House Holds Panel on Slave Reparations

[Diopolis]

It's the house running hard to the left because that's where the dems want to be in 2020. They're fools; a reasonable democrat with a reasonable foreign policy(aka, non-interventionist), no baggage, and a centrist stance on social issues would blow Trump out of the water.

Per the latest polls, internal as well as external, a yaller dog would blow Trump out of the water.

It wouldn't surprise me. I know many people who would seriously consider voting for a squirrel over Trump, but the democrats insist on making themselves as unelectable as possible. It's why Texas is still red, it's why Trump won, and it's why they seriously considered nominating a self-admitted socialist. Reparations are the same trend.

[US-SSR]

At some risk of repeating myself, the current prosperity and power of the US is largely a result of the labor of enslaved Africans on land taken from Native Americans. A commission to study and report to Congress on ideas for reparations, as HR40 proposes, is very much in order.

No it's not lol, slavery stopped being a net positive for the nation after the Industrial Revolution. The only reason the south kept it around is cuz it was still agrarian.

The capital generated, not only from the labor of enslaved Africans but also from the commerce in their lives, including using them as collateral for bonds sold in European as well as domestic markets, provided the fuel for the Industrial Revolution on both sides of the Atlantic. Not to mention the cheap price of US cotton, the most-traded commodity throughout the antebellum economy and the source of 3/5 of US export earnings by 1860. Recommended reading: The Half Has Never Been Told.

[Thermodolia]

It's the house running hard to the left because that's where the dems want to be in 2020. They're fools; a reasonable democrat with a reasonable foreign policy(aka, non-interventionist), no baggage, and a centrist stance on social issues would blow Trump out of the water.

So Biden?

[Thermodolia]

Former slaves were promised reparations during the Civil War as a means of helping provide some manner of financial security and a recompense for the horrors they and their ancestors had faced under the supervision of the American government. That promise was never fulfilled. The descendants of slaves continued to live through the horrors of white supremacist violence through lynchings, segregation, voter suppression, anti-miscegenation laws, and am economic and social system designed to enrich white people off of black labor.

While de jure segregation has ended, de facto segregation is actually as high now as it was 40 years ago, and rates are continuing to rise. This segregation has a dramatic impact on peoples lives. People of color are exposed to almost 50 percent more hazardous pollutants than white Americans. People of color are much more likely to live in homes that use lead pipes, and almost twice as many non-Hispanic Black children have lead levels at or above 2 micrograms per deciliter compared to non-Hispanic White children. This is a danger to their lives at high levels, and at low levels is associated with cognitive impairments such as reduced IQ, reduced attention span, and an increase in antisocial conduct.

The economic disparagement of African Americans by the American government did not end with slavery. African American veterans of WW2 and the Korean War were denied most of the benefits of the GI Bill. This comes from a combination of factors. For one, banks often refused loans for mortgages in black neighborhoods, a trend that continues, with black home buyers twice as likely to be denied loans for mortgages than white home buyers.

Much of the mortgage denial is a consequence of government redlining. In the 1930s, government officials graded neighborhoods and color-coded them. Unsurprisingly, their grade was largely associated with the racial composition of the neighborhood, with predominantly black neighborhoods often marked yellow for "definitely declining" or red for "hazardous". This was used as justification for both the allocation of government resources to the "best" neighborhoods, as well as the aforementioned mortgage denial. The majority of redlined communities remain predominantly minority, as well as lower income. Exceptions to this trend are found in communities that have experienced higher levels of gentrification, which show high levels of income inequality between historic inhabitants of the communities and the new white occupants, leading to patterns that often force the original inhabitants out of the community when they can no longer afford to live there.

The low property values of formerly redlined communities and the low level of government resources allocated to them further influenced the underfunding and understaffing of schools in their areas. When schools are funded by property taxes, low value communities are all but guaranteed to have worse schooling. Majority black schools are much less likely to provide college prep curriculum. They have less afterschool and summer programs. Beyond just the gap in schools themselves, multigenerational poverty, low educational attainment among family members and peers, and high stress environments are strongly linked to decreased school performance

The issue of mass incarceration is impossible to ignore. Between 1980 and 2015, the number of people incarcerated in America increased from roughly 500,000 to over 2.2 million. In 2014, African Americans constituted 2.3 million, or 34%, of the total 6.8 million correctional population. African Americans at more than 5 times the rate as whites. While in recent years we have finally begun to see attempts to reduce the disparities in sentencing, the social and economic effects of mass incarceration must be factored into this conversation.

