This a link to a debate on " reparations for slavery " and "affirmative action " I found while surfing around the web .

@white_swan53 Said

Would you support reparations for slavery in exchange for ending affirmative action?


I do not have any idea how the issues of Affirmative Action can be or ever will be resolved .
But since the people who were slave owners and the people who were enslaved, have all been worm food for more then a few centuries , I don't think ' reparations for slavery' will do much towards resolving the issues of affirmative action we find ourselves dealing with in America.

@Dredd Said

That depends, Would the issue just be to the descendents of Black slaves or would it be open to all former slaves~? My ancestors were enslaved by first the romans and then the vikings, and have continued to be enslaved through the use of a skewed financial system rather than chains.

Assuming that its just for the descendents of Kunta Kinte and its the state that would be paying on the assumption that most of the slave owners families are long gone, then No, I wouldn't.

If however that would be a huge re-distribution of wealth from the estates of former slave owners and old money then crack on, but there were more slaves than just Africans, and more areas of acute poverty than just African Americans in the ghetto.

@Dredd Said

Yes it would be a bit hard, but what I am saying(or was, that post is from a few months ago) that ALL society relies on enslavement in order for the apex to maintain its extravagant standard of living, they have simply replaced the chains with the impression of freedom, you are more productive thinking it is your choice where you work. The best bit- Its not going to change for you or I until we die.

The Egyptians, Romans etc built their empires on enslavement, The Vikings traded captives, even the birthplace of democracy had slavery, the European empires are built upon serfdom where by landowners were allowed to force their tenants to do anything, AND pay them taxes for the privileged of being forced to do so. In China the Terracotta Army and the Great Wall were built by slaves. The only difference is that the chain that holds us in place today is the false economy whereby we go to work to pay the bank/landlord for our house, the loan or Credit card company for out TV etc etc.

So, to conclude, if it would be a re-distribution of wealth across the board, this would be fair, anything else would be racist.

@shinobinoz Said

I pretty much agree with your assessment of the past & the folly for the future. I don't however feel it is racist to correct racism though. Yeah it sucks for those who are poor & not of the race being vindicated. I'm thinking here more of First Nations- not so much racism but Nation- though that indubitably was the intent (acknowledged or not) of the usa towards us. We consider it Nation to Nation & the transgressions were racist in nature.

@Dredd Said

How about a crude analogy, if there are 3 people, all have a broken leg from a car wreck, and all have the same limp, but you only give the white guy any compensation, thats rascist. If there are two guys and and a girl, and only the guys get any compensation, thats sexist, but if they all get compensation, you are compensating them fairly.

Im saying dont compensate one till you can afford to compensate them ALL, as it would be seen to be preferential or racist.

Put it another way, IF Rosa Parks had been white, but poor, would it have been equality if she had been made to move? No, it would have been seen as equally as unjust, but we don't have a word for inequality on the grounds of wealth.

Slavery of the "Blacks"(word of the time) and "Chinese"(which people seem to forget a lot) ended in Europe and the USA now over a hundred years ago, rightfully, but we still have slavery, wouldnt it be better now that instead of spending the money on rewarding the descendents of former slaves, it would be spent on freeing other people from actual slavery rather than lifting people from financial slavery?


It was a war, funny how at the same time as the USA was condemning Germany for invading Poland etc, they were still operating as an Occupying Power in their own country. I dont know what its like now, but its basically like I've been saying for the past few years, governments dont give a s*** about what people think, they care about what they can get away with and what they can make people think!

@Willi Said

reparations?
I didn't own any slaves.
of any color.
I have heard Irish slaves suck.

Blazing Saddles "We Don't Want the Irish!"

@shinobinoz Said

I generally agree. However the ills of that slavery must still be addressed at this time. The ills of genocide & ethnic cleansing of First Nations, the current issues with being excluded from societal changes & lack of input has kept peoples from obtaining such equality. Although poor people (no matter their race) feel some of the ills from our modern society & it's own slavery product- the majority culture poor person STILL has some benefits from the majority cultures "privilege". You must take that into consideration as well instead of simply stating we all must get exactly the same treatment - the reason being we have not all had the same opportunities (the ills placed on us from the majority culture & government).
I'm sure I did not explain this very clearly. Sorry.

@Dredd Said

Wouldn't it be better tho, rather than preferential treatment and reparations for past action, to address the inequality that still persists and level the playing field for everyone?

I know its not the same, there ARE differences between economic and actual slavery, but in making sure that it is put right and can never happen again, imho is more productive than someone kissing and making up and saying they are sorry, while they still hold a gun to your head. 1st Nations and aboriginal peoples are a different matter as the land cant be givven back, and nothing returned to how it was before, its sad but I'm afraid thats the reality, and tbh I dont know how it could be made better as I dont know the actual situation, the US Government and society has done a pretty good job of covering it up.