Obama Could Make Case for Slavery Reparations at U.N.

Originally posted by West Coast
Who did the natives steal the land from before them?

Natives didnt have land, they were free roamers. They battled each other food land and resources at times, it just so happened that a european tribe won...

BULLLLL @$*%. This is offtopic so I'm not going to bother. Don't try to re-write history with your mouth - it's something people do far too often in America.

"They battled eachother for land and resources" Oh man. So many elders would laugh at that statement... what a shame.

In any case it's already been mentioned that Obama doesn't support reparations... definitely seems like he's being swift-boated with this story... and I for one fell for it.

[edit on 31-3-2008 by NewWorldOver]

Originally posted by NewWorldOver
[definitely seems like he's being swift-boated with this story...

No .. the swiftboaters told the truth. It's a bit different.


As for so called 'reparations' -

“There is a class of colored people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Having learned that they are able to make a living out of their troubles, they have grown into the settled habit of advertising their wrongs—partly because they want sympathy and partly because it pays. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do not want to lose their jobs.” —Booker T. Washington

reply to post by FlyersFan


Now that is the best description of the Poverty Pimps that I have ever read.

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this but the backlash in the form of racism towards african americans would much subtract from any monetary benefit they would accrue. That'd probably wish they hadn't gotten the reparations in the end. Then what, will they then ask for more reparations when people get pissed off?

[edit on 31-3-2008 by ghaleon12]

It's time people stop making excuses for their failures, and accept responsibility for their own actions. Nobody owes anyone a free ride through life.

"It is almost analgesic to talk about what the white man is doing against us, and it keeps a person frozen in their seat. It keeps you frozen in your hole that you are sitting in to point up and say, 'That's the reason why I am here.' We need to stop this," Cosby said in an address before Jesse Jackson's 33rd Annual Rainbow/PUSH Coalition conference in Chicago.

-Bill Cosby

reply to post by xmotex



I have to agree with Imotex on this one. Obama has publicly stated in the Democratic Primary debate that he would be against reperations. This whole Swift-Boating thing is going to get super ugly during this election


Show me the man standing of national tv saying "I want repearations now!" then i'll believe it. This is starting to get ridiculous. I believe now every week there is going to be something "Obama" (really someone else but people will say Obama said it cause he took a picture with that person once) said.

My gosh people can we discuss the REAL issues between all three people! The war, economy, healthcare, opening a new 9/11 investigation. Maybe I'm the only one who is tired of the bogus discussions on the blogs and tv.

More taxes?

Are you #ing kidding me?

EVERYTHING IS TAXED!

They take thousands of dollars from my paycheck a year. Add that up to every other tax paying American and you've got a # load of money. They DO NOT, need anymore from us.

How about Obama gets off his lazy campaign running ass and go WORK for the money he needs. Instead of taking it from ME.

Originally posted by csulli456
I say give it to them and settle the score that was achieved by previous generations of evil people. Once and for all the playing field would be somewhat more leveled and many of the bad feelings will dissipate.

Why do you think doling out more money would "level the playing field"? After trillions of dollars of entitlement programs, it sure hasn't so far.

I have always believed that everyone is created equal and will never accept punishment for something people not of my ancestry nor of my time have done to another people. But on the same hand these are my neighbors and my fellow countrymen and if they feel as if this would make things right then I`m all for it.

No one has yet to show how reparations "would make things right". If no one can, then another reason to throw this idea away forever.

Blacks were wronged for a long time and thats the bottom line. Break it down however you like but blacks were wronged and it has effected generations in numerous ways. Maybe a settlement with black Americans of American slave ancestry will help many people to see we are not this same divisive society and that white people just as well as blacks long for the day we can finally put this ugly period completely in the past and move on and stand together against our true enemies.

You think that blacks are feeling repressed now? Wait until the day you tell them that everything is square and they're going to have to make it on their own from now on with no more entitlement payments. That's when the screaming and riots would really begin!