If You're Going to Read Any of the Post, Read This

All of this leads to a staggering racial wealth gap. For every $100 in white family wealth, black families hold just $5.04.More than one in four black households have zero or negative net worth, compared to less than one in ten white families without wealth.between 1983 and 2013, the wealth of the median black household declined 75 percent (from $6,800 to $1,700), and the median Latino household declined 50 percent (from $4,000 to $2,000). At the same time, wealth for the median white household increased 14 percent from $102,000 to $116,800.

The notion that our nation's history doesn't shape our present is a false understanding of reality. Generations of slavery followed by generations of segregation and generations of mass incarceration all have long lasting effects on how a community develops. These things don't simply go away. Poverty begets poverty. Former slaves were never provided anything to possibly elevate them to a position that would enable them to compete on an equal footing with white Americans, and that support never came for their descendants. The clear racial divides in wealth, housing, education, and incarceration are statistical facts that can't be ignored. Anyone who believes slavery doesn't have modern effects is ignoring all the evidence to the contrary.

Yes, descendants of slaves deserve reparations. Reparations are a core element necessary to the dismantling of white supremacy in America and the deliverance of the promise of racial equality we never actually delivered.

When are we going to get reparations for the crimes committed against native Americans? If descendants of slaves get reparations than so do the descendants of all native Americans

[Kowani]

Former slaves were promised reparations during the Civil War as a means of helping provide some manner of financial security and a recompense for the horrors they and their ancestors had faced under the supervision of the American government. That promise was never fulfilled. The descendants of slaves continued to live through the horrors of white supremacist violence through lynchings, segregation, voter suppression, anti-miscegenation laws, and am economic and social system designed to enrich white people off of black labor.

While de jure segregation has ended, de facto segregation is actually as high now as it was 40 years ago, and rates are continuing to rise. This segregation has a dramatic impact on peoples lives. People of color are exposed to almost 50 percent more hazardous pollutants than white Americans. People of color are much more likely to live in homes that use lead pipes, and almost twice as many non-Hispanic Black children have lead levels at or above 2 micrograms per deciliter compared to non-Hispanic White children. This is a danger to their lives at high levels, and at low levels is associated with cognitive impairments such as reduced IQ, reduced attention span, and an increase in antisocial conduct.

The economic disparagement of African Americans by the American government did not end with slavery. African American veterans of WW2 and the Korean War were denied most of the benefits of the GI Bill. This comes from a combination of factors. For one, banks often refused loans for mortgages in black neighborhoods, a trend that continues, with black home buyers twice as likely to be denied loans for mortgages than white home buyers.

Much of the mortgage denial is a consequence of government redlining. In the 1930s, government officials graded neighborhoods and color-coded them. Unsurprisingly, their grade was largely associated with the racial composition of the neighborhood, with predominantly black neighborhoods often marked yellow for "definitely declining" or red for "hazardous". This was used as justification for both the allocation of government resources to the "best" neighborhoods, as well as the aforementioned mortgage denial. The majority of redlined communities remain predominantly minority, as well as lower income. Exceptions to this trend are found in communities that have experienced higher levels of gentrification, which show high levels of income inequality between historic inhabitants of the communities and the new white occupants, leading to patterns that often force the original inhabitants out of the community when they can no longer afford to live there.

The low property values of formerly redlined communities and the low level of government resources allocated to them further influenced the underfunding and understaffing of schools in their areas. When schools are funded by property taxes, low value communities are all but guaranteed to have worse schooling. Majority black schools are much less likely to provide college prep curriculum. They have less afterschool and summer programs. Beyond just the gap in schools themselves, multigenerational poverty, low educational attainment among family members and peers, and high stress environments are strongly linked to decreased school performance

The issue of mass incarceration is impossible to ignore. Between 1980 and 2015, the number of people incarcerated in America increased from roughly 500,000 to over 2.2 million. In 2014, African Americans constituted 2.3 million, or 34%, of the total 6.8 million correctional population. African Americans at more than 5 times the rate as whites. While in recent years we have finally begun to see attempts to reduce the disparities in sentencing, the social and economic effects of mass incarceration must be factored into this conversation.

