Sanders: 'We have got to apologize for slavery'

[Pyro]

Reparations for slavery and global imperialism is due, I agree. And although you cannot blame the current government for past sins, the fact that black unemployment is double the national rate and that 1 in 4 black people are in poverty is directly linked to repercussions of the slave trade.

Just as Japanese Americans who were jailed during WWII and American Indians who have had their land and mineral rights robbed, descendants of black slaves should receive a substantial motion of apology. Personally I think a ton of this money should funnel into programs to relieve black suffering, like funding inner-city public schools, expanded job training programs, increased drug and alcohol rehabilitation, and other public services.

[Pyro]

Reparations for slavery and global imperialism is due, I agree. And although you cannot blame the current government for past sins, the fact that black unemployment is double the national rate and that 1 in 4 black people are in poverty is directly linked to repercussions of the slave trade.

Just as Japanese Americans who were jailed during WWII and American Indians who have had their land and mineral rights robbed, descendants of black slaves should receive a substantial motion of apology. Personally I think a ton of this money should funnel into programs to relieve black suffering, like funding inner-city public schools, expanded job training programs, increased drug and alcohol rehabilitation, and other public services.

And just who should pay for this 'substantial motion of apology'? From whose tax dollars should this money come?

From the ultra-rich, of course. I'm sure they could spare a few billion for relief programs.
It'd be like a drop in the bucket compared to their usual paychecks.

[Pyro]

Reparations for slavery and global imperialism is due, I agree. And although you cannot blame the current government for past sins, the fact that black unemployment is double the national rate and that 1 in 4 black people are in poverty is directly linked to repercussions of the slave trade.

Just as Japanese Americans who were jailed during WWII and American Indians who have had their land and mineral rights robbed, descendants of black slaves should receive a substantial motion of apology. Personally I think a ton of this money should funnel into programs to relieve black suffering, like funding inner-city public schools, expanded job training programs, increased drug and alcohol rehabilitation, and other public services.

And just who should pay for this 'substantial motion of apology'? From whose tax dollars should this money come?

From the ultra-rich, of course. I'm sure they could spare a few billion for relief programs.
It'd be like a drop in the bucket compared to their usual paychecks.

Would the 'ultra rich' include black millionaires like Oprah ($2.7 billion in net worth), Tiger Woods ($600 million in net worth), Robert Johnson ($550 million in net worth), Michael Jordan ($525 million in net worth), and Magic Johnson ($500 million net worth)? How about people like Don Peebles, whose net worth is $350 million? Sheila Johnson at $400 million? Kenneth Chenault, head of American Express, whose net worth is $125 million?

Or only white 'ultra-rich' people?

I don't think it would be right to segregate like that, so yes even mega-rich blacks should lend a helping hand. The idea is that the recipients should be working-class black people who are still suffering. I don't think Oprah Winfrey is suffering these days.

[Pyro]

I don't think it would be right to segregate like that, so yes even mega-rich blacks should lend a helping hand. The idea is that the recipients should be working-class black people who are still suffering. I don't think Oprah Winfrey is suffering these days.

How about the money goes to "working class people" regardless of race, or are we going to still see things in terms of skin color?

What is black, anyway? Is a Dominican or Haitian person black, if they self-identify as Latino? They might look black, though. But are they? If they look black, but self identify as Latino, should they still get it?

What if you have a very dark skinned Italian who doesn't identify as white? What happens then?

You're right, it should and it must. There are certain issues that pertain specifically to black people, though, and I think those need to be addressed as well. Things like black unemployment and the awful shape of inner-city schools are fixable if there were ladders to help these people out. I think that we have a duty to look after our fellow man, and make sure people are treated justly. The divisions and segregation that still exists today is unacceptable in my opinion, and we need to figure out a method to make things right.

As for your other point, I'm not positive that individual payments are the right way to move forward, because as you say, how are we supposed to determine something as gray as "blackness". I'm talking about helping on a community level to work towards solutions.