In American’s past time there has been lots of racial diversity. African Americans were used as slaves and discriminated by white people in schools, and places of living. Lately there has been a lot of talk about reparations. The definition of reparations is, making of amends for a wrong someone has done, either by paying money or helping the wronged. The article, “A Case for Reparation” by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Coates talksis about the idea of reparations and what it could mean for African Americans living in America. He talks about slavery, racism, and modern day discrimination. This article is a touching representation about how blacks were and still are treated today. Ta-Nehisi Coates ultimately wants reparations but there are some people
At the heart of it all, everyone has an opinion and every one can’t be right. Some writers have voiced their opinions about this topic. Alan There is the writer named Noble, who is for reparations and writes about his standing in, “Is There a Case for Racial Reparations.” Pascal – Emmanuel Another writer that agrees with Coates is Gobry agrees with Coates in his article,who wrote “The Christian Case for Reparations,” and, talks ing about being a Christian and what Christians must do. Noah Then, there is Millman who wrote, “Taking Reparations Seriously.”. He Millman takes a stand that there are some factors that would make reparation a bad ideasuggests that there are some reasons why reparations are not good for America. The last writer is John McWhorter and r. hHe wrote, “America is Coming to Terms with it’s Racial Past – Let’s Look Ahead Instead.” In this article he clearly doesn’t agree with Coates. Every writer said different things and this has opened up my mind to the ideas about reparations. I think that reparations are hopeful thought and maybe if reparations happened, then the world would come to terms with racism and discrimination. But I don’t think that will ever happen. I do not think reparations will help the problems of the past so I don’t think reparations should be made. good for the most part but there are some cons that some of the writers
On the topic of reparations McWhorter doesn’t agree with Coates. He totally thinks that reparations are not the way to handle the unjust things that have happened in the past. He talks about Coates and how he just wants people to talk about race and what we could do about racism. But McWhorter says, “Despite frequent claims that America ‘doesn’t want to talk about race’, we talk about it 24/7 amidst ringing declamations against racism on all forms.” (McWhorter 2) What McWhorter is saying is, we already talk about race and what it has done to inflicted to many people. We know that racism is bad and slaves are bad. I agree with McWhorter. I think that Coates wants something that is already happening and it will keep happening. bBut even though we are talking about it, nothing has changed. There is still discrimination in neighborhoods and unleveled playing fields for African Americans. I do not think sitting down and having a conversation about race and what happened in the past is going to do anyone any good. McWhorter goes on to list ideas of ways that could help. He says, “The War on Drugs must end”, adding in “reading programs that actually work for poor kids”, the help of Obamacare would “bring black American into a new relationship with healthcare”, and helping with child care. (McWhorter 4) These are ideas that would not look in the past but help level out the playing field now. These are helpful ways that will make
Coates wrote a 176 page long letter to his 14 years old son to explain what the African American society were going through at the time being. In the book, Coates used himself as an example to demonstrate the unjust treatment that had been cast upon him and many other African Americans. Readers can sense a feeling of pessimism towards African American’s future throughout the entire book although he did not pointed it out directly.
The article “The Case for Reparations” is a point of view that Ta-nehisi Coates looks into the life of Clyde Ross and what he went through in the African American society. Arranging reparations based off of what Clyde Ross lived through and experienced from the time he was a young child to his later adult years. Providing life facts and events comparing them to today and seeking out to present his reparations. Clyde ross explain that we are still living bound down as blacks to the white supremacy and in a new era of racism .Concluding the article the fact that it’s been far too long to live the way we are and it is time for a change to finally be made.
For as long as I can remember, racial injustice has been the topic of discussion amongst the American nation. A nation commercializing itself as being free and having equality for all, however, one questions how this is true when every other day on the news we hear about the injustices and discriminations of one race over another. Eula Biss published an essay called “White Debt” which unveils her thoughts on discrimination and what she believes white Americans owe, the debt they owe, to a dark past that essentially provided what is out there today. Ta-Nehisi Coates published “Between the World and Me,” offering his perspective about “the Dream” that Americans want, the fear that he faced being black growing up and that black bodies are what
Ta-Nehisi Coates, author of the article “The Case for Reparations” presents a powerful argument for reparations to black African American for a long time of horrendous injustice as slavery plus discrimination, violence, hosing policies, family incomes, hard work, education, and more took a place in black African American’s lives. He argues that paying such a right arrears is not only a matter of justice; however, it is important for American people to express how they treated black African Americans.
Alternatively, since it was initially the ancestors of Caucasian’s that enslaved African’s their descendents should not have to compensate African Americans for what they performed. The descendents did not have any direct involvement in any way and can not change the actions of their past and should not be held liable. If Caucasian’s were to give reparations to African Americans how would they know for a fact they were giving it to the descendant of a slave? Most African Americans can not trace their hi...
In an article written by Shelby Steele, a black American whose grandfather was born into slavery, he writes about his feelings toward reparations, saying that reparations would be an insult to his heritage. He states, "My first objection to reparation for slavery is that it feels like selling our birthright for a pot of porridge." He feels as though reparations for the past will not change the black American future, saying that today's black Americans problems are failure on their part not on white Americans. What would compensation for black injustices solve?