I long for the day when my white daughter can achieve success and not be looked down upon by some black people who think she had it easy or that she thinks she is better then them.

Ah, so you say you long for an end to reverse discrmination? Can whites get reparations for that?

I long for the day when my black godson can walk down a street with some white people and not one of them has an anxious feeling nor thinks they are better then him because of the color of skin.

You actually believe paying "reparations" will keep young criminals from terrorizing our citizens (which is where the fear and suspicion comes from)?

The government spends trillions on destruction and murder in the form of wars for whatever reasons all the time and then turns around and spends trillions more on building the same destructed areas back up.

Its time to spend some trillions in our own backyard. So what if its only being spent on one group of people. Believe it or not its going to pay off for everyone in many ways.

No, it's time the government stopped spending trillions on any of this - wars or social programs - and let us keep the money we've rightfully earned instead of sucking it up from us in taxes.

What goes around comes around sooner or later. While it would be nice to see the government confiscate some funds from companies that were built and prospered on the backs of American slaves it is highly unlikely and far easier to just spend some tax money in our own neighborhood and help maybe finally bring closure to many.

Now you've hinted at the real problem - identifying the "guilty" currently living that should be made to pay. But what if you're white and your ancestors lived in the North and never had slaves and lost family members in the war that freed the slaves, should you have to pay reparations? What if you're white and you or your ancestors immigrated to this country after the slaves were freed, should you have to pay reparations? And finally, what if you are black, but you or your ancestors immigrated to this country after slaves were freed, should you get paid reparations?

The point is that is going to be very difficult (to the point of absurdity) to identify who should pay and get paid.

[edit on 3/31/2008 by centurion1211]

You mean Barak served on a swiftboat too? I hadn't heard that one.. Seriously though, it would be nice if we stayed on topic.

So which of the three have actually addressed any of the real issues in specific terms rather than vagaries? I hear a lot of lip service, but nothing concrete..

[edit on 3/31/08 by LLoyd45]

I can believe you all are getting worked up over an obscure article that tries to make the case of what Obama "COULD" do instead of what he has actually said he "WOULD" do. You're all flipping out over nothing. "Uh un, no way! Not my money! Send them back to Africa!"

Good grief. Relax.

This is an article that if you don't already realize what its intent is (clearly most of you don't) then you're going to get agitated and enraged over issues of race and apparently some of you were looking for this kind of outlet to unleash the nonsensical rhetoric I've been reading.

Barack Obama WILL NOT ask for reparations. I am 100% positive of this.

Please don't be so ridiculous. I mean really...where is your mind at?

You're being pulled into a trap that wants you to fear having this man be your president because he is black and will do "black things" like trying to get paid for slavery. You clearly no nothing of the man so I suggest you read up on him a bit before buying this dime store tripe and swallowing it whole. He never said anything like this.

This is a seriously absurd and divisive bait-article that has no basis in fact in regards to Obama. Couldn't you tell by where THIS VERY THREAD has been going? You all aren't even talking about him any more just who did what to whom. Who was treated the worse and who you don't believe was treated "that bad".

Carry on with the racial bickering if it makes you feel better as I am assuming this was partly the reason this thread was started.

HEADLINE: "Lee Anoma COULD Make Case For Continuing To Indulge This Sort of Rubbish."

Breaking Alternative News??

Right.

- Lee

Obama may may or may not have put forth a view on this topic. I'm too lazy to do the research right now. That said, I know for a fact what some of the people do, who run in his circle's. This is a legitimate concern, as I have seen too many posts on those that Bush associates with, and how this makes him evil.

My grandmother picked cotton in the 1920's and 30's. for crap wages. She was native American. I definitely didn't have slave owners in my family tree, just slaves, if anything. And yet I will not be given reparations, because my skin is white. That is why this argument is bunk. What are you going to do? prove your family was a slave, and go after only those who are directly related to slave owners?

