Wednesday, 4/9/97
Reparations needed
to eliminate
discrimination
Glossing over slavery will not assist in healing process
By Stanley L. Johnson, Jr.
I am writing to express some sentiments on behalf of Todd
Smith’s article titled "Reparations: Blame for past wrongs should
not fall on living descendants." Mr. Smith begins his article by
refuting a previous article by J. Jioni Palmer in reference to why
African Americans should receive reparations. He contends that
African Americans should not be compensated for the wrongs that
have happened to them in the past, and that rewarding African
Americans for past wrongs will further divide us as a people.
Further, he asserts: "Today’s white people and the U.S. government
have nothing to do with the enslavement of blacks over 130 years
ago. For white people to now hand over some kind of financial
payment, or even apology, is ludicrous."
As an African American, I strongly disagree with Smith’s
assessment about my people, specifically as it pertains to the
United States government. This is because we, as African Americans,
have been sinned against more than any other group that has
matriculated into America. The mere fact of asking for reparations
is something that should not even be debated. Just because you are
not "about to find the ancestors of the store owners or go to the
government and ask for reparations," does not validate others’
reasoning for wanting what is justly due to them.
Unlike traditional immigrant patterns where one comes to America
for upward mobility, my ancestors had no say in the matter. They
were robbed of their culture, land, and religious beliefs. Upon
arrival, they were subjugated to an abundant amount of oppressive
and degrading tactics in the hands of slave holders. Though Mr.
Smith himself is not responsible for their actions, he must accept
the fact that it did happen and that he is willing to do his part
in eradicating oppression and discrimination if he is sincere about
"racial healing."
Having read Palmer’s article, it is clearly evident that he
provided a significant amount of data to support his conclusions.
Therefore, one is more prone to being sensitive toward his plight.
Whether I agree or disagree with Palmer is not on trial here. What
is on trial are the falsifications that Mr. Smith has alluded to
surrounding African Americans and reparations.
Relying only on his advanced placement history class (something
many of us took during our junior year in high school), is not a
substantial amount of evidence to represent his accusations.
Furthermore, one should question a lot of the information that we
received in our U.S. History courses. My AP American History text
clearly pointed out that slavery was just a "peculiar" institution.
This implied that African Americans accepted their position as
docile, subservient and acquiescent entities. Not once did the
text(s) elaborate on the reasons why African Americans were
enslaved and treated as less than human. The text(s) also failed to
mention how and why Harriet Tubman did what she did. Rather, it
provided a paragraph on how she created the Underground Railroad
for slaves to escape. Most importantly, my instructor conveyed to
us that the State of California Board of Education did not want the
issue of slavery discussed "at great hands." Well, if it is a part
of American history, then it deserves just as much time as any
other subject that was considered extremely important for us to
know.
Although Mr. Smith claims to center around the reasons why
African Americans should not receive reparations, his articulation
of facts and their relevant historical contexts (i.e., Jim Crow
Laws and Freedman’s Bureau) are not substantial. Yet, he validates
reasons why Japanese Americans should be awarded reparations, due
to the fact that they have "roots in history."
Last I checked, African Americans have been a part of every
aspect of American history, and therefore, our roots are imbedded
in American history. On the other hand, he does not even discuss
prospective reasons why or why not we African Americans should even
be considered for reparations. Which leads me to believe that he
sincerely feels that every group deserves the right to have
anything they want as long as they aren’t African
American-American. If this is true, then how can we even begin to
start the process of racial healing when there are still
individuals like Mr. Smith who accounts for reparations for some,
and none for others?
I do not think that Palmer was blaming this generation for past
generations’ prejudices and inequalities. I do, however, believe
that he used his sources as metaphorical "scapegoats" to show how
the psyche of whites 130 years ago is indicative of many of their
sentiments today. Yes, the Supreme Court may have passed a law
saying that schools should be separate but equal, and that Plessy
vs. Ferguson was unconstitutional. However, I would argue that
racism is as very much alive today as it was 130 years ago. Even
though you and l reaped the benefits of attending multicultural
schools and are now able to dialogue about issues like these, this
still does not account for the prejudiced and racist ideology that
are prevalent in the minds of our parents who taught us to both
hate and love others. Therefore, what I am suggesting is white
people today, or any group for that matter, are just as guilty of
the sins of their ancestors precisely because of the attitudes and
values that have been inherited. These attitudes continue to
perpetuate divisiveness, inequality and covert racism.
In reference to Palmer’s argument that African Americans should
not have to pay taxes, Mr. Smith suggests that we should just "get
over it." Despite the fact that he has a valid point about one’s
citizenship and the rights that come with it, he is still being
insensitive to the needs of African American people. Saying loaded
words like "Get over it" implies that no one should stand up for
what they believe in. Mr. Smith or anyone for that matter – has no
right to tell someone to get over what he strongly believes in.
As African Americans, we cannot forget how profoundly slavery
has contributed to the wealth, power and prestige America –
especially white America – now enjoys. It is ironic that he
perpetuates this "racial healing" agenda, when, in actuality, his
wording and sentiments express just the opposite. Indeed, it is our
very responsibility to strive to better our country and to right
the wrongs that still exist in our so-called democratic
society.
Last but not least, what was Mr. Smith implying when he said, "I
think there could a logical and legal argument for letting people
renounce their citizenship, but only if they would be willing to
relinquish all the other benefits of being a citizen – such as
student aid." I find this statement to me offensive and clearly
synonymous to the traits that have been inherited by many whites
and other groups who believe that African Americans, and other
people of color, are receiving special privileges. If we are only a
small fraction of the student body here at UCLA, as of Winter
Quarter ’97, and if there are exactly 1,764 African Americans out
of an entire student population of 31,547 – less than 6 percent –
then who are the other people receiving financial aid? Does this
not suggest then that the majority of people – outside of those who
received chancellors, regents, and other outside scholarships – are
non African American?
If Mr. Smith is really interested in racial healing, then he can
begin by making certain that his facts about African American
people are legitimate and true. The facts presented in his article
are one-sided, judgmental, and in his own words, ludicrous. In
1997, there are still white women and other groups on campus who
hold their purses tighter when I walk past them. In addition, there
are several of my peers who think that I do not deserve to be here
at UCLA because of my skin color, not to mention that my merit
alone would have gotten me into any school that I wished to
attend.
Finally, this can only occur if Mr. Smith and other whites
accept the fact that they have privileges that are given to them by
virtue of their skin color. Merely saying that "it is a time for
racial healing, not more division, reparations would just divide
the country even further along racial lines," is a cop-out. We need
to get to the root of the problem before providing such erroneous
solutions.Johnson is a fourth-year American Literature &
Culture student. His career goal is to become a professor.