Reparations and the Presidential Elections By William Reed Columnist

“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them, and these will continue till they are resisted. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress.” – Frederick Douglass

Most Whites living in America today deny any tie to slavery.  Most of the nation’s Blacks do too.

The issue of “reparations for slavery” is America’s most divisive topic. But, it’s an area to which Blacks would gladly concede their “just inheritance” for the Obamas to be First Family again. Our ancestors’ forced free labor totals $100 trillion, but the majority of African Americans seem willing to forgive the debt to not have Obama rejected by the Americans. In that mode, Blacks overwhelmingly “got Barack’s back” in the 2012 presidential election. Just to be able to say that “a Black man is president of the United States [POTUS]” makes them giddy.

However, the question remains, how does it benefit Blacks to buy into a system and a culture that’s never worked for us, and continues traditions that perpetuate the effects of institutional slavery? Is Barry Black enough for our total loyalty?  Or, has he totally eliminated any chance for justice for Blacks? When the subject of reparations came up for Candidate Obama in 2008, he didn’t favor Black reparations, saying: "the best reparations we can provide are good schools in the inner city and jobs for people who are unemployed.”  Today, Obama will still carry Black voters despite high African American unemployment. 

Instead of demanding more in terms of law and legislation, Blacks have developed a peculiar capability of separating their votes – instead of holding the president accountable for any real improvement concerning our abysmal condition. While Barry has scurried away from references to race, the effects of slavery and Jim Crow reverberate in the glaring disparities of wealth between Whites and Blacks. Median household wealth among Blacks is under a quarter of that of Whites and 80 percent of African-American children begin their adult lives without assets.

It appears that America’s Blacks don’t see, or experience, the difference between political “symbolism” and “substance.”  The same government that Blacks are so set on having Obama lead again; has from the onset, helped to create “the racial wealth gap” and has specifically designed and kept Black wealth significantly lower than White wealth.

During slavery, the elite slaveholders lived in “The Big House” overlooking the plantation, now Blacks drool over the idea of the Obamas living in “The White House” – in a mansion that was built by forced slave labor. The concept of “Blacks living in the White House” totally diminishes the debt that descendants of slaves are owed.

Let’s be real, Obama doesn’t spend his days in the Oval Office “watching out” for us. Sadly, no one else at the White House does either. The economic gap between Blacks and Whites has increased under Obama. Blacks’ unemployment, poverty and foreclosures rates are at their highest level in a decade. With all its racist policies, why aren’t Black Americans demanding that this nation support honest and direct dialogue on race and racism and its manifestations and consequences?

Obama has assimilated past most Blacks, but should do more – not because he’s Black but because of the sufferings Blacks have endured past and present. Black people have every right to make demands on Obama – because they gave him a greater percentage of their votes than any other group; and his 44^th U.S. presidency is owed to them. Like any president, he should be constantly pressured to put the issue of racial injustice front and center.

To better our future in America, Blacks will have to “demand better” from all local and national politicians.

(William Reed is president of the Business Exchange Network and available for projects via the BaileyGroup.org)

In response:

First of all I find myself in a discussion about Reparations quite often. I was added to a group called Mainstreaming Reparations until I was recently kicked out of the group. I was challenging my friend in my neighboring county Pitt County as he brought up Reparations almost daily beginning right before the May Primary. He has made it seems as if “Our” Black President is the problem when it comes to the discussion of Reparations in Washington DC.

I ask the question why in the hell would “Our” current President be wasting his time on bringing Reparations to the floor during his 1st term when he didn’t campaign on it but most of all when the white Republicans and a few white Democrats have been fighting him on issues that affect Black, brown, white and other folks as a whole such as Obamacare and etc. By now everyone ought to know that the Republicans are in the majority in Washington and anyone in their right minds know damn well they don’t want to hear no Black man asking for no Reparations.

I have stressed that I have been following groups such as NCOBRA who has been fighting for Reparations over the years. I am for Reparations however my main concern is to get “Our” current President re-elected not only because he is a Black man but he is capable of being President and has demonstrated such. Hell I have voted for the white man all of these years so why in the hell is it a problem that I have the option to vote for a Black man especially since they have taught in school that the Black man can be President. I am not apologetic for voting for a Black President.

My problem is there has not been much education on the local level as it relates to Reparations and I have asked Jeff Savage to call some meetings and I would attend since it seems to be a top priority for him and with that I trust that he has done much research and has some resources that could come in and help educate Black folks. But it appears he wants to only educate folks on Facebook.

I am having a problem with Black folks who think that just because we have a Black President we should be able to rule the world in 4 years. Not! Damn it is our fault that “Our” current President has had to fight those racist ass Republicans because Black folks and folks who are concerned about all people didn’t get out and vote for Democrats in 2010 so therefore “Our” current President did not have control in Washington. I don’t understand how folks don’t get it. And to let them tell it “Our” current President has the majority for 2 years what a damn lie only several months.

Damn the Republicans cut 700,000 jobs in November, 780,000 in December 2008 and then another 700,000 in January of 2009 before “Our” current President took the oath of office. But damn over 5.2 million jobs has been added since he has been in office and folks have the audacity to talk about the unemployment is at an all time low of 7.8%. Damn funny they don’t want to talk about unemployment much today.

How many folks have ever held “Our” Presidents before this Black President accountable for anything. Why is it some folks act as if “Our” current President is the very 1st President instead of the 1st Black President. But damn some folks would say he ain’t the first Black because his mother is white. Well damn all of these years I have heard if one had any Black blood in them they were automatically Black.

So damn the problem I have is that the rules continue to change according to who is in the game. Look at how the rules have changed since President Barack Obama has been in office. But some folks want to make it appear that “Our” President has all power.

Now getting down to the real nitty gritty I want to know why Jeff Savage has not called a meeting and invited “Our” Republican and Democratic representatives from NC to the table to talk to them about Reparations. Hell he has long time House Rep. Walter B. Jones who lives in Pitt County and others across the state who he could call in to send the message to “Our” current President but it is easy to get on Facebook and make it appear that he is doing something.

Well!

I am Curmilus Dancy II The Political Agitator.

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Reparations 

William Reed Columnist