$5 million to descendants of slaves?

[Heyo]

Or it was a couple of hundred years ago.

Yes, it was. The right time to pay reparation would have been 1865. Disown all the slavers and give it to the former slaves. But, alas, that didn't happen and the US dragged their feet until now.

 

[Koldo]

The San Francisco city government is going to give everyone who is the descendent of a slave five million dollars of public money. This whole venture will cost around fifty billion dollars.

Will plan to give $5 million to every black person in San Francisco redress for years of suffering | Daily Mail Online

What do people think?

I think that the sum on offer is way too high. Even if you believe that the descendants of slaves do deserve some form of compensation.

I think $50,000 would be more fitting.

And I think this policy could very well provoke racial tensions and play into the hands of the far right.

Sounds like a bad idea for multiple reasons...

 

[Augustus]

Yes, it was. The right time to pay reparation would have been 1865. Disown all the slavers and give it to the former slaves. But, alas, that didn't happen and the US dragged their feet until now.

Why should the majority of Americans of all races pay the great, great grandchildren of slaves for something that was done by someone else's great, great grandparents? It's just indulgences for white liberal guilt and a grift for African Americans. Who doesn't want free money from a long lost relative?

So where will America find the $250 trillion to pay them, and what benefits will the society gain as a result of it? Will it be fairer? More harmonious? More prosperous?

The average person forced to pay to make some people ultra-rich while causing significant economic harms and inflationary problems and massively damaging race relations doesn't seem like a smart, progressive move to me.

 

[Stevicus]

Because some white people inherit $5 billion.

I didn't get my share.

 

[Heyo]

So where will America find the $250 trillion to pay them, and what benefits will the society gain as a result of it? Will it be fairer?

Yes, because it isn't fair now. The average white person can expect to inherit substantially more wealth than a descendent from slaves. I.e. the inequality is not a thing of the past, it is still here today. White people are still benefiting from slavery.

 

[Heyo]

I didn't get my share.

You have been duped. Maybe ask the Waltons?

 

[Guitar's Cry]

I think a better first step would be alleviating our problems with poverty through stuff like Universal Basic Income and Healthcare. Given the amount of people descended from those who were historically mistreated in the US, it makes sense to work on relieving and mitigating the impact poverty plays in the continued abuse of people first.

That's not to trivialize what was done to minority cultures like the enslaved African folk and Native Americans--the pure inhumanity of what Europeans wrought on these groups is still hurting the descendants. However, if America is going to improve itself and its communities, it needs to change how it operates economically and make it more efficient and compassionate.

 

[Stevicus]

Yes, because it isn't fair now. The average white person can expect to inherit substantially more wealth than a descendent from slaves. I.e. the inequality is not a thing of the past, it is still here today. White people are still benefiting from slavery.

I would say it's more correct to say that capitalists are still benefiting from slavery, including those who are not white and/or who claim their ancestors came after the passage of the 13th Amendment (which somehow implies that they're "off the hook" for slavery). In other words, a black billionaire owes more to the descendants of slavery than a white person who is not a billionaire.

 

[Heyo]

I would say it's more correct to say that capitalists are still benefiting from slavery, including those who are not white and/or who claim their ancestors came after the passage of the 13th Amendment (which somehow implies that they're "off the hook" for slavery). In other words, a black billionaire owes more to the descendants of slavery than a white person who is not a billionaire.

I agree and I hinted at it with the proposal of a wealth tax to finance the move.
I'd go as far as taxing inheritance at 100%. With that everyone starts roughly on the same level. No unfair advantages any more.

 

[Nakosis]

The San Francisco city government is going to give everyone who is the descendent of a slave five million dollars of public money. This whole venture will cost around fifty billion dollars.

Will plan to give $5 million to every black person in San Francisco redress for years of suffering | Daily Mail Online

What do people think?

I think that the sum on offer is way too high. Even if you believe that the descendants of slaves do deserve some form of compensation.

I think $50,000 would be more fitting.

And I think this policy could very well provoke racial tensions and play into the hands of the far right.

I’m not going to begrudge anyone else’s gain.
Is it fair?
Hell, I don’t know.
I never expect life to be fair.

 

[Augustus]

Yes, because it isn't fair now. The average white person can expect to inherit substantially more wealth than a descendent from slaves. I.e. the inequality is not a thing of the past, it is still here today. White people are still benefiting from slavery.

And it would be exponentially less fair afterwards, although with a different group 'in the lead'. The median white American probably inherits less than $100k.

Even now though, the average Nigerian-American, Japanese-American or (South Asian) Indian America probably stands to inherit more than the average white American. They certainly earn more.

Do they benefit from slavery too?

The average descendent of the Normans in Britain inherits more than the average descendent of the Saxons or Britons.

