Obama says 'white resistance and resentment' stopped him from pushing for reparations

[Larniavc]

Obama says 'white resistance and resentment' stopped him from pushing for reparations
"So if you ask me theoretically: 'Are reparations justified?' The answer is yes," he said. "There's not much question that the wealth of this country, the power of this country was built in significant part — not exclusively, maybe not even the majority of it — but a large portion of it was built on the backs of slaves."

But, he said, pushing for that type of economic support for Black Americans, including descendants of slaves, during his presidency likely would have been unsuccessful.

"What I saw during my presidency was the the politics of white resistance and resentment, the talk of welfare queens and the talk of the undeserving poor and the backlash against affirmative action," Obama said on the podcast. "All that made the prospect of actually proposing any kind of coherent, meaningful reparations program struck me as, politically, not only a non-starter but potentially counter-productive."

Sooooooo.......Comments/Thoughts

Yeah, I can totally hear where he is coming from. There are a LOT of salty poor white folks in America who won’t countenance blacks folks getting reparations.

What a society.

 

[civilwarbuff]

There are a LOT of salty poor white folks in America who won’t countenance blacks folks getting reparations.

You mean because they had nothing to do with it? Then count me in; I will stand with those salty poor white folks who refuse to pay for something I had nothing to with.....but please if assuage your 'white guilt' feel free to start writing checks to pay your 'fair' share.

 

[SummerMadness]

Actually it is not (though you are trying very hard to make it so). Try reading the OP again in case you have forgotten what this thread is about.

The work is about more broadly addressing systemic racism, not just about giving cash to descendants of slaves.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said last week that President Joe Biden supports a study on whether descendants of formerly enslaved people should receive reparations, The Hill reports.

"I believe that's what's being discussed and studying the continuing impacts of slavery, which is being discussed in this hearing on H.R. 40, and he continues to demonstrate his commitment to take comprehensive action to address this systemic racism that persists today"

 

[iluvatar5150]

If a large part of American wealth was built on the backs of slaves, why was the South the poorest part of the country during that time? The reality is, only 10% of the rich whites owned slaves, the 90% who had to work for a living were hurt by slavery because they couldn’t compete with the free labor slaves provided.

Those folks at the top still had a lot of wealth. That they kept it to themselves doesn't mean that the statement isn't true.

 

[Ken-1122]

The work is about more broadly addressing systemic racism, not just about giving cash to descendants of slaves.

How about addressing racism without giving cash to descendants of slaves; try that and everybody will agree.

 

[Ken-1122]

Those folks at the top still had a lot of wealth. That they kept it to themselves doesn't mean that the statement isn't true.

I will agree much of the wealth of the South during that time was built off the backs of the slaves, but that’s not what he said. When you compare the amount of wealth from those Southern states and compare it to the vast amount of wealth from the other states that were taking advantage of the industrial revolution during that time; (something the south didn’t participate in due to their focus on slavery) it is unfair to claim the entire nation’s wealth was built on the backs of slaves.

 

[Ken-1122]

You are assuming that people actually know history when they try to discuss it.....

Guilty as charged.

 

[iluvatar5150]

I will agree much of the wealth of the South during that time was built off the backs of the slaves, but that’s not what he said. When you compare the amount of wealth from those Southern states and compare it to the vast amount of wealth from the other states that were taking advantage of the industrial revolution during that time; (something the south didn’t participate in due to their focus on slavery) it is unfair to claim the entire nation’s wealth was built on the backs of slaves.

I guess it's a good thing then that that's not what he said:

There's not much question that the wealth of this country, the power of this country was built in significant part — not exclusively, maybe not even the majority of it — but a large portion of it was built on the backs of slaves.

 

[Ana the Ist]

They didn’t. When the Dahomey kingdom captured people to sell for slave trade, they were capturing rival tribes, not citizens of the Dahomey; even though they all shared the same skin color. Sorta like when Hitler went to war with Poland and put all those Jews in concentration camps, he didn't do this to his own people (fellow Germans) he did it to rival countries even though they all shared the same skin color

That's a bit beside the point.

The point is they already practiced slavery. It wasn't new to the continent of Africa.

 

[SummerMadness]

Doesn't matter, they were German Jews......

Yes it does, you are singling out Africans as doing something to their own people, a standard not applied to other continents. I have yet to hear anyone refer to the numerous European wars as killing their own people. Do you refer to the American Revolution as the a group of people killing their own to form a new country? You don't.

The whole "selling their own people" line is meant to ignore the racism of American slavery in order to deflect from the racial basis of the institution (from the American viewpoint) and the racist systems that followed the abolition of slavery. Nonetheless, this approach is racist because it treats the continent of Africa as a single country of one type of people, failing to recognize that is has the same diversity and nuances of Europeans (it could be argued that is far more diverse and nuanced culturally, ethnically, and biologically). It brings to mind that when it comes to another skin color, all those people are defined by their skin color alone, forget that they have the same level of diversity and differentiation seen in Europe.

