Mary Mitchell

Instead of looking for more handouts, blacks should open their eyes to the disastrous effects that the coming Third World America will have on them, as whites are displaced largely by people who come from racial families with average IQs under 90.

That's the real world, and the danger of embracing the cult beliefs of egalitarianism, the idea that the races have the same potential.

If America had stayed 90% white, it would have maintained the potential for being a First World nation, which means wealth to fund our Rolls Royce quality social safety nets, something a future America will severely lack funds for.

And the term, "white supremacy," is simply racially motivated aggression -- based upon the cult notion that the races are the same -- directed towards whites, attempting to project blame on another race for problems inherent in the Negro race, and in some of the Mulatto races.

Whether they've worked can be debated, but we've had programs because of racial inequities in this country for some time...job quotas, minority hiring, college admission requirements for minorities, etc. Somehow I don't think putting thousands of dollars into the hands of black people is a long-term solution - especially those who are unemployed or have little education. Also, I came from descendants from Ireland and Italy - I had nothing to do with slavery so why should my tax dollars pay for reparations which ultimately will do little for blacks?

MITCHELL COMMENT:

The programs you cite were put in place to address the blatant discrimination of the Jim Crow era--not the institution of slavery.

I usually like your writing much better than Neil's but in this instance he makes more since.

I also challenge your statement tha reparations is "opposed by alot of whites and some blacks" this is a false statement. Most blacks oppose reparations as well.
It is an issue that is only kept alive by a radical minority and a media that loves radicals.

MITCHELL COMMENT;

Define radical community? I don't consider myself a radical. As for "most blacks" I'm not sure I agree with that statement.

Mitchell vs. Steinberg, reparations vs. no reparations. Something tells me this is going to get heated. Although I could be wrong and maybe it won't get heated? Anyway, let the games begin!

If "reparations" means that everyone gets a check, then count me out. However, if it means that the government will, as an example, create a domestic "Marshall Plan" that, at whatever cost, will shore up the education gap in this country, then count me in. As it stands, illiteracy and poverty just beget more of the same. It is time to end the cycle. And, the only continuum, pre-slavery to the present, that we can point to without co-mingling those responsible with those who are not, is the U.S. government. The government should should pick up the tab.

Slavery and its aftermath is this nation's unfinished business. Sooner or later, we're going to have to deal with it...
I don't think so...the next President of this country (if he decides to run), could very well be an African American. Some of the most successful people in this country are black. We have to move on...I'm successful because I persevered, as have many of my friends. Reparations are for the week minded. Here's some advice...don't have kids till you are in a committed relationship. Keep your kids in school. Work hard....funny how these things have a tendency to work.

MITCHELL COMMENT:

Obviously, there are successful black people. Oprah comes to mind. But this isn't about Oprah's success. Reparations is about addressing the immoral and inhumane institutution. And as I said, none of us has a crystal ball.

Ms. Mitchell I agree with you 100% on the issue of reparations. I applaud you for not being afraid to speak out on such a controversial racial issue. I read both you and Mr. Steinberg regularly and it is my observation that you are getting better as a reporter, but Mr. Steinberg seems to be losing his ability to be objective. His recent column on reparations and a column he wrote questioning why Senator Obama visited his african relatives instead of his white relatives seemed like a tirade from a angry drunk man. They were
ridiculous personal attacks.

When you write that blacks are better off in America and should be grateful to the institution of slavery you give credibility to the white supremcist attitude that the American way is the only way; which is a reason hatred for America is growing around the globe.

He wondered why Senator Obama accepted and excelled in his black skin even though he had a white mother (America established long ago that something like a 10th of black blood made you black). Don't get upset because the senator didn't let that break him. I wonder is Mr. Steinberg drinking again? His editors should check before he writes something so offensive that a large of chunk of their readers decide that they are not going to pay to be insulted.

Ms. Mitchell you are doing an excellent job of reporting and addressing relevant issues. Keep up the good work. I know it's hard in the trenches and my prayers and support are with you

Sez Mary, "sooner or later, we're going to have to deal with it". My God, you cannot be for real. Never in the history of the world has so much been done by so many for so few in order to right past wrongs...NEVER. When does it end? Do reparations end it once and for all, or only until the next black extortion scheme comes along. When, in your mind, is it finally dealt with Ms. Mitchell? Does reparations "square" things with you? Is this what you want? Because I'll tell ya.....many whites, myself included, would gladly pay reparations if it would finally "end it". End the crying, the whining, the excuses for failure, the demands for more, more, more, etc, etc, etc. But we all know it wouldn't..now would it Ms. Mitchell? Nothing is ever enough and the bad news is that nothing will ever be enough. Finally "dealing" with it would put you and dozens of professional race baiters out of business. That's the last thing you want.

