Karen Buys leading
10 participants
For this discussion, we stepped away from the text to consider an article by Te-Nehisi Coates, “The Case for Reparations”.
It may be found here: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/the-case-for-reparations/361631/
The discussion began with several definitions of reparations. [I’m not going to reproduce those here; the reader can look them up as an exercise.] As might be imagined, this entire topic brought up a lot of discussion, and I have tried to represent some of the statements made (not always an exact quote).
“What’s the problem with reparations?”
Several responses were offered: Who gets them? In what form? How much will they be? Who pays for them?
Reactions of Whites to reparations would probably be best represented by their (previous) reactions to Affirmative Action and “Welfare Queens.”
Damages are not merely monetary, but of opportunities lost as well.
Mention was made of the changes in the Alabama prison population when opportunities for education was made available: recidivism was reduced; how was this paid for? There were no costs incurred: local churches sent unpaid volunteers into the prison to teach.
The Coates article notes that reparations payments to Israel were made before an overhaul of the German educational system. There, education was not an impediment to payment; it was an outgrowth. In addition, the payments made had an element of recency, being paid out shortly after the end of World War 2, whereas slavery ended more than 150 years ago, and subsequent egregious episodes (Jim Crow, etc.) were still a long time ago (100 years, 50 years,…). Pyaments were also made for losses of a tangible nature (property, art, jewelry).
In moving forward with reparations, the questions were asked, How do we overcome “We are not accountable”? How do we overcome, “There are people in our society who deserve our help”?
How do we make the system “fair”?
- Acknowledge that the current system is not fair
- Accept our (Whites) accountability
- Make changes
Some additional readings were circulated following the discussion:
Homework for next week: “White Fragility” chapters 8-10