The whole idea of reparations is really a bad idea.
1. Because they can never be enough.
2. Because it is just one more dole-out by government.
3. Because we have no specific criteria for determining who should receive reparations, in what form or how much.
4. Because Black people are not the only ones who have ever been discriminated against. We would need reparations for Mexicans because we stole their land; for Indians, for killing them and taking their land; for the Chinese because we abused them on the railroads, etc.
5. Because we have no idea where to get the money (unless we just print more).
6. Because we have no idea who we are punishing for the abuses of the past, other than our children because they will have to pay for all of this.
7. Because there would be more fraud and waste than there is already in our welfare system.
Yes, reparations is a bad idea.
But where does that leave us?
Maybe we should try to understand our past, not destroy it. We need to understand that life was different when our forefathers were developing this country. There is no doubt that this country was founded on white European mores. And yes, slavery is a bad idea whether in the U.S. or in Africa, India, Russia or any other country. But it still exists, even today, in other countries. But NOT in the U.S.
So reparations is really not about slavery, it is about hate! Hate of one race against another. Hate of one religion against another. Hate of one person against another.
And government cannot solve these problems!
Only people can obliterate hate.
Hate comes from holding on to the conditions of the past, instead of learning from them. Hate comes from unwillingness to understand another person’s position, lifestyle, opportunity (or lack of). It comes from coveting thy neighbor’s possessions. It comes from governments that create laws favoring some over others. It comes from greed.
Our job as humans, as individuals, is to not hate! Every single one of us, no matter our color, creed, race or religion, needs to look into our own hearts and see what is there; love or hate.
So yes, reparations is a bad idea, because reparations cannot buy a solution for hate.
Ronald Perry
Canyon Country