East Germans I guess inherit a lot less than those from the West. Londoners inherit more than those from Runcorn.

No doubt you'll find a legacy of historical disadvantage in all countries.

$5 million all around?

Black Americans are among the richest demographics in the world with the best opportunities, but they are so disadvantaged that hispanics and Native Americans need to tighten their belts to turn them into the richest demographic in human history?

It's fair to make a hispanic plumber should pay so Jay-Z and Beyonce can get $10 million because of slavery? (you aren't getting $250 trillion to make people multi-millionaires without harming the working class)

You still haven't explained how you would think it would work in practice.

 

[PureX]

The story is BS.

 

[Heyo]

And it would be exponentially less fair afterwards, although with a different group 'in the lead'. The median white American probably inherits less than $100k.

It's not the median, it's the average that counts.
And you are here arguing from ignorance. We don't know how much the average inheritance is. My guess is that someone has done the maths and concluded that 5 million would be fair. (Or would be a good number to start the negotiations so it ends on a fair number.)
I don't argue about the number, I'll take what would be fair, can we agree on that? Or are you opposed to the idea in general?

 

[Sand Dancer]

The San Francisco city government is going to give everyone who is the descendent of a slave five million dollars of public money. This whole venture will cost around fifty billion dollars.

Will plan to give $5 million to every black person in San Francisco redress for years of suffering | Daily Mail Online

What do people think?

I think that the sum on offer is way too high. Even if you believe that the descendants of slaves do deserve some form of compensation.

I think $50,000 would be more fitting.

And I think this policy could very well provoke racial tensions and play into the hands of the far right.

Why don't we just make sure everyone has an equal access in current society?

 

[Sand Dancer]

The San Francisco city government is going to give everyone who is the descendent of a slave five million dollars of public money. This whole venture will cost around fifty billion dollars.

Will plan to give $5 million to every black person in San Francisco redress for years of suffering | Daily Mail Online

What do people think?

I think that the sum on offer is way too high. Even if you believe that the descendants of slaves do deserve some form of compensation.

I think $50,000 would be more fitting.

And I think this policy could very well provoke racial tensions and play into the hands of the far right.

A committee proposed it. They can propose whatever they want. They can't implement it. Dream on, committee.

 

[Twilight Hue]

The San Francisco city government is going to give everyone who is the descendent of a slave five million dollars of public money. This whole venture will cost around fifty billion dollars.

Will plan to give $5 million to every black person in San Francisco redress for years of suffering | Daily Mail Online

What do people think?

I think that the sum on offer is way too high. Even if you believe that the descendants of slaves do deserve some form of compensation.

I think $50,000 would be more fitting.

And I think this policy could very well provoke racial tensions and play into the hands of the far right.

I dunno. Does that include black slave owners too?

 

[Twilight Hue]

A committee proposed it. They can propose whatever they want. They can't implement it. Dream on, committee.

What was the agreement?

50 acres and a mule?

 

[Augustus]

It's not the median, it's the average that counts.

Why?

The average person seems more relevant for fairness than a number distorted by a small number of outliers, almost all of whom got rich long after slavery .

And you are here arguing from ignorance. We don't know how much the average inheritance is. My guess is that someone has done the maths and concluded that 5 million would be fair. (Or would be a good number to start the negotiations so it ends on a fair number.)

I had a quick look. I'm not that far out for median.

The $5 million seems to have been plucked out of thin air.

I don't argue about the number, I'll take what would be fair, can we agree on that? Or are you opposed to the idea in general?

I think the money would be better spent helping those who most need it regardless of race.

I don't really see why black lawyers and doctors should get a handout at the expense of far poorer hispanics, Native Americans or whites.

There are all kinds of reasons why people are disadvantaged after all.

 

[Heyo]

Why?

The average person seems more relevant for fairness than a number distorted by a small number of outliers, almost all of whom got rich long after slavery .



I had a quick look. I'm not that far out for median.

The $5 million seems to have been plucked out of thin air.



I think the money would be better spent helping those who most need it regardless of race.

I don't really see why black lawyers and doctors should get a handout at the expense of far poorer hispanics, Native Americans or whites.

There are all kinds of reasons why people are disadvantaged after all.

You mentioned that relatives of you had been in forced labour by Germany. Regardless of them not having received reparations (did they apply?), do you think Germany should have said "let bygones be bygone" and not pay any reparations to anyone wronged (and their descendants)?

 

[Revoltingest]

What about Asian and Native American slavery in the US? Do they not matter?

Fool !!!
Only blacks matter in the pecking order of victim groups.
And I wonder if the $5M is pro-rated for fractional heritage.
The people who deserve reparations are long dead.