Reparations For African American Decedents Of Slaves example essay topic

Due to the fact that many African-Americans cannot trace their genealogy back more than three generations, it would be extremely difficult to distinguish between those who are descended from Freemen and those descended from Slaves. "Slavery and discrimination of human beings is a terrible, inhumane practice and is something that should never be done, and should never have been done (Winbush)". The United States of America was one of the biggest practitioners of this injustice in the past and this is something that shall for all time tarnish the history of America. Slavery originates from the beginning of history and has since been abolished in American culture. According to Raymond Winbush, there are many people that feel that the memory of slavery should be paid in the form of reparations. They believe America today is completely responsible for the horrible lives that African-Americans had to face, and that all African-Americans should receive payment from the government.

However, others feel that slavery isn't the problem of people today, black or white, and that no reparations need to be paid. Everyone has their own point of view, and their own way of portraying the problem. Some choose to elaborate on the pain and sufferings of others and some choose to adhere to non-discriminate ideals that currently exist in society. Cutting through all emotion and fronts put up by both sides and by properly analyzing the issue, reparations for African American decedents of slaves would be a difficult issue to work through.

There are many factors to way in. "Forty acres and a mule" was what the U.S. government promised former black slaves during the Reconstruction Period, following the Civil War. That promise never came true and now, over a century later, the topic of reparations is still being heavily debated (Black Collegian)". Both sides of this story have such a great number of relevant and significant arguments that the issue of slave reparations could run in circles for years on end.

Slavery was, and continues to be in some countries, a travesty of one man displaying power over another. "The torment and injuries endured by a single "inferior" race at the hands of a more dominant one are frightening, but should a completely new generation, one that had nothing to do with slavery, be held accountable for the actions of a generation over a hundred years ago (Winbush)". What good would an "I'm sorry" and some money do in bringing an end to the tidal wave of racism that has washed across the Unites States since the country's inception. "Any talk of slave reparations should be looked into carefully and all sides and weighed because the process of trying to find out who will be paid and who will be the ones paying has too many questions and not enough concrete answers (Millions for Reparations)". Payment of reparations will only open more wounds, and no one, white or black really wants to open up the flood gates and let all of that pain pour in.

When it comes to looking at reparation many questions would need to be answered. Who would be among the beneficiaries? How could the African American people prove that they should be included in the entitlement? What proof would be needed to show that the present African Americans were hurt due to slavery? These questions would be difficult to answer.

If reparation was granted in the trillions of dollars it would cause taxes to go higher and higher. Who would be hurt by reparation to the African Americans? Everyone would have to pay higher taxes and this may lead to problems between the African Americans and others. Malcolm X said in a speech that he gave on November 23, 1964 in Paris France that 'If you are the son of a man who had a wealthy estate and you inherit your father's estate, you have to pay off the debts that your father incurred before he died. The only reason that the present generation of white Americans are in a position of economic strength... is because their fathers worked our fathers for over 400 years with no pay... We were sold from plantation to plantation like you sell a horse, or a cow, or a chicken, or a bushel of wheat...

All that money... is what gives the present generation of American whites the ability to walk around the earth with their chest out... like they have some kind of economic ingenuity. Your fathers aren't here to pay. My father isn't here to collect. But I'm here to collect and you " re here to pay. '

Bibliography

Http/: web Raymond: Should America Pay: Slavery and the Raging Debate on Reparations. Amistad Press August 1st 2003.