Whether or not Sen. Obama is behind these statements matters not. The fact that his INNER circle supports this rhetoric at all, is a really bad thing.

And there were not millions of natives in N. America. And they were mostly wiped out (by disease long before from the spaniards), which is why the great Pyramid in the mississippi river valley was gone before El Gringo got there.,

AND WHO SAID THAT OBAMA IS FAIRLY MODERATE???! Jeeez, first you guys can't point out a single thing he has done, and then you cover up the few things he has...


[edit on 31-3-2008 by jasonjnelson]

This is not BREAKING ALTERNATIVE NEWS, it is biased fear-mongering conjecture.

This is not a one-line post either because I also have to say that I thought most members here were smart enough not to go for this sort of thing.

- Lee

Originally posted by lee anoma
I can believe you all are getting worked up over an obscure article that tries to make the case of what Obama "COULD" do instead of what he has actually said he "WOULD" do. You're all flipping out over nothing. "Uh un, no way! Not my money! Send them back to Africa!"

Until the idea of making people pay "reparations" for something we had no control of goes away permanently, this is the reaction you are going to see.

And when a leading presidential candidate hangs around for over 20 years with someone that espouses that philosophy and even calls that person a "mentor", you're going to see this kind of reaction.

So, you relax ...

reply to post by jasonjnelson


So you see my point?

You all are now arguing which racial tragedy was the worse like children when such things are ridiculously counter-productive and pointless. You're not even addressing the article just jumping on a soapbox.

"My race struggle is worse than yours!"

Most of you are doing the very thing you have been upset over.

Obama never mentioned reparations as an agenda and the only reason it is being brought up is to bring fear and rage to those White Americans that are unsure about who he is. It's to say he's that sort of Black you hear about and he'll get your money and women.

This should be moved to Skunkworks or at the very least Abovepolitics.

Shameful.

- Lee

reply to post by lee anoma
I thought you were the one who wanted to stay on topic lee, or do you have your own agenda you're trying to promote?

Also, implying that people have reading comprehension problems because they disagree with your interpretation of the article is rather offensive.

reply to post by lee anoma


I sort of agree with your sentiments. However, three points...

We do not if this is breaking news, real, fake, lies, whatever. I don't know the man, so unless you do.....

Having a legitimate conversation about this topic is fair, because of all the KKK talk, and anti-anti-semite talk.... it's just carrying the same basket.

The difficulty of enacting legislation would be hard, but starting the trip downhill wouldn't be impossible. (federal reserve anyone?)

Thanks, but I think this one belongs here, as the MSM won't touch it. That is what ATS is for.

[edit on 31-3-2008 by jasonjnelson]

Originally posted by centurion1211
Until the idea of making people pay "reparations" for something we had no control of goes away permanently, this is the reaction you are going to see.

And when a leading presidential candidate hangs around for over 20 years with someone that espouses that philosophy and even calls that person a "mentor", you're going to see this kind of reaction.

So, you relax ...

I am relaxed...you on the other hand are worried over presumptive speculation that has no merit in the world of fact. That or you're looking for an outlet to rant about reparations in which case why not just start an opinion thread?

Sorry but I rarely hear about "reparations" on a regular basis as you seem to. There are plenty of IDEAS out there that aren't into practice and never will be. I've heard quite a few outlandish ones from many popular religious figures so if you're out to destroy radical ideas and absurd philosophies that we are all free to make...lol...good luck.

I choose not to take them seriously and most with a rational mind would. Anger junkies like those hard left and right pundits on radio and talk shows love to push them to the surfaces even without substantial evidence that they are something to seriously fear.

It's to keep people in their pockets for the most part. Again...I choose to ignore people that ramble about how angry they are about something and that includes the occasional nonsense from Wright.

