Reparations are back on the Congressional Agenda - BAD NEWS FOR BLACKS

It's pretty easy to throw the term "racist" at any one who looks at a bigger picture that encompasses long term vs short term benefits. It's akin to criticizing parents who discipline their children rather than catering to their every whim. For those blacks or whites who want to call me racist for opposing reparations - take time to read the following and do the research.

A few thousand dollars in your pocket now will only hurt blacks for generations to come. Why? Read on. Trust me - you won't see this discussion in the Danville Register & Bee. In the 60's reporters actually helped hold the hoses who washed black protestors in the streets, they subtly forced out the one black reporter they had by ignoring him and freezing him out and making racist remarks behind his back. They are too busy hand-wringing the victim angle and populist view to take a dispassionate and educated stance on why reparations are bad.

The economy is tanking, people all over the world are circling their wagons in anticipation of a U.S. economic collapse, our economic structure is morphing into a whole new world (order), people are screaming about bank bonuses and bailouts and what pops up next on the Congressional agenda? Reparations. Yep. A commission to study reparation proposals for African-Americans has been introduced into the house. For those who aren't familiar with the idea, it means, in essence, tax dollars paying about 4 million African Americans "blood money" to appease the national white guilt (and political machinations) for slavery that happened between 1619 and 1865.

Forget the fact that racism is still an issue in this country, that membership in the Klu Klux Klan has been steadily on the rise, that our government has been covertly and legally enslaving black men and women for decades with the prison structure and discrimination.

Forget the fact that black men and women have hit a glass ceiling in America, even though we do have a black president. Forget that less than 3% of all television news stations are owned by people of color and that our government is DOING NOTHING TO ADDRESS THOSE RACIST ISSUES....or to punish the white corporations and government structures that allow THAT discrimination to flourish.

And while the majority of Americans will sit by with their mouths shut, afraid of offending their black neighbors, those who truly care will speak out. $8 million in reparations won't change what happened to blacks in America because it will NOT empower them. These are not the people who were enslaved. Yes, they suffered as a result of their skin color, but why not pay all the women who suffered as a result of their gender? Where's the money that women have been denied since 1619?

At a time when the American people are at the very edge of economic collapse from bailing out institutions that should be allowed to go bankrupt, why are we pouring money into the study of reparations? Am I missing something? Is this not the ultimate straw breaking the camel's back? In a time when we should be pulling together, empowering each other we're going to step in and denigrate 4 million people?

During his campaign Obama said he was opposed to reparations. Was he just hedging his bets to get the vote? Or does he too see how it would hurt, not help America? It's not just me who feels this way.

Project 21 has immense resources, articles and a history of empowering communities/tribes - NOT the government.

Among the arguments made against reparations:

1) One injustice (slavery) cannot be corrected by another injustice (taking money from an innocent party). No one alive today owned slaves legally in the United States. Millions of non-black Americans don't even have ancestors who lived in the U.S. at the time of slavery.

2) It would be impossible to administer fairly. Most Americans don't know their lineage well enough to assert, let alone prove, harm from slavery (or the converse, that their ancestors are responsible for or benefited from slavery). This means -- and most reparations advocates seem to concede -- that reparations would be paid to black Americans by other Americans simply on the basis of race. This would result in reparations payments not only by the distant descendants of actual slaveowners, but of post-Civil War immigrants, such as Vietnamese "boat people" refugees and now-elderly survivors of Nazi concentration camps.

3) Reparations payments based on race alone would be perceived by nearly everyone forced to make payments as a monstrous injustice, embittering many and inevitably setting back race relations. Apologetic feelings many whites hold because of slavery and past civil rights injustices would to a significant extent be replaced by anger. Yet, would one of the goals of the reparations movement: A supposed lessening of black anger (to the extent it exists) because of slavery really abate if reparations were enacted? Evidence is scant.

And finally - an excellent article on Ten Reasons why Reparations are Bad for Blacks and Racist too, from Frontpage Magazine.

