The African-American Warrant f
History 110 (Honors Option) Dr. Siri Briggs BrownCritical Response Paper - The African American Warrant for Reparations In his article, Molefi Kete Asante attempts to present a detailed argument as to why African-Americans are due reparations. He states that there are moral, legal, economic, and political ideas that combined, warrant payment of reparations to the descendants of the Africans who worked under duress for nearly 250 years and that the only remedy for such an immense deprivation of life and liberty is an enormous restitution. It is his belief that the idea of reparations is a restorative justice issue. However, his argument is no different th
Then there are those who are desperate for excuses to explain their personal failures and shortcomings. "; President Clinton's apology during his precedent-setting visit to the African continent. In numerous ways, this country has admitted its past injustices to us: the abolitionist movements; President Johnson's Great Society of the 1960's; Lyndon B. You hear it all the time, "the White man did this" and "the White man is the reason for that" and "They owe us!" No one owes us anything. Instead of wasting precious time on this ludicrous reparations movement, we could enhance our total well being by joining forces with other Americans to resolve the issues that affect us all. Payment for this "debt" began with the establishment of Howard University in 1867, and is being paid in every act of government or the civic sector that attempts to eliminate poverty, improve failing school systems, make affordable housing available, provide job training, or pave the way for health care insurance. These groups received reparations for specific acts of injustice that they, not their ancestors, suffered, and rightfully so. As an African-American, I do not believe in reparations. The truth of the matter is that we are much better off for being part of the "they", meaning Americans, than we would had our ancestors never left Africa. I am an "us" in the view of reparationists only because I am Black. In cases such as Rosewood, Florida and Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Blacks have a clearly defined grievance, there is a legitimate right for compensation to be demanded. I feel that many of the supporters of this argument are salivating at the thought of receiving a check, even if they can't identify a single slave from their family tree.
Common topics in this essay:
Kete Asante,
Howard University,
Oklahoma Blacks,
Lyndon Johnson's,
Japanese Americans,
President Clinton's,
White White,
Briggs Brown,
Warrant Reparations,
Johnson's Society,
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