The Logistics of Reparations

[Drich]

I will not entertain any debate of whether or not reparations for slavery should be paid - but simply want to figure out the logistics.

Who gets how much - and who pays it?

Would this have been done 140 years ago - it would be very simple  (and just) - if you were a slave you get paid X dollars for however many years you were a slave.

No problem.

However - now - there isn't anyone who was a slave during that period. (of course there's slaves now -but nobody seems to give much of a shit about that)

So who gets paid now - and how much?

You can't simply say - "my ancestor was a slave". That isn't a data point. "My great great great grandfather (provide name) was a slave (provide years) - and we have one data point. Unfortunately - the slave owners took advantage of the female slaves and a fair number of them sired offspring. So if your great great great grandfather was a slave -- and another great great great grandfather was a slave owner - doesn't the one cancel the other out??? After all - we shouldn't be paying the owners of slaves a damned cent.

And - what if you have 1 great great great grandfather who was a slave - and a great great great grandfather who was a freeman --- they did exist. Do you get a half share?

Then there's the problem of who foots the bill.

Again -- 140 years ago - it would be easy. The slave owners are the guilty bunch. They should have paid. It doesn't seem right to make abolitionists who risked everything to help free the enslaved.

It just seems it will be a hugely complicated task to figure out who is owed what - and distribute it equitably. What will be considered legal evidence of heredity and who decides what is a fair share?

The only simple way - is to show up -have somebody take a look at you and say "Yup. You look like a black guy - here's your money."

And who pays?

White people only? Are native Americans exempt? How about Asians? Latinos?

What about white people who's ancestors immigrated after slavery was made illegal? They didn't have anything to do with it. Why should they pay?

Because they're white????

Isn't that kinda racist?

are you serious? reparations were paid. slaves at the end of the war according to the lincoln plan were either to be shipped back to africa/liberia (they consider themselves as an american colony/territory because the vast majority of the population were ex slaves) or they were shipped to central south america and given 40 acres and a mule to colonize those regions. so everyone who wanted to leave left. and either went back to africa or went off to start new us colonies in the central and southern americas. the original 40 acres and a mule was reoffered here as an incentive for freed slaves to have their own lands. those who wanted this left. many opted to stay, as for one this was the only life/culture they knew. and two many were adopted and integrated into white families. Yes there were mega plantations that treated slaves terribly, but many were small farms and a slave cost a years wage for the average man. if you buy a 50 to 70,000.00 dollar car, your not going to smack it with a hammer, or treat it poorly when it needs maintenance or service. it will be garage (which is not as nice as the rest of the house but far better than outside) kept well maintained and serviced. so it would be natural for a large amount of people to stay especially if they were getting paid.. so those who stayed passed on the 40 acres and 2 mules or a trip back to africa. https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/20...entral-am/

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the short answer is they already happened for those who wanted them. them meaning the actual people who where held as slaves.