If you support reparations - please post a logical, factual response why. Racist rants from whites or blacks won't be published. For those who haven't seen the Act, here it is:


Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act (Introduced in House)

HR 40 IH 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 40
To acknowledge the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery in the United States and the 13 American colonies between 1619 and 1865 and to establish a commission to examine the institution of slavery, subsequently de jure and de facto racial and economic discrimination against African-Americans, and the impact of these forces on living African-Americans, to make recommendations to the Congress on appropriate remedies, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 6, 2009 Mr. CONYERS (for himself and Mr. SCOTT of Virginia ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

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A BILL
To acknowledge the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery in the United States and the 13 American colonies between 1619 and 1865 and to establish a commission to examine the institution of slavery, subsequently de jure and de facto racial and economic discrimination against African-Americans, and the impact of these forces on living African-Americans, to make recommendations to the Congress on appropriate remedies, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the `Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act ' .
> SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. (a) Findings- The Congress finds that--

(1) approximately 4,000,000 Africans and their descendants were enslaved in the United States and colonies that became the United States from 1619 to 1865;
(2) the institution of slavery was constitutionally and statutorily sanctioned by the Government of the United States from 1789 through 1865; (3) the slavery that flourished in the United States constituted an immoral and inhumane deprivation of Africans ' life, liberty, African citizenship rights, and cultural heritage, and denied them the fruits of their own labor; and
(4) sufficient inquiry has not been made into the effects of the institution of slavery on living African-Americans and society in the United States .
(b) Purpose- The purpose of this Act is to establish a commission to--(1) examine the institution of slavery which
existed from 1619 through 1865 within the United States and the colonies that became the United States , including the extent to which the Federal and State Governments constitutionally and statutorily supported the institution of slavery;
(2) examine de jure and de facto discrimination against freed slaves and their descendants from the end of
the Civil War to the present, including economic, political, and social discrimination;
(3) examine the lingering negative effects of the institution of slavery and the discrimination described in paragraph (2) on living African-Americans and on society in the United States;
(4) recommend appropriate ways to educate the American public of the Commission ' s findings;
(5) recommend appropriate remedies in consideration of the Commission ' s findings on the matters described in paragraphs (1) and (2); and
(6) submit to the Congress the results of such examination, together with such recommendations.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT AND DUTIES. (a) Establishment- There is established the Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African-Americans (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the `Commission ' ).
(b) Duties- The Commission shall perform the following duties:
(1) Examine the institution of slavery which existed within the United States and the colonies that became the United States from 1619 through 1865. The Commission ' s examination shall include an examination of--
(A) the capture and procurement of Africans;
(B) the transport of Africans to the United States and the colonies that became the United States for the purpose of enslavement, including their treatment during transport;
(C) the sale and acquisition of Africans as chattel property in interstate and instrastate commerce; and (D) the treatment of African slaves in the colonies and the United States , including the deprivation of their freedom, exploitation of their labor, and destruction of their culture, language, religion, and families.
(2) Examine the extent to which the Federal and State governments of the United States supported the institution of slavery in constitutional and statutory provisions, including the extent to which such governments prevented, opposed, or restricted efforts of freed African slaves to repatriate to their homeland.

(3) Examine Federal and State laws that discriminated against freed African slaves and their descendants during the period between the end of the Civil War and the present.
(4) Examine other forms of discrimination in the public and private sectors against freed African slaves and their descendants during the period between the end of the Civil War and the present.

(5) Examine the lingering negative effects of the institution of slavery and the matters described in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) on living African-Americans and on society in the United States.

