i don`t believe in reparations.
actually let me quantify that, i think the people that are most deserving and in dire need of reparations would be the remaining descendants of the tribes that were enslaved. these people lost at least four generations and are still feeling the effects.
there are a number of issues i have with reparations, primarily who`s footing the bill? logically it would be the colonial powers, but who`s going to pay for that? the taxpayers? what about the taxpayers who are descended from slaves? should they have to pay? or the people that immigrated after the abolition of slavery?
should come out the pockets of businesses? are any of the business still in existence and do they pay less if they have the descendants of former slaves as stockholders?
which brings me to my other problem if the actual descendants of slaves [ie the people in the caribbean and the americas] are being compensated, how does that work? do you get more money if all your ancestors are black? or should get more if you`re of mixed descent because one of your ancestors may have been raped? what about people who voluntarily have mixed ancestry do they get less money?
why is there this perception by my people that something is owed to us? i mean, the same descendants of slaves from the caribbean move to the US, chase the dream and make something of themselves. but a lot of US born slave descendants just sit around talking about `the man keeping us down”
what are the differences that drive us?
caribbean people in the US are a standing joke of some sort, working three and four jobs and sending money home. that`s the ethos that we were brought up with, `hard work brings reward` but it seems to be fading for the illusion of the quick dollar. everyone wants that lucrative sports/music/movie deal but no one wants to put in the hard work it entails anymore. it`s owed to them.
nobody owes you anything until you get off your derriere and work for it.
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