By Al Calloway
Typically, too many African American political leaders, preachers and so-called intellectuals shy away from the issue of Reparations. As a result, the black body politic has not risen to demand that the U.S. government, industry, and white Americans in general, deal with rectifying the heinous wrongs experienced both by our enslaved black forebears and present day African American citizens.
In the final analysis, African people throughout the Diaspora are due compensatory justice from the global “white supremacy system/culture” as a result of slavery, colonialism and neo-colonialism. Reparation is always a divisive issue, so be it. We are dealing with crimes against humanity for which justice has to be meted out.
Reparations from Germany built most of Israel’s electrical system, railroad and other infrastructure improvements. Some American tribes have received compensation for crimes against them and now own wealthy casinos and other properties. Japanese Americans got paid for being interred during WW 11. In 2001there was a 10-day “World Conference Against Racism” in Durban, South Africa, attended by black activists, scholars, political and religious leaders from throughout the world.
The Durban conference ended with “the Diaspora United on Reparations.” However, back in America, most civil rights groups continue to side step the Reparations issue in terms of support because it is controversial. What that means is since their hustle is white corporate “gifts” and foundation philanthropy, they have chosen to operate within the status quo, (within the realm of what the white plutocracy approves).
For every Congress since 1989, Congressman John Conyers (D-MI) from Detroit, Michigan has introduced H. R. 40, a bill that would establish a Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act. Interestingly, when Barack Obama became President in 2009 and Conyers got Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and could have introduced H. R. 40 himself, House Majority Leader, Nancy Pelosi talked him out of it for fear it would be to divisive.
(Although a touted so-called liberal, Pelosi is one of the richest members of Congress at the 0.1 percent bracket or wealth in the top one-tenth of the 1 percent of Americans! She is a plutocrat, folks.)
The CARICOM group of fifteen Caribbean nations has instituted a lawsuit against the United Kingdom, France and Holland for Reparations and is being supported throughout the Diaspora. The National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (N’COBRA) is forever on the case. In 1993 the NAACP endorsed Reparations and stalwarts including activist Callie House, the late Black Nationalist “Queen Mother” Audley Moore and SNCC leader James Forman were early advocates.
If there is a point at which righteousness outweighs avarice and genocide on the scale of justice, then Africans throughout the Diaspora will be made whole. Whether it comes before or after the pending great destruction of WW III matters little. Africans are ordained to survive and thrive. We are the world. All human life throbs within the original human beings, the owners of melanin – the great shield.
While those conditioned to struggle for Reparations through the white man’s labyrinth political maze continue chipping away there, let the rest of us explore an undeniable, clear thrust to the heart of the matter. It is simple and profound. It is a truth that sits there waiting for us to reveal it. It is your last name black people! The white man gave you his last name. Look him up, mostly through the Mormon’s records, Census information, state and county records, like that.
One thing is certain. The progeny of those who enslaved our forebears are right here; yet enjoying the fruits of ill gotten wealth. Let us begin the final stage of the American Revolution: Reparations. Match your last names with plantation owners, records of slave ships, brokers, past presidents of the U. S., signers of the Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution. Check all political officials from before 1619 onward to 1900 (we know they still managed to sneak blacks in here from the Islands or wherever after slavery supposedly ended).
In the June 2014 Atlantic Monthly cover story on Reparations, black author Ta-Nehisi Coates wrote, “America begins in black plunder and white Democracy, two features that are not contradictory but complementary.”
Al.Calloway715@gmail.com