MITCHELL COMMENT;

Please list all those things that have been done to atone for slavery.

Wow, I am amazed by the amount of citizens who feel that we(blacks) should "be over" slavery, when racism is still a hinderance today! As Rep. Carol McKinney put it into statistics so perferctly; The gap that was made so long ago is being repaired sooo slowly today...Old whites in Congress are the ones who hated Negros, but loved for them to work back then, of course equality isn't on the top of their agenda. Reparations are sensible because we suffered from being worked and treated like animals to line a white man's pockets. Meanwhile, he was able to pass his fortunes down generation through generation...The fortune made off of slaves' sweat. When business flourished back then, white guy got paid good, black guy got a new sweater(maybe!).

Two things I agree with Steinberg on.

One, Barack for President!

Two, all of my people wouldn't do right with their money. So used to living in poverty, low education levels, or just ignorant...yeah we have those. But how about giving reparations that can only be invested, or used purposefully, like 401k? Hmmmmmmmm...

I submitted a comment on reparations on another article, but I will resubmit a similar one here.

Supposing somebody actually won a reparations case. Who should be the guilty party and who should pay? I'm not aware of any private corporations that took part in slavery that are still private today.

For instance, the Morgan companies were all "one" company before the early 1900's. It was a privately owned bank. However, legislation and globalization brought the company public. It is now a publicly traded corporation, owned by millions of investors.

The Morgan banks took part in slavery. They have publicly admitted to it and have since apologized and set up charity funds to help blacks. But, if reparation advocates had their way, the Morgan companies would be FORCED to hand out more. How is this fair to the shareholders, many of whom have no relatives who took part in slavery?

Suppose the guilty party is the government. How would it pay? Would it raise taxes (which would probably be necessary)? If it did raise taxes, who would be exempt? Would it be just blacks, or other minorities? What about whites who were on the other side of slavery? What about those with one parent whose anscestors had slaves and another parent whose anscestors didn't? Would they only pay partial taxes? How would it be fair to tax anybody because of the sins of their anscestors? What about immigrants or the children of immigrants?

How would you determine who benefits from a reparations judgment? I think most semi-intelligent people know that, despite what Jesse Jackson might think, not all blacks come from Africa. Would those who want the money have to prove that their anscestors were slaves? What if only one was? Woul that person only get partial credit? How would the majority prove that their anscestors were slaves since many blacks were uneducated and didn't write down their lineage? How would you prevent fraud?

Would this solve anything? Though Anonymous was a bit more antagonistic, how will this solve anything? What amount per person would solve the problems in the black community? $10,000? $100,000? $1? The fact is, no amount of money will help a community with so many problems as the black community. Education is the key. As more and more black males are incarcerated and less and less pursue higher education, the problems will only increase. Handing uneducated people a chunk of money will do nothing except to give them more to spend.

Will this lead to an open door policy for every group who were oppressed? I can think of a group who was much more oppressed. The native Americans. Any arguments that the worthless land that we gave them should make up for biological warfare, dishonesty, and genocide is rediculous. Should they sue for billions/trillions as well? When will it stop?
Will reparations be the final judgement? Would it be the end of all arguments based on slavery? What happens when it doesn't fix the black community's problems? As I said before, handing people a chunk of money does no good. Just ask many of the lottery winners who file for bankruptcy. What will it solve? Or is this just another case of creating equality by discriminating against other groups (the most recent ongoing case being the mismanaged feminist movement). If that's the case, don't you think that our country is screwed up enough? Do you really need to add more to the mix?

Finally, I think that this quote by Alexander Tyler fits this subject perfectly:

A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until a majority of voters discover that they can vote themselves largess out of the public treasury.

Reparations will not happen, and I can explain why in two words: Hurricane Katrina. If the government cannot start to adequately help a relatively small and localized group of African Americans who through no fault of their own had their homes destroyed by a devastating blow of nature, not in the 19th century, but just last year, then who -- excuse me -- but a fool would go around advocating that it commence some grand wealth transfer to 37 million nationwide?

Mary - this is so true...especially about New Orleans...if we can't help our own...in our own country, why is our government so concerned about helping outside countries first. This is not a third world...yet, New Orleans still reflects that. It shames me to think our stupid President puts his nose in other countries and neglects the very people who pay taxes for him helping other countries before his own.