If You're Going to Read Any of the Post, Read This

All of this leads to a staggering racial wealth gap. For every $100 in white family wealth, black families hold just $5.04.More than one in four black households have zero or negative net worth, compared to less than one in ten white families without wealth.between 1983 and 2013, the wealth of the median black household declined 75 percent (from $6,800 to $1,700), and the median Latino household declined 50 percent (from $4,000 to $2,000). At the same time, wealth for the median white household increased 14 percent from $102,000 to $116,800.

The notion that our nation's history doesn't shape our present is a false understanding of reality. Generations of slavery followed by generations of segregation and generations of mass incarceration all have long lasting effects on how a community develops. These things don't simply go away. Poverty begets poverty. Former slaves were never provided anything to possibly elevate them to a position that would enable them to compete on an equal footing with white Americans, and that support never came for their descendants. The clear racial divides in wealth, housing, education, and incarceration are statistical facts that can't be ignored. Anyone who believes slavery doesn't have modern effects is ignoring all the evidence to the contrary.

Yes, descendants of slaves deserve reparations. Reparations are a core element necessary to the dismantling of white supremacy in America and the deliverance of the promise of racial equality we never actually delivered.

God, I wish we could bookmark posts.

[Diopolis]

It's the house running hard to the left because that's where the dems want to be in 2020. They're fools; a reasonable democrat with a reasonable foreign policy(aka, non-interventionist), no baggage, and a centrist stance on social issues would blow Trump out of the water.

So Biden?

As long as he keeps his mouth shut and sticks to the social center- which dems have been bad at recently- he's probably their best shot. That or somebody totally obscure.

[The Emerald Legion]

I tuned in for a bit hoping to hear what Ta-Nehisi Coates (pro tip: it's just as easy to get his name right) might have to say but some ex-athlete was testifying about how he loved his daddy. I believe this was one of his ideas for reparations and I think it's worthy of consideration:

1. Any descendant of enslaved Africans is automatically registered to vote at age 18, no paperwork needed.
2. All votes of such descendants count as 5/3 of a regular vote.

At some risk of repeating myself, the current prosperity and power of the US is largely a result of the labor of enslaved Africans on land taken from Native Americans. A commission to study and report to Congress on ideas for reparations, as HR40 proposes, is very much in order.

Sounds like an Excellent idea. If you hate African Americans and want to see them all dead.

In any other circumstance that's an absolutely idiotic idea.

[Jack Thomas Lang]

I'm not convinced that giving poor Blacks money will actually help them achieve a stable livelihood. This proposal looks like a populist silver bullet meant to attract Black votes. Is there evidence that reparations will help?

[Loben The 2nd]

I tuned in for a bit hoping to hear what Ta-Nehisi Coates (pro tip: it's just as easy to get his name right) might have to say but some ex-athlete was testifying about how he loved his daddy. I believe this was one of his ideas for reparations and I think it's worthy of consideration:

1. Any descendant of enslaved Africans is automatically registered to vote at age 18, no paperwork needed.
2. All votes of such descendants count as 5/3 of a regular vote.

At some risk of repeating myself, the current prosperity and power of the US is largely a result of the labor of enslaved Africans on land taken from Native Americans. A commission to study and report to Congress on ideas for reparations, as HR40 proposes, is very much in order.

A very resounding no.

[Thermodolia]

So Biden?

As long as he keeps his mouth shut and sticks to the social center- which dems have been bad at recently- he's probably their best shot. That or somebody totally obscure.

He’s recently gotten flak for trying to stay in the center and appear as bipartisan as possible

[Loben The 2nd]

I'm not convinced that giving poor Blacks money will actually help them achieve a stable livelihood. This proposal looks like a populist silver bullet meant to attract Black votes. Is there evidence that reparations will help?

Dave Chappelle skits?

[Washington Resistance Army]

When are we going to get reparations for the crimes committed against native Americans? If descendants of slaves get reparations than so do the descendants of all native Americans

I want reparations for all the crimes and discrimination the Irish faced tbh

[The Two Jerseys]

I tuned in for a bit hoping to hear what Ta-Nehisi Coates (pro tip: it's just as easy to get his name right) might have to say but some ex-athlete was testifying about how he loved his daddy. I believe this was one of his ideas for reparations and I think it's worthy of consideration:

1. Any descendant of enslaved Africans is automatically registered to vote at age 18, no paperwork needed.

Why just them and not everyone else?

