Our Reparations

As long as I can remember, there’s been talk of reparations for the atrocities black people have endured by the country we so dearly love. Yes, we love America and in many case’s more than we love ourselves! African Americas have fought and died in every war that really had nothing to do with us. In return, black soldiers came home to dreadful conditions and up to the war in Vietnam - could not eat in public places or drink from the same water fountains as other citizens.

America watched as we endured suffering created by her that has placed African America’s number one in almost every negative category from healthcare, unemployment, housing, and justice that has created turmoil in the black community. Yet, America helps everyone in need around the world and has money for wars but can't feed the poor or needed here at home.

People of African descent made this nation prosperous. This group of disenfranchised people have waited and begged for equality for four hundred years, and still they don’t have equality. For those who say we should receive reparations, like that of other cultures wronged by America - get real - the world will end first. It will never happen because no matter what our contributions are – we get the same as we always got – very little to nothing.

It is said, African Americans spend nearly a trillion dollars a year with almost all of it going to others. During segregation a dollar circulated in the black community for nearly a year. Today, it leaves the community in fifteen minutes going to others. We will support anyone who comes into our community to setup shop but not our own people. This begs the question; if we don’t support each other – why should we expect the people who have oppressed us for so long to give us anything.

We’ve had leaders who have tried to empower us to be self-reliant and do for ourselves. Malcolm X, Elijah Muhammad, Carter G. Woodson, WEB Dubois, and others but the man that said this more succinctly was Marcus Garvey who offered a message that would have “raised up you might people”. But we did not listen!

Here's a revolutionary thought:

There about forty-two million African Americans in America. If each person contributed one-dollar each week to a fund for our benefit it would amount to $42,000,000 a week. Now, multiple $42,000,000 times 52 weeks = $2,184,000,000. Then multiple that times five years; $2,184,000,000 X 5 = $10,920,000,000 plus interest will give us the resources need to buy our freedom. This is how we get out of bondage by creating an economic base.

For those who might question such an idea just think about how much you give to your religion each week and get virtually nothing in return, except in most case a performance. And that’s my thought provoking perspective…