The reparation issue is quite tricky because of the way it is presented in the media. The way it is crafted almost makes any hard working (and not so hard working) Anglo-American a strong opponent. It is presented in such a fashion that should America pay baggy pant wearing young men, teenage single parent mothers, HIV infected, welfare dependent, high school dropouts, and high incarceration rate people any money for their personal failures and unwillingness to take personal responsibility, when in fact the generations that did the hard work of slavery have passed on at least a hundred years ago. That is a very compelling argument when you look at the state of many African Americans today.

I would argue that reparations are due for those very reasons. African Americans didn’t help to build, but did the majority of the building that led to America having on the world’s leading economies in the 18th and 19th centuries. The economy was based on agriculture, because at that time America was not an industrial nation. The concept of industrialization was taking on its early formation. However, wealth was created and investment from abroad made in-roads into this thriving agricultural-based economy. Therefore, more than whites who lived in America benefited from slavery. Foreign investments can and does stimulate economies. I am making this point for those who argued that their families were still living in (you can fill-in the blank of the particular country) and therefore they had nothing to do with slavery. Typically, their ancestors left those countries because there we not much of an economy, or that it was a closed-system. The momentum of the U.S. economy in the 18th and 19th century made the progression of what became a burgeoning industrial and agricultural economy in the 20th century. Without the economic gains made in the 18th and 19 century, we may have missed the mark in the 20th century.

As an agriculturally-based economy, wealth was accumulated by those who were the poor and underprivileged from Western Europe after one or at the most two generations. The laws at that time, like those today, allowed wealth to be passed along to each new generation. This is a good practice and is one that I wholly endorse. But, if you were a slave at that time how could you pass along the fruits of your labor. If you couldn’t own anything and you were somebody’s property, then the ability to pass along wealth didn’t exist for you and your posterity. Then, it is clear that your descendents would get your legacy which was poor (poverty), ignorance, broken/dysfunctional families, and low self esteem to name a few of the conditions that were in existence then and passed along. I am not suggesting that we African Americans do not have a role, but we can only give what we know. For example today, many black people still discipline their children in the ways of the old slave master. We beat them, rather than teach them---we harden them to survive and that is what they became---survivors. We should be giving them the gift of how to flourish, but we are short on that because for generations we only knew how to survive!

In the 1920-50s when blacks began the northern migration and integration, then and only then, did we begin to understand just how much we didn’t know because of the effects of our isolation and voluntary acceptance of racial segregation, only then did we begin to realize just how robbed we were. Therefore, the argument that damage was done only to the old generations becomes invalid---because in actuality our eyes were really opened when we began to participate in getting our rights in the 1960s. Those who are opponents of reparation now have an era that they can recognize. Now we have to figure out how we can do this in an equitable manner. Millions of people have been robbed because they did not get the fruits from the labor of their ancestors and hence only have the remnants of what was passed along and those were the not so flattering things. The media has a field-day perpetuating the dysfunctional aspects of what has been generationally passed-along. Money can’t cure some things, but in the right combination it can help to start and finance the process.

Mary,you tell me if reparations finally squares things up and I'll be glad to tell you the things that I think have been done to right past wrongs. Deal??

"atone for slavery" Citizenship, the right to vote, welfare, foodstamps,free medical, Lowered test rquirements, taking minority's over other qualified applicants, making colleges take underqualified students,Free housing,Free daycare(head start)free kindergarden(heatstart) and EEOC PROGRAMS. Need I list more?? I think the taxpayer has paid ENOUGH!!

There are corporate entities that exist today because of the economic impact of slavery. Wealth was built from slavery and it still exist today in private and public coffers. "Slavery" did not stop existing after the Civil War. During the times following radical Reconstruction and up into the first half of the 20th century large labor pools were created, for big plantation work/railroad work/turpentine extraction/ lumber work etc etc, from Black men (and sometimes women) who were pulled from the streets and accused of loitering. They were then given the option of jail or working their time off for someone who paid their 5-20 dollar bails. Many of these "peons" (this was a system of peonage) died working in these ways. A very good book I read some time ago addresses just that "Lay this Body Down: The 1920 Killing of 11 Plantation Slaves." These stories are not uncommon, there was an entire Bureau of Investigation (the agency that proceeded the FBI) department dedicated to investigating peonage, at least that's what they were supposed to do.
There are cases where imminent domain is known to have targeted Black business districts disproportionately.
There have been government sanctioned destructions of Black communities especially in the years following the end of Reconstruction and the years following the first World War.
Individual cases like these, where some one or several someones or some institution or communities are unjustly enriched by the brutal practices of racism and where ones rightful ability to progress is steadily stunted by GOVERNMENT sanction (whether official or by a widespread closing of the eyes) and lack of enforcement, lack of due process, lack of equal protection REQUIRES an investigation an official airing out of the FACTS of history.
Do Black people all get a check...no, I've never heard any of the legal and academic scholars pursuing reparations say that Black people should all get a fat check.
I am personally in favor of official acknowledgement and some of the benefits of citizenship that whites have historically received, such as (AND first of all) all things that the Constitution supposedly guarantees. And maybe Black people can actually benefit from the homestead act this time. I grow so sick of hearing how some white guy's ancestors came from Ireland and pulled himself up from his bootstraps and so on and so on. And what? Jimmy Carter's ancestor came to Georgia as an indentured servant and his family became eventually one of the largest slaveowning families in the state.
Dont get it twisted though Black people have "made-it" against the odds and have created institutions and communities and individuals and traditions that negate the whole idea of Black dependance. In fact America's position in the world today is due in GREAT part to the work and struggle of Black people.
Reparations is about, to me, an acknowledgement of the psychopathic nature and greed driven nature of America's racial past and some real solutions.

