Reparations

"Reparations" is one of those words that get an immediate reaction from most people these days. Just about everybody has strong feelings regarding the subject. A person is either FOR reparations, or AGAINST them. There's very little neutrality.

What exactly is meant by "reparations"? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, one definition of reparation is "the act of making amends, offering expiation, or giving satisfaction for a wrong or injury". Reparation is the act of repairing something that's broken. For instance, if you break a window, you make reparations by getting the window fixed.

Generally speaking, Whites and Blacks view the subject of reparations very differently, though there are notable exceptions on both sides. 

When White people hear the word "reparations", they envision Black Americans being given large sums of money, which seems inherently unfair, since they (present-day Blacks) were never enslaved. Why pay this generation of Black Americans for what happened in the distant past? 

Conversely, when Black people hear the word "reparations", they envision an attempt by the United States government to come to terms with its past regarding the institution of slavery. 

Who's right? Allow me to give you a hypothetical situation.

Let's say that a long time ago I stole $100 from an elderly man named Ted. He found out that I did it, so he confronted me. I freely admitted my guilt, but refused to give Ted any of his money back. I even refused to apologize. Shortly afterwards, Ted passed away. Later, his daughter Lisa, as his rightful heir, confronted me over the theft of her father's money. Once again, I admitted my guilt, but refused to apologize or repay the $100. Eventually, Lisa's son Jack looks me up. He tells me that he's aware of what I did to his grandfather Ted. In response I say to him, "Look, Jack. I know what I did was wrong, but that was a long time ago. Ted is gone, so I can't return the money to him, nor can I apologize to him. Keep in mind that I stole the money from your grandfather - not from you, and not from your mother - so you're not getting a penny from me. I'm not apologizing, either. Just let bygones be bygones. Forget the past, and move on." 

Now honestly, can there be any relationship between me and Ted's family as long as I refuse to repair the damage? Would it be wise for me to be so dismissive of Ted's daughter and grandson? Don't I OWE Lisa and Jack, not only the money, but an apology as well? Considering inflation, I'd actually owe them more than the $100 I stole from Ted. 

If the theft of a relatively small amount of money deserves to be remedied, doesn't the infinitely more serious theft of human beings, and their uncompensated enslavement, deserve remediation as well? Think about it.

That's what reparations are all about - an attempt to repair at least some of the damage caused by slavery. Of course, those primarily entitled to it are dead, but their descendants are here. The repair still needs to be made. It really is as simple as that.

What form should reparations take? That's an issue to be addressed by the descendants of those who were enslaved, in conjunction with the U.S. government. It could be money, or land, or a reduction in taxes, or educational assistance, or employment assistance, or any number of other things. The important thing is to do whatever is necessary to begin healing the wounds of the past.

The subject of reparations isn't something to be dismissed out of hand. It's something that needs to be addressed, . . . and the sooner the better.