Bustamante is a fifth-year English and international development
studies student.
By Randall Bustamante
There is no doubt in my mind that people today are adversely
affected by slavery in this country; however, reparations in and of
itself are not an appropriate answer to the problems that have
resulted from the practice.
From a theoretical standpoint, the focus of slavery reparations
is too narrow and biased for it to be a justifiable action taken by
any government that is supposed to equitably represent its people.
By isolating slavery as an issue to be addressed, you leave out
several other groups who have suffered from similar historical
developments.
For example, should we give some sort of reparations to Chinese
citizens who are linked to ancestors that died working under severe
repressive conditions on the railroads? We should, but we
can’t.
Ideally, we could address everyone who suffers from and is
affected by past oppressions, but there are several problems that
would arise if we attempted to.
For starters, it would be physically impossible (due to the lack
of resources and information) to carry this out unless you drew a
line that excluded certain groups. In addition, there is no real
way to remunerate people for their past; it raises the question of
how to determine what has been lost, and how one can make up for
that (if at all). These are questions that are impossible when you
frame them in a practical setting.
How do you tell Native Americans that you are going to make up
for killing their ancestors and taking their land? There are
certain things you cannot put a value on, and certain things you
cannot give back. Remuneration is not the strategy we should be
seeking if we are truly seeking justice.
But in terms of the main issue at hand, I don’t believe
making reparations for slavery is the best strategy. The effects of
slavery are intertwined with several other factors that shape the
world and society we live in today. Instead of reparations, we
should be working towards greater equality inside (and outside) of
the government’s sphere.
Illustration by JASON CHEN/Daily Bruin Senior Staff I hope that
anyone reading this article isn’t shocked to hear from some
moderate lefty that slavery reparations aren’t the best idea.
I’m not against it necessarily; I just don’t think
it’s the best way to go about solving the problems of today.
What I do think is necessary is working toward true equality in our
present society.
When I say “true equality,” this entails a system
that is conscious of the disparities (many of which exist as a
result of ill practices such as slavery) within communities and
works to eliminate them.
We should be working toward the creation of public institutions
that are equivalent to each other. Ideally, there would exist
government institutions that ensure equal distribution of resources
and opportunities.
For example, a high school in Compton (assuming it had the same
student population) would not be receiving any less funding than
one in Irvine. Both learning institutions should be equally capable
of hiring good teachers and purchasing new books, regardless of
what the parents of the students make.
This is only a step, however. In addition to equal funding, a
government should be expected to recognize the differences that
exist and provide additional support in order to balance the
scales.
To illustrate the same example, I would go so far as removing
half of the already existing computers in the Irvine school and
donating them to Compton. And yes, it would entail those in Irvine
losing some of their advantage, but I believe it’s a way to
level the playing field.
This way, we can address everyone who is being left behind,
without excluding his or her race, gender, ethnicity, etc.
Focusing exclusively on race is not the answer, but using it as
a basis for this argument can only ignite more resentment from the
ultra-conservatives (who may or may not be racists) if not
presented properly. It is not about black, white, yellow, or brown
supremacy–it’s about mutual respect and equality. It is
about creating a fair and just environment where everyone has
access to the same opportunities, regardless of their birth or
background.
And for those radicals out there who think the scale should be
tipped in the complete opposite direction so minorities have an
advantage, I say “bad idea.”
You do not eliminate oppression by switching roles. Instead, you
look at the problem and try to come up with a solution that is
fair, and not necessarily opposite.
I want to take this opportunity to quote one of my good friends.
He says, “We should be more proactive and not reactive, and
we should seek to learn from it when something bad
happens.”
And so I argue that instead of making reparations for slavery,
lets make preparations for the poverty and inequality of today.