(6) Recommend appropriate ways to educate the American public of the Commission ' s findings.
(7) Recommend appropriate remedies in consideration of the Commission ' s findings on the matters described in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4). In making such recommendations, the Commission shall address among other issues, the following questions:

(A) Whether the Government of the United States should offer a formal apology on behalf of the people of the United States for the perpetration of gross human rights violations on African slaves and their descendants.
(B) Whether African-Americans still suffer from the lingering effects of the matters described in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4).
(C) Whether, in consideration of the Commission's findings, any form of compensation to the descendants of African slaves is warranted.
(D) If the Commission finds that such compensation is warranted, what should be the amount of compensation,
what form of compensation should be awarded, and who should be eligible for such compensation.
(c) Report to Congress- The Commission shall submit a written report of its findings and recommendations to the Congress not later than the date which is one year after the date of the first meeting of the Commission held pursuant to section 4(c).
SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP. (a) Number and Appointment- (1) The Commission shall be composed of 7 members, who shall be appointed, within 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, as follows:

(A) Three members shall be appointed by the President.
(B) Three members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(C) One member shall be appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate.
(2) All members of the Commission shall be persons who are especially qualified to serve on the Commission by virtue of their education, training, or experience, particularly in the field of African-American studies.
(b) Terms- The term of office for members shall be for the life of the Commission. A vacancy in the Commission shall not affect the powers of the Commission, and shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made.
(c) First Meeting- The President shall call the first meeting of the Commission within 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, or within 30 days after the date on which legislation is enacted making appropriations to carry out this Act, whichever date is later.
(d) Quorum- Four members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings.
(e) Chair and Vice Chair- The Commission shall elect a Chair and Vice Chair from among its members. The term of office of each shall be for the life of the Commission.
(f) Compensation- (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), each member of the Commission shall receive compensation at the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay payable for GS-18 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United
States Code, for each day, including travel time, during which he or she is engaged in the actual
performance of duties vested in the Commission.

(2) A member of the Commission who is a full-time officer or employee of the United States or a Member of Congress shall receive no additional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of his or her service to the Commission.
(3) All members of the Commission shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by them in the performance of their duties to the extent authorized by chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
SEC. 5. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION. (a) Hearings and Sessions- The Commission may, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act, hold such hearings and sit and act at such times and at such places in the United States, and request the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such books, records, correspondence, memoranda, papers, and documents, as the Commission considers appropriate. The Commission may request the Attorney General to invoke the aid of an appropriate United States district court to require, by subpoena or otherwise, such attendance, testimony, or production.

(b) Powers of Subcommittees and Members- Any subcommittee or member of the Commission may, if authorized
by the Commission, take any action which the Commission is authorized to take by this section.
(c) Obtaining Official Data- The Commission may acquire directly from the head of any department, agency, or instrumentality of the executive branch of the Government, available information which the Commission considers useful in the discharge of its duties. All departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the executive branch of the Government shall cooperate with the Commission with respect to such information and shall furnish all information requested by the Commission to the extent
permitted by law.

SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. (a) Staff- The Commission may, without regard to section 5311(b)
of title 5, United States Code, appoint and fix the compensation of such personnel as the Commission considers appropriate.
(b) Applicability of Certain Civil Service Laws- The staff of the Commission may be appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service,and without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, except that the compensation of any employee of the Commission may not exceed a rate equal to the annual rate of basic pay payable for
GS-18 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code.
(c) Experts and Consultants- The Commission may procure the services of experts and consultants in accordance with the provisions of section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at rates for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent of the highest rate payable under section 5332 of such title.
(d) Administrative Support Services- The Commission may enter into agreements with the Administrator of General Services for procurement of financial and administrative services necessary for the discharge of the duties of the Commission. Payment for such services shall be made by reimbursement from funds of the Commission in such amounts as may be agreed upon by the Chairman of the Commission and the Administrator.

(e) Contracts- The Commission may--
(1) procure supplies, services, and property by contract in accordance with applicable laws and regulations
and to the extent or such amounts as are provided in appropriations Acts; and
(2) enter into contracts with departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Federal Government, State agencies, and private firms, institutions, and agencies, for the conduct of research or surveys, the preparation of reports, and other activities necessary for the discharge of the duties of the Commission, to the extent or in such amounts as are provided in appropriations Acts.
SEC. 7. TERMINATION . The Commission shall terminate 90 days after the date on which the Commission submits its report to the Congress under section 3(c). SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. To carry out the provisions of this Act, there are authorized to be appropriated $8,000,000.