Only logged in members can reply and interact with the post.
Join SimilarWorlds for FREE »

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
Show Results
You can only vote on one answer.
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?
This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »
Zeuro · 26-30, F
If by reparations you mean social programs that target black communities, then sure
4meAndyou · F
@Zeuro Bernie Sander, Kamala Harris and Juan Castro actually want to pay the descendants of slaves for their ancestors enslavement.
Zeuro · 26-30, F
@4meAndyou I know for a fact Bernie Sanders has not endorsed direct payment reparations
@4meAndyou so let them
4meAndyou · F
@Zeuro Ah, you're right. I looked up who was offering reparations, and apparently Bernie mentioned it when he was running two years ago, but now has changed his mind and says it is a stupid idea because it will never get through Congress, and he is ripping Juan Castro over it.
"
"Sen. Bernie Sanders' campaign manager, Faiz Shakir, on Tuesday said it's wrong to "play politics" on the issue of reparations to descendants of slaves in response to criticism from the 2020 Democratic candidate Julian Castro on the topic."
Castro is coming back at Sanders, and they are squabbling. That's how we, the American people, know an election is coming up...all the reversals of prior election ideas and tons of squabbling.
@4meAndyou not only that - who is going to pay the reparations ? we are a nation of immigrants - so I would imaging the descendants from Southern plantation owners that used slaves ? is it all whitey ? -it will never work. And if by some miracle it did work if you think there is racial tension now wait till you ask witney to pay more taxes for black ppl.
Theseus · 46-50, M
@4meAndyou After the civil war had ended and Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, former slaves were offered 40 acres and a mule.(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forty_acres_and_a_mule)

Back then reparations made sense. Now, it makes no sense whatsoever.
@Zeuro Oh like LBJs Great Society ? going on for 50 years now - did not work then to now and obviously not working.
4meAndyou · F
@MarmeeMarch I think Sanders finally figured that out. It took him a couple of years, but still...good for him.

If he ever won the election, or Kamala Harris or Castro did, they would all probably have an aide with a brain to explain it to them, and then they would tax all of us to fund the United Negro College fund or something.
@4meAndyou I guess years of Affirmative racism oops I meant affirmative action obviously have done nothing
4meAndyou · F
@MarmeeMarch Well, it's that whole thing about giving a man a fish vs teaching him how to fish. If our forefathers sinned by setting an entire race too far back to recover, the Dems certainly made a well intentioned but disastrous effort to make that entire race "special". But, like special ed, you don't really want to be special in that way.
@4meAndyou Every race was enslaved at one time or another - the desperate to get a government job will pander to colored folk and stir up trouble.