Your right the civil war was fought for strength of the union vs. states rights. However the major motivating factor to most soldiers was slavery. It was the issue that sold the war to the public.
There are quotes from the conferderate side stating they should have just "Let the Slaves Go" before the war and their cause would been easier to win. (I admit the actual language was a racial slur not the word SLAVE).

I think the amazing thing to me about our history is really the time of reconstruction. the period after slavery was outlawed.

People who were slaves were now free. This was a very difficult and violent time.
The fourteenth amendment was pasted to keep states from denying blacks their rights as citizens. That didn't mean they actually obtained those rights. They obviously did not, especially in the south.
In many ways it is actually amazing that blacks have done as well as they have.
One of the most powerful people in the world is a black woman (Condi Rice).

The total wealth of blacks in the united States would beat the entire wealth of most countries.

Most people wouldn't mind getting a check from anyone. However, The idea of Reparations is an embaressment. You have every opportunity in this country to be whatever you want to be. This is proven over and over again. Put your energies towards something which would actually make black people better. Not some score settling vendetta.

Also I still think most blacks do not want or at least are not pushing for reparations. I admit I have no actual figures or statistics. If you can find an actual certifiable number I would accept my error.

When I read your responses, Mary, in totality...what I think while I'm reading them is that your parenting skills probably left a lot to be desired. The BEST thing a parent can do for a child is to teach that child that each day is a new day, and that we all have control of our own individual destinies. You have not learned this important fact. Your intentions are good...but you are misguided. And the reparations movement is misguided...not because reparations in and of themselves are wrong...but that the process of seeking reparations...and the thinking that goes into that process...are devastating to those who pursue it. Mary, your feelings on this issue lead you to be as misinformed on this issue as you are on 'acting the fool' at high school and college graduations...I honestly do not believe that you 'get it'. That you don't get it doesn't mean that you are a bad person...just that I don't think you understand. As for Steinberg...it is not at all difficult to come to the conclusion that he has an air of superiority about himself (i.e. arrogance)...and that I would probably prefer to share a beverage with M. Mitchell, as opposed to N. Steinberg. But that says nothing about the merits of this argument.

I propose using the term "Euro-American" for all references to whites. If all other ethnicities must use "Afro-American," "Asian American," etc., then why do white folks get to use simply, purely "American." The worst thing to come from slavery is the fallacy that the ubiqitous concept of race really exists. It doesn't. There is no white. There is no black. I hope these terms go the way of "colored" and "negro."

"Legal battles over blacks' rights are nothing new."

Since when is Reparations a right?

I would be for reparations in the following manner: Distributed as a credit/refund on income tax. Only those below the poverty line would receive it as cash refund. Others above poverty line would have to designate their refund to local schools, church, or non profit chairity. No political affiliation. example : United Negro College Fund eligible. Operation Push not eligible if political contributions or affiliations shown.
For the record I am M/W.

Your bid for reparations is a last gasp for the American black and their entitlement mentality. White Guilt has paid better dividends and would be exploited until the end of time if thousands of illegal aliens, with no White Guilt weren't invading the country. Why not just face the fact that you can see the caboose on the gravy train. End of the goodies has arrived. These next few years should be very interesting. May the best race win.

I read over the comments so far on this issue, and I am saddened. Why? Because we have not come very far as it relates to race in this country; not by a long shot. Sometimes, you can forget and think things may be getting better, but you can feel the tone of "hatred" in some of these comments, and it's scary.

Anyway, I know that each time you state your opinion in this "public" manner, you have to be ready to take what comes back. I applaud you for the gracious way in which you address these tough issues. Issues that reach deep into ourselves and make us face or reveal what our "real" feelings are on the subjects.

Just wanted to say that I appreciate the way you express yourself in your writing and your opinions. It's not easy being a watchman on the wall.