Unless of course you choose to get worked up over someone saying "dead soldiers are Gods way of punishing us for embracing homosexuality" or "Hugo Chavez needs to be assassinated and taken out". Those sort of things were made by other popular religious figures and not Rev. Wright. One of which was said on national television.

I didn't lose any sleep.

ALSO if we are doing GUILT BY ASSOCIATION in the world of politics (my God they are all guilty FYI) then Hillary and McCain have had close ties to figures that have made some equally controversial statements. Clinton knows Rev. Wright as well and lets not get into some of the astounding and outrageous statements/ideas made by some of the evangelical or religious-right leaders that McCain is associated with and even supporting now.

I also don't buy rubbish by the barrel, but feel free to enjoy yours. I see some of you just want to argue for the sake of it when the article is a speculation piece.

I'm done in here till you show me where Obama said he would do this.

- Lee

Originally posted by lee anoma
Barack Obama WILL NOT ask for reparations. I am 100% positive of this.

Not until he is elected. The shake-down would kill his run. He knows it.

Originally posted by lee anoma
Obama never mentioned reparations as an agenda ...

His best buds are pro-reparations and some are even making it their life-passion to get the handout. He is working to get these people into positions that would make reparations possible. It definitely IS his silent agenda.

Oh .. and that so-called pastor of his, and that ‘church’ want whitey to hand them all $$$ in the guise of ‘reparations’. Considering that Obama refused to denounce that place, or the pastor; and he even donated tens of thousands of dollars to it … if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck … it’s a freak’n duck.

Originally posted by FlyersFan

Originally posted by lee anoma
Obama never mentioned reparations as an agenda ...

His best buds are pro-reparations and some are even making it their life-passion to get the handout.

You know who Obama's "best buds" are? Are you in his circle too? How would you even know?

I didn't see a list of "Obama's Most Special and Most-Closest Friends Ever!" in your link just people he knew, that claimed to support him, or he was an associate of. Aside from Wright which he clearly has a longer history with.

This article proves nothing.

The article (although clearly biased...who is BARRY O?) states he is AGAINST reparations. It also rattles of a list of people and politicians that MANY democrats are friends with or have ties to. This case can therefore be made for quite a few.

Keep in mind as well that ANYONE can call out support for a candidate. Some extreme Hate groups have done this in the past for Democrats as well as Republicans...does this mean the candidate is now a member of the KKK?

Get real.

The only thing of value in the article you posted is this statement:

Now guilt by association is certainly unfair. PR-Inside.com

Indeed.

reply to post by LLoyd45


LLoyd, I've addressed the article more than most of the people that has responded here. I have said that it has no merit and there really isn't much to discuss unless you want to discuss the idea of reparations which is what this thread has become...clearly Obama has not asked for this.

My point is that the article is not based on what Obama said but what the author believes he may do. That's like those saying George Bush is buying land in South America because he may be planning to set off a serious of phony nuclear terror strikes that would ruin America then go and hide.

The article is not fact yet is being argued as such. My agenda was to point that out.

No one has my vote yet and these "articles" just show me how much the manipulative media is hard at work.

Cya guys.
Keep up the good fight.

- Lee

Absolutely freaking ridiculous.

150 years on and theyre still on about reparations?!

Sheesh talk about holding a grudge.

This is precisely the form of racism which exists in the modern world. Affirmative action, reparations and employment quotients are exactly the same as slavery and apartheid of the last century.

After a point, surely, the mantra must be "live and let live". If you cannot let the injustices of the past go, there will be a never ending stream of resentment between the races.

Another thing I dont understand is how would the reparations work? Why should the white people of America today pay reparations to the black people of America if either party arrived in the country post-abolition?
Also, its lumping together all the people of a single race and saying "you must pay reparation" despite the fact that the ancestors of some may not have been slave owners. Conversely, some blacks of today may have had freedmen for ancestors. Then what happens?

The sins of the father must not be transferred as a burden on the son. Or in this case, the sins of the great-great-great-great grandfather.