Why are we even talking about reparations? Seriously?

I don’t think anyone has a coherent definition of reparations. White supremacists such as Charlie Kirk loosely throws the terms around as a means of engendering fear in his hateful base. Yet, black people also throw it around, but it often seems more as a means of “gauging one’s blackness”, rather than providing any tangible solutions.

To fearful white people or white adjacent people, reparations is money out of their pockets to pay black people. You add this notion with images of criminalized black people, then you get typical All American racism, i.e., “where are the fathers”, “it’s their culture”, etc.

Yet, one indifferent to race, one could argue that reparations have been an on-going process spanning from emancipation, reconstruction, Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act, affirmative action measures, small business set-asides, etc., however, there are still needed reforms such as police reform. To black people, it does seem there is some sort of cash payment idea, however, I have heard ideas such as tax cuts since black people do pay taxes, etc. I feel that tax cuts would be less evasive on to others where many already hold anti-black sentiment.

Yet, as a black man, I’m also indifferent to reparations because older generations deserved them, but the GOAL of the United States was to push this issue down the road because it is a such a divisive issue that helps maintain racial tension where such tension is vital in…running the USA such as our demographics driven political machines.

To me, I see it more as an honor thing. I don’t need your help sort of thing. I won’t give you the privilege of infantilizing me, sort of idea.

However, if reparations are about policy over direct entitlements like cash payments, then I am open to it.

For example, if I had to pass some sort reparations legislation it would have been…

A) “Freedman Bureau” Home Loans like the VA Home Loan for multi-generational black Americans who can prove ancestry before 1900 where there is 0% down payment, fixed rate on loans, the ability to spread out closing costs if any, and government insurance, (B) Free HBCUs like how military service academies are free. Since there’s only so many HBUs, if free, more people will come and this limit on supply will increase a demand in quality candidates, thus raising HBCU academic competitiveness when compared to PWIs, i.e., predominately white institutions, and if a person goes to a school that’s not an HBCU they get an interest rate “cap and lock”, or subsidized loan (C) pass the George Floyd Police Reform Bill and restorative justice programs especially for juvenile offenders so their lives aren’t ruined (D) Free genetic testing and a tax-deductible trip to Africa if people pay for it in a “Roots Re-Discovery” Program, E) Teaching ancient and pre-slavery African culture in high school World History so people can learn about Mali Empire, Igbo, Ashanti, etc., alongside Roman and Greek, etc. (F) Protecting the Voting Rights Act, Civil Rights Act, fighting gerrymandering, and enforcing Hate Crime legislation. (H) Have black banks help with financing loans such as Carver Bank, etc.

Homes, education, knowing your roots, etc.

These would all be affordable and economic stimuli.