2. All votes of such descendants count as 5/3 of a regular vote.

This will never be a reasonable idea and needs to fuck off and die already.

At some risk of repeating myself, the current prosperity and power of the US is largely a result of the labor of enslaved Africans on land taken from Native Americans. A commission to study and report to Congress on ideas for reparations, as HR40 proposes, is very much in order.

How about "no"?

[Threlizdun]

When are we going to get reparations for the crimes committed against native Americans? If descendants of slaves get reparations than so do the descendants of all native Americans

I'm sure you meant this as a dismissive post, but indigenous Americans absolutely deserve reparations as well.

[Free Arabian Nation]

When are we going to get reparations for the crimes committed against native Americans? If descendants of slaves get reparations than so do the descendants of all native Americans

I want reparations for all the crimes and discrimination the Irish faced tbh

Actually, you know how much money the British owe pretty much everyone?

They'd be in so much debt, it would make Greece look rich.

[Loben The 2nd]

When are we going to get reparations for the crimes committed against native Americans? If descendants of slaves get reparations than so do the descendants of all native Americans

I want reparations for all the crimes and discrimination the Irish faced tbh

And Germans for treatment during WW1? The Italians? Japanese?

[Nakena]

When are we going to get reparations for the crimes committed against native Americans? If descendants of slaves get reparations than so do the descendants of all native Americans

I'm sure you meant this as a dismissive post, but indigenous Americans absolutely deserve reparations as well.

Should we rather instead on focussing contemporary issues of which theres a lot rather than digging out old cans and letting the worms out of it?

[Thermodolia]

When are we going to get reparations for the crimes committed against native Americans? If descendants of slaves get reparations than so do the descendants of all native Americans

I want reparations for all the crimes and discrimination the Irish faced tbh

Right. What about the Native Americans, Irish, and Jews? When do they get their reparations? Also the US sent a few million Jews to their deaths in the Holocaust when they refused to let boats filled with escaping Jews land.

So we’d need to give all holocaust survivors and their descendants reparations as well

[Washington Resistance Army]

I want reparations for all the crimes and discrimination the Irish faced tbh

And Germans for treatment during WW1? The Italians? Japanese?

Mormons too.

[Threlizdun]

I'm not convinced that giving poor Blacks money will actually help them achieve a stable livelihood. This proposal looks like a populist silver bullet meant to attract Black votes. Is there evidence that reparations will help?

Considering wealth gaps tend to be fixed by, you know, increases in wealth, that seems pretty reasonable. Unless of course you're proposing that black people can't be trusted to spend their money properly.

[Loben The 2nd]

And Germans for treatment during WW1? The Italians? Japanese?

Mormons too.

And the Dutch?

[Diopolis]

When are we going to get reparations for the crimes committed against native Americans? If descendants of slaves get reparations than so do the descendants of all native Americans

I want reparations for all the crimes and discrimination the Irish faced tbh

I want compensation for the destitution of the southern gentry and for crippling so many of our young men in the war.

[Vetalia]

He’s recently gotten flak for trying to stay in the center and appear as bipartisan as possible

The problem is he's been waffling and shifting positions so much he doesn't have a lot of credibility...he looks spineless and weak rather than centrist.

[Thermodolia]

When are we going to get reparations for the crimes committed against native Americans? If descendants of slaves get reparations than so do the descendants of all native Americans

I'm sure you meant this as a dismissive post, but indigenous Americans absolutely deserve reparations as well.

And how exactly would that work considering that each tribe has its own ideas about who is and isn’t a Native American? For example I’m considered Native American even though I only have 1/8th native blood

[Loben The 2nd]

I'm not convinced that giving poor Blacks money will actually help them achieve a stable livelihood. This proposal looks like a populist silver bullet meant to attract Black votes. Is there evidence that reparations will help?

Considering wealth gaps tend to be fixed by, you know, increases in wealth, that seems pretty reasonable. Unless of course you're proposing that black people can't be trusted to spend their money properly.

https://youtu.be/FRZN7IzvCVs

Seems accurate tbh.