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Should the US pay African Americans reparations for slavery

Poll - Total Votes: 56
Yes. That number is worth it
I wanna pay but that's too much money
I don't wanna pay but I do think they deserve something else
No. They don't deserve anything
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I just ran some simple numbers.

By the time of slavery's abolition the US had condoned slavery for 88 years (1864-1776).

Around that time the average wage of someone of their occupation was $10/year making the total sum owed in 1864 to be $880.

With inflation that would be worth $22,500 today.

Assuming we literally paid every single African American (which we wouldn't) that means the US would have to give them $945B (based on a population of 42M African Americans).

Given this data, would you accept that $945B is an acceptable sum to pay to finally repay the ancestors of slaves and finally remove the idea of white guilt from US culture?
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JoeyFoxx · 51-55, M
This is pathetic. Is it ok to offer money to a rape victim to make her go away? At best, it’s disingenuous.

I’m not a huge fan in social programs either. They are easily abused and haven’t done much to provide actual opportunity.

What we actually need is to change the ways laws are written (eg, drug policies that target minorities) and have better education programs for law enforcement agencies to start.

The US education system needs an overhaul where primary education is improved in lower income areas and vocational certificates become the norm over needlessly expensive multi year degree programs.

Reparations are racist in and of themselves.
@JoeyFoxx [quote]drug policies that target minorities) [/quote]name one .....
JoeyFoxx · 51-55, M
@MarmeeMarch There remain minimum sentencing guidelines for crack cocaine that are significantly worse than powdered cocaine. These emerged in the 80's when crack cocaine was used in large numbers in the black community.

There's one. There are many more where laws are written in ways that passively target the non-majority population.

It's been studied and proven time and time again.

This isn't a bleeding heart leftist thing, it's an actual reality that can be demonstrated with facts and numbers.
@JoeyFoxx Nope - just because it was used in a particular community doesn't mean blacks were a target for that drug. Those who chose to use drugs are their own targets - good reach though.
JoeyFoxx · 51-55, M
@MarmeeMarch Your chronology is bad. The distinctions between enforcement around crack cocaine vs powdered cocaine were made AFTER the usage patterns were established.

That's ok. I won't expect you to understand.
@JoeyFoxx To say reparations is racist is wrong. But to say it's disingenuous is probably the case. But I don't care if you are sorry or not, just that you guys make up. It's like when you force a kid to say sorry to the other. You know they don't mean it, but it's important they learn to front up to their mistakes and do what's right
JoeyFoxx · 51-55, M
“You guys”

Because I’m white?

My grandparents were Irish immigrants and my grandfather had to travel for work because of signs around Boston “Irish need not apply”

Slavery in the US happened before any of my ancestors got here.

“Reparations” are, in fact, racist if the assumption is that it makes all the darkies go away.

And that’s what a lot of people think.

It does not address the core of the residual racism that exists in the US.


@Qwerty14
@JoeyFoxx By "you guys" I mean the American people. And again, if you are an American you are responsible for your government. As an Irish man you know full well how the African and Native Americans felt when the British came. You know what it is like to lose land, to be treated as lesser, second class, slaves. The Irish were treated easily the worst by Brits and you should support your fellow victims of colonisation and British superiority
@JoeyFoxx we elected a Mulatto POTUS - racism is over.
JoeyFoxx · 51-55, M
You are a sad little shadow of a man.

I’m sorry your mommy didn’t love you and that your daddy made fun of you.

@MarmeeMarch
@JoeyFoxx Yeah I agree with you. Only a white supremacist would use the term "mulatto"