Reparation

billybobama · 05-09-2007, 08:47 AM

There is a lot of talk about Reparations to decendants of U.S. slaves. This could be very hard to put a value on and figure out who should pay. Should only decendants of slave owners pay reparations? I have a much simpler solution. Republicans promised U.S. Slaves 40 acres and a Mule. I think it is time for the Republicans to pay up. I think the Republican Party should pay for 40 acres and a Mule for every decendant of any U.S Slave.

KnightOfSappho · 05-09-2007, 09:18 AM

That could get complicated...

If you consider 12% of the population as black and (VERY conservatively) only half of those as decendants of slaves that becomes 720 million acres of land and 18 million mules.

Regardless of right or wrong, I can't see reparations ever being realistically possible.

vharlow · 05-09-2007, 10:09 AM

Besides, it was a MUCH smaller percentage of the population that actually owned slaves, because of the expense involved in purchasing and keeping them.

jaaaman · 05-09-2007, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billybobama

I have a much simpler solution. Republicans promised U.S. Slaves 40 acres and a Mule. I think it is time for the Republicans to pay up. I think the Republican Party should pay for 40 acres and a Mule for every decendant of any U.S Slave.

Are you drunk?

KnightOfSappho · 05-09-2007, 10:45 AM

We also run into the problem that there are a number of slave decendants that are also descended from people with slaves.

I fall into that category. Before the anti-mecegenation laws in Virginia, the daughter of a plantation owner married a slave and my line came from their daughter.

vharlow · 05-09-2007, 10:53 AM

And what about the people who sold them into slavery? I think most were won in battle and sold into slavery by their enemy African tribes....

Realistically, though, through the history of the planet, there have been more white slaves than black. The harvesting of black Africans for slaves only began late in history, and before countries became countries and had boundaries, people of all kinds were captured and held in slavery.

So, who should pay reparations to who?

KnightOfSappho · 05-09-2007, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vharlow

And what about the people who sold them into slavery? I think most were won in battle and sold into slavery by their enemy African tribes....

Realistically, though, through the history of the planet, there have been more white slaves than black. The harvesting of black Africans for slaves only began late in history, and before countries became countries and had boundaries, people of all kinds were captured and held in slavery.

So, who should pay reparations to who?

Only the ones that were held as slaves in the US.

That would be Africans and (I believe) the Irish.

vharlow · 05-09-2007, 12:27 PM

Thank God I'm Irish!

CrazyFlamingos · 05-09-2007, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KnightOfSappho

Only the ones that were held as slaves in the US.

That would be Africans and (I believe) the Irish.

I think also there were some Asians and Native Americans. (Not sure about the Native Americans; that may have been in territories still under the rule of various European governments.)

KnightOfSappho · 05-09-2007, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrazyFlamingos

I think also there were some Asians and Native Americans. (Not sure about the Native Americans; that may have been in territories still under the rule of various European governments.)

The Native Americans went through all sorts of hassles with the newcomers.

As with black people, there is a lot of anger and hostility toward the 'cleaned up' versions of history that are taught.

I'm not sure about the Asians. I think that they were subject to indentured servitute, but I don't think that this was the case with the Indians.