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[MR-D-ROB]

Some of the most common arguments that you hear against reparations is that slavery was so long ago, no one alive today participated in slavery or was a slave, and that white people today shouldn't have to pay for the sins of their ancestors (being slavery).

The primary purpose of reparations is to close the racial wealth gap. Being that let's go with those arguments above. Let's say they are valid.

I can make an argument for reparations that has nothing at all to do with slavery.

At the end of WWII thousands of soldiers came home from the war. They had no place to live. Most of them couldn't afford to buy homes. The FHA (Federal Housing Administration) was started. During this time even though black soldiers were supposed to have the same benefits as the white soldiers racism and discrimination kept them from buying homes. They weren't even able to use things like the GI Bill to get an education in the same way as white soldiers (remember this was before Brown v Board of Education). Everything was segregated, so black soldiers wouldn't even be allowed to attend the same colleges as whites.

Even if black people somehow managed to buy a house, white flight would occur and their areas were so devalued that it rendered the homes and neighborhoods worthless. Even one or two black families living in a white suburb would lower the values of the entire area. This discrimination made it difficult if not impossible for black people to own homes.

Black people were discriminated against from using VA home loans. Only 2% if all VA home loans at this time were given to black people. A mere 2%. That is akin to almost none. This wasn't because they couldn't afford it or because they didn't qualify but simply because they were black. The FHA discriminated in the same way. Entire neighborhoods had deed restrictions that didn't allow black people to live there. Even now some of those deed restrictions never had the language changed, although new laws against it mean they can't be enforced.

Black people were discriminated against in jobs and education attainment. This led to blacks not being able to get ahead. The entire system was rigged against black people. Even those that had served in the military were discriminated against.

Being that one of the main ways that wealth is passed down is via real estate and home ownership, black people were kept from attainment of generational wealth. Black people were unable to pass down any wealth.

This was all long after slavery had been abolished. This discrimination had nothing to do with slavery. No other group was discriminated against in this way. As a matter of fact no other group was even here. Prior to the passage of civil rights immigration as it is today wasn't really even a thing. Irish, Italians and others were assimilated in as white and were not discriminated against in this way. There weren't very many Latinos and AAPI in the country back then. The only group that was discriminated against and kept from homeownership was black people.

Now picture 2 scenarios: Scenario A: A white serviceman returns from war, buys a house with VA loan and pays it off before his death. He passed this home on to his son. The house has near tripled in value. His son sells the home and pockets $200,000 in cash. He used $50,000 to go to school for civil engineering or whatever else. He gets a good job and has $150,000 still in the bank. He uses $100,000 to buy a home cash and rents it out. He uses the income from the rental property to buy another house. Because he isn't having to worry about the mortgage costs as much, he is able to invest his money from his job and he attains more wealth from his investments. He passes down two house to his son as well as the wealth he has gained from investments. (This trend continues from generation to generation)

Scenario B: A black serviceman returns from war and attempts to buy a house but is met with discrimination. He is refused to be allowed to buy a house. He thus rents. He has nothing to pass down to his son. His son has to start from scratch. The son manages to get into college for civil engineering but has to get student loans to pay for it. Due to the student loans he isn't able to buy a house until much later in life. He finally get a house and manages to pay it off but unlike the white serviceman he doesn't have a rental property that covers the cost. He is unable to invest his money because he has to cover the mortgage. At best he'll pass down just the one house to his son, but no wealth.

Even if we ran scenario B another way for that 2%: A black serviceman returns from war buys a house. He is met with discrimination and white flight occurs. The area he bought his home in is rendered very undervalued due to discrimination. His son has a house but it is only worth $60,000. The son is able to live in this home. The son manages to get into college for civil engineering but has to get student loans to pay for it still because he is unable to sell the home due to being in an undesirable area. He likely will still need student loans. He may be able to rent the home out to help him buy a better home but he is still behind the curve of the white guy in scenario A.

Mind you again this is all after slavery. So you can see from the examples how even after slavery racism and discrimination kept us behind.

None of the arguments apply:
1. slavery was so long ago ( doesn't apply because it was not that long ago)

2. no one alive today participated in slavery or was a slave (doesn't apply because several people alive participated in the discrimination and racism that kept us from homeownership)

3. white people today shouldn't have to pay for the sins of their ancestors (being slavery). (Doesn't apply because white people today are financially benefiting from the discrimination of their parents whom may very well still be alive)

So given that even if we don't discuss slavery at all, we still have a very strong argument for reparations. Slavery is just the primary reason. It isn't the sole and only reason.

These two videos show the exact same argument!

Housing Discrimination: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

John Oliver breaks down the long history of housing discrimination in the U.S., the damage it’s done, and, crucially, what we can do about it. Connect with L...

youtu.be

 

[RCNAL]

I've had discussions with 2 white people on reparations. They were against it prior, used the old arguments against that is always said with no one there to counter. Afterwards, they had no counter to my counters.

Nothing to do with my knowledge, but all to do with just repeating the counter arguments I've heard from Dr. Anderson, Tariq, TBA and others.

There is a reason why we don't hear from certain Black people when its discussed including Congress and why I don't think Rep. Lee and the CBC are serious. She and all of the people who were arguing on behalf of reparations know about Dr. Anderson and others and I immediately think anyone discussing that either doesn't mention Dr. Anderson at anytime, spoken to him or meet him as suspect.

Finally, reparations, be it the USA for FBAs or elsewhere has all to do with reparative justice. It's a great crime over centuries that wasn't paid to Blacks but was paid to others (Red indians, Holocaust survivors, Japanese).

 

[Boss Hog]

Facts my fam in KCMO have horror stories about how these honkies got in their way every single way.

 

[RCNAL]

The only Blacks who don't have racist stories against themselves and/or their family, ancestors, are black conservatives, coons. and foreign blacks in America who don't associate with FBAs.

Anyone black living in America have stories, tons of them. Lying about not having any or minimizing it is the difference.

 

[The Haze Of Our Lives]

My uncle Doc was never the same after going to Emmitt Tills home going. Stopped working for YT ppl and opened his own HVAC company, only hired black service men and ONLY serviced black homes til the day he died.

 

[MR-D-ROB]

You can tell a lot about people by asking questions that have little to do with race?

Example: What do you think about FDR and his presidency?

Most conservatives will hate him. Most liberals will love him.

Anyone that's for black empowerment though won't care about party affiliation. They'll instead point out that his policies helped create the middle class and he turned a blind eye to racist policies that intentionally left the black community out of this process!

 

[ZxBro]

I feel like this country was created around race so leaving race and slavery out of the conversation is like participating in the erasure of our ancestors story and our own. If we stand on our ancestors shoulders how could we have a conversation while hiding them? 🤔 I couldn't do it a blood debt is owed and must be paid! ✊🏿💯

 

[MR-D-ROB]

I feel like this country was created around race so leaving race and slavery out of the conversation is like participating in the erasure of our ancestors story and our own. If we stand on our ancestors shoulders how could we have a conversation while hiding them? 🤔 I couldn't do it a blood debt is owed and must be paid! ✊🏿💯

By no means am I say that slavery isn't the most important part. I'm simply saying for those racist idiots that try to dismiss it on that basis still have no case. Even after slavery they continued to terrorize us, abuse and discriminated against us which had severe financial consequences. So what's their excuse then?

 

[ZxBro]

By no means am I say that slavery isn't the most important part. I'm simply saying for those racist idiots that try to dismiss it on that basis still have no case. Even after slavery they continued to terrorize us, abuse and discriminated against us which had severe financial consequences. So what's their excuse then?

Appreciate the clarification 👍🏿,they have no excuse but to attempt to stay in Power by any means I just drop facts on them until they start deflecting. They're exactly what you called them "idiots" who aren't even the real power brokers we need to be dealing with, most mayosapiens will have you going in circles when we talk to them about Black Economic empowerment because they don't want to see it happen.