Editor Insight
Popular responses to reparations fall short

February 20, 2004
by Jason Kennedy
Graphics Editor

How difficult it is for some Americans to see their hard-earned dollars allocated to programs that aid individuals of ethnic minorities! Is it fair for a person to receive a benefit solely on the basis of his race? What is all this hullabaloo about slave reparations? Is the whole country mad?

No, we’re not mad, we’re simply led to believe that providing reparations to black families is unfair because slavery and its effects have long been dead. Supposedly race is no longer an issue--we did away with that in the ‘60s!

Race is a dubious concept. There is no genetic data to support racial categorization, thus reducing race to a folk theory of heredity. Race is at best a term that separates populations on a sociological desire for superiority between two or more populations.

Whites have historically placed themselves at odds with blacks, recording themselves as superior. But was the invention of the white race significant enough to limit blacks in the way history indicates? What about ethnic groups, such as the Irish or Italians, who faced similar prejudices when arriving in America? Over time, these white ethnic groups have assimilated into white culture so that ethnic bias no longer carries the same weight it once did.

However, blacks have always carried the burden of discrimination and have never enjoyed the same kind of assimilation as whites, even to this day. This attitude is one of the key factors behind the adversive and racist institution known as segregation. While middle-class households (regardless of ethnicity) have always tried to escape poverty, blacks are faced with the additional challenge of a highly segregated housing market. As a result, blacks are less able to escape and are thus more exposed to poverty.

What kind of figures provide fair indicators for reparations? We must consider the economic gain inherited by industries that have capitalized on foundations of slavery and segregation. Furthermore, there is no such thing as equality between races in America, and the American legal system is geared towards guaranteeing this. Many assessments have been made to provide a figure for reparations, ranging anywhere between $1.4 trillion to $10 trillion. If there is no objective basis for race, how can we come to a reasonable conclusion about how much money to repay and who should receive it?

The answer may lie with non-monetary remunerations. Some solutions that have been proposed include a public apology for racism, the use of arts to educate about race and racism, and assigning corporate and public responsibility. Many of these solutions have been met with stern criticism, undoubtedly due to a poor understanding of the reality of slavery and present segregation.

Only through dispelling ignorance, not waving our paychecks, can we come to a meaningful and appropriate conclusion on this topic.