get it twsted.

ON a serious note: I see that the educational system (history teachers) have failed some. Did they not teach the unit that explores the 40 acres and a mule concept? No, it's not a joke, it's a serious matter. I guess the teachers just went to the part where the Civil War was over and the Emancipation of Proclamation was signed and Abe Lincoln was assassinated and that's it...:rolleyes: oh well...

Re: LAWD HELP the massas decendents, help the massas decendents!
 

In a large magnet public school in Brooklyn, I learned about 40 acres and a mule. But this was in the college level AP US History class since I never took the normal class.

-Rudey

*bravo*!

I can also touch my nose with my tongue and run real fast...real fast.

-Rudey
--Bows as people start clapping all around!