Well this has been an interesting journey so far. I have started this blog and a separate page in Face Book. Now, for the record, I expected push back especially when people equate reparations with money. Money is the one god that people worship faithfully. People are able to rationalize fair practices and equal opportunity as long as their money is not involved. In talking with people about my book, I had seen visceral response displayed by the mere suggestion of reparations. The first response is usually, “NO WAY! My family wasn’t involved in the slave trade.” Or, “No slave is still alive”. Or “just get over it. It was a long time ago.” “The Country already apologized. What more do they want?” “We already made reparations. Lincoln freed the slaves”. So, push back on my blog was expected. However, I didn’t expect some of the push back I received, yet, it does prove that racism is a live and well in the United States. Perhaps it was in hiding for a while. Books refer to this condition as color blindness but I don’t think that really existed. Racism may have gone underground in the era of civility and politeness but that era has now past. People now feel empowered to say anything that comes to their mind, good or bad, right or wrong. Social media has given an avenue for the creation of apparent faceless communities where the fear of ramifications occurring with actual human contact is absent. This reaction has appeared on my Face Book page. Now, besides the usual mantra against reparations, I have a plethora of racial epitaphs to add to this debate. I have also been called names and repeatedly been told “I don’t owe you anything. You owe your self”, “Get a job and actually work for a living instead of drawing from the Government”. That was a bit presumptive, don’t you think? How about “we have already paid reparations. That is what welfare is”. Another misinformed individual.
Actually, the welfare system in America was not open to African Americans in 1939 when it was put in place by the Roosevelt Administration. “Separate but equal” and Jim Crow segregation laws made the Aid to Families with Dependent Children for “white” people only. Well that is for another post and not this so I will stay on topic.
I have been called a socialist, a communist, a lefty liberal (when I have not even discussed politics in this blog), stupid, lazy, and an idiot. A few people have accused me of forcing this down rhetoric down their throats. That comment still surprises me as they had to open the post, read it, and respond completely on their own. The latest post announced, “I will stay off your page. Have a good day.” He didn’t like the reference that I posted to show that his assumption wasn’t the true history. It doesn’t hurt my feelings. I do find it interesting that a lot people still hold on to all that hate for their fellow mankind.
After Church on Sunday’s as a child, my dad used to say that a good sermon was one that cut to the bone. The Pastor shouldn’t tell the congregation what they want to hear but what they need to hear. So, I soldier on here. More to come….