Six, I respect your research. However, PBS did a very well received documentary on Africa last year. What I related were the tribal stories handed down year by year.
I think you'll always have men willing to exploit their fellow men, I'm not arguing that. But there were many who tried to stop the exploitation of Africans and ended up dead as a result.
On the issue of reparations, I really don't know--I do have mixed feelings on that.
Half of me says, well, if we can't pay reparations to black Americans, when then, did we pay it to Japanese Americans, who weren't even slaves, just interred in prison camps during the Anti-Jap fervor of WWII and the aftermath of Pearl Harbor? $10,000 each!
However, just giving money to poor people doesn't make them rich. If you can't manage your money, you'll blow through whatever you are given. I saw a white dude about 35 win the lottery last year for $4 million. You would've thought he was Bill Gates. He bought EVERYONE in his family a new white cadillac, trucks for days, houses etc. About 8 months later he was down to zero. Skin color has nothing to do with money management skills. I'm surprised you think it does.
What I don't like is Drachir's insinuation that all blacks are poor and uneducated and would waste their money if given to them. This is just another evil sterotype that still exists. And, that's not the point of paying reparations. When you OWE somebody money you can't determine how they'll spend it once it's paid back!
I also saw on the above mentioned PBS miniseries that in the slavery period, 6 out of 10 plantation owners were millionaires. And, some of those same families still are worth millions.
The question is, if blacks who were never slaves don't deserve any money, why do the great grandchildren of those plantation owners deserve to be rich? What did they do? You mention 'blacks who were never slaves.' What about 'whites who were never plantation owners?' Do they just get to keep all of that money?
What does that have to do with handing out free money to Americans just because their skin is black.
Isn't that the WHOLE POINT of foreign aid, to give to those based solely on their geographic/ethnic persuasion? Methinks, charity starts at home.
Why, the gift of returning to their glorious homeland
Saint, your sarcasm is duly noted, and rejected. Just like every other continent, much of Africa is arid and unusable land (ever been to Death Valley, CA?) However, maybe you should send back that diamond that's on your lady's hand. That came from the glorious continent, Africa.
You can't measure apples to oranges and say, fine, we'll give you back what we took away. Here's a plane ticket home. Not without also giving them a percentage of what they rightfully earned. That's just crazy.
TJ, unlike most folks I don't get bent out of shape when discussing race. I don't have radical ideas. I just encourage the exchange of thoughts and ideas. The most frustrating thing about the dialogue on race for me, is when someone has their mind made up already and is unwilling to do anything but hurl stereotypes and half-truths.
Naeblis, what really gets my goat is when assholes like this have carte blanche to write their personal opinions in newspapers. There are plenty of ignorant idiots who will read his work as FACT and not do the research to find out it's just one man's opinion.
