Speaks Out

This weekend there was a forum held on campus focusing
on reparations for slavery and redress for racial minorities for
past injustices. How do you feel about these issues?
Elham Gheytanchi Graduate student Sociology
“There is no doubt about the fact that there are injustices
today, and if reparations are the good legal way to address such
issues then it should definitely be pursued. It happens all over
the world. South Africa is in the process of providing reparations
too, and so wherever injustice happens in the world, legal ways
should be approached. That is the only way to get over the
past.” Mitul Jambusaria Second-year
Aerospace engineering “I think it is a mistake. I don’t
think you can go back and pay people for what went wrong in the
past. It just shouldn’t happen again; then, for everything
that has gone wrong in history, people will demand that they have
corrections for that. I don’t think reparations are
due.” Monica Kitt First-year Undeclared
“I think I can relate to this issue because my grandparents
were in the Holocaust and so my grandmother did a lot of slave
work. Now the government is trying to repay them and I think it is
a good idea. So I think African Americans should have the same
rights and get repaid by the government.” Itika
Oldwine Fourth-year Political science “Because you
can’t deny that race still matters in America, it’s
very important that you explore these issues. If minorities
weren’t disempowered in this country, then you can say that
we may not need reparations because minorities are in a position of
empowerment. But since they are disempowered because of historical
facts like Jim Crow laws and racial violence, it’s important
that you deal with the cause of these situations, which is
slavery.” Michael Paratore Second-year
International economics “All this stuff about reparations
just draws more attention to the past. Slavery happened in the past
and it should be put in the past. More acts like this are just
causing more bitterness towards the government, African Americans
and Caucasians. It should be dropped and everyone should be equal
now.” Mikal Rogers Massage therapist/yoga
teacher Campus visitor “Well I think that people are too
stuck in the past. I think that it doesn’t serve them to stay
on the issue of past injustices. It’s time to just deal with
humanity and get over things. There are people who are still
battling issues from 50 to a 100 years ago. I think that if they
just gave up being stuck on a past injustice, they could work from
the present moment to make today a better place.” Speaks Out
compiled by Jonah Lalas, Daily Bruin Senior Staff. Photos by Julia
Park.