The United States will forever have a bad rep for what happened to those who were once enslaved in this country. The two sides of this controversy, being Pro Slavery and the Abolitionists, set one of the main splits in this country that was supposedly a place for anyone to have “freedom”. What started this affair was the overall reality that African Americans were represented as unusually different, there were many reasons for the white man to justify slavery, and what became the practice of being racial prejudice. The ideas behind what the Pro Slavery activists believed versus the Abolitionists, each to their own, have an attitude towards what they thought was right and wrong for the well being of their country, but
He believes that because of what past generations have endured and the lack of freedom that was given to blacks, they were not provided the same rights and were looked at as inferior human beings. Social matters, such as mass incarceration of blacks and the idea that black people are criminals, stem from the disparity between races as explained by Coates who emphasizes, “blacks who could not find work were labeled vagrants and sent to jail, where they were leased as labor to the very people who had once enslaved them” (Coates). The situation did not change even when they were freed from enslavement as blacks were not able to live the same as the white people. This reinforced blacks being inferior as they were not given the same opportunities as white people had. To this day, many black men looking for jobs struggle with the same disadvantages that existed years ago. They are targeted by the criminal justice system, and once they have a criminal history, it is hard for them to find jobs. Unfortunately, even with a clean record it is still difficult for black men to find jobs since, “the job market in America regards black men who have never been criminals as though they were” (Coates). Coates draws parallels between incarceration and slavery, but also provides explanation as to why minorities find themselves with certain unequal and employment
McWhorter’s article revolves around a Dream; a more specified version of a dream than Dr. King’s Dream that inspired the Civil Rights Revolution in the 1960’s. After stating that “white America will somehow wake up and understand that racism makes black America’s problems insurmountable,” and how it qualifies as more of a fantasy than a dream; he refers
Blacks allow the whites to deny the atrocities of slavery on their race, and others besides. This is a point that I disagree on, both sides of the conflict know what has occurred in the past, it isn’t as convoluted as Milles seems to portray in his paper. Milles says that facts get lost pertaining to interests of different groups, but hard facts such as Belgium was invaded by Germany on August 4th, 1914 cannot be disputed. As are the fact that blacks were treated less than humans by the whites cannot be argued against, with many examples in history supporting this fact. Furthermore, since both sides know the situation in their hearts and minds, the best thing to do is not to dwell on the past, but to figure out a road map for the future generations to come where this sort of oppression of a race does not occur. It isn’t an entanglement of denial that should be sought as listed by Milles but an absolute acceptance of the
In “The Case for Reparations,” Ta-Nehisi Coates sets out a powerful argument for reparations to blacks for having to thrive through horrific inequity, including slavery, Jim Crowism, Northern violence and racist housing policies. By erecting a slave society, America erected the economic foundation for its great experiment in democracy. And Reparations would mean a revolution of the American consciousness, reconciling of our self-image as the great democratizer with the facts of our history. Paying such a moral debt is such a great matter of justice served rightfully to those who were suppressed from the fundamental roles, white supremacy played in American history.
In contrast the African American group of people have already been given some reparations from the government. The descendants of the slaves here in America are showered with government aid David Horowitz states that “trillions of dollars in transfer payments have been made to African-Americans in the form of welfare benefits and racial preferences in contracts, job placements and educational admissions”. Since the 60’s, acts and bills have been passed to return justice to the African-American community. For example the passing of the Civil Rights Act presented by President Lyndon B. Johnson. banned the discrimination of race. In addition, Horowitz asks “if trillion-dollar restitutions and the rewriting of American law is not enough to achieve healing, what is?”. Meaning the government has worked to better the social lives of African-Americans as well as economically. Though, the African-American people have already been given some restitution for being victims to the system of slavery, not enough has been
Reparations Although the talk of reparations of slavery has been in discussion for over a hundred years, it is beginning to heat up again. Within these discussions, the issue of the form of reparations has been evaluated and money has been an option several times. However, reparations in the form of money should not be obtained for several reasons. Firstly, it is not a solution to the problem, secondly monetary reparations have the ability to worsen discrimination, thirdly, who gets paid, and how is it regulated, and lastly, the money can be misused.
Coates is tells his son about achieving The American Dream, the difficulties he seen and experienced due to racism, and unfair/injustice ways. His book shows how racism makes The American Dream difficult to achieve, how the environment we live in affects us and how the roots of black people has an impact on our lives today.
Imagine you’re young, and alone. If your family was taken from you and suffered horribly for your freedom, would you want to be repaid in some form? In the article “The Case for Reparations” Ta-Nehisi Coates discusses a great deal of information about reparations, and if they should be given. Reparations are when a person or people make amends for the wrong they have done. Ta-Nehisi believes that from two hundred years of slavery, ninety years of Jim Crow laws, sixty years of separate but equal, and thirty five years of racist housing policy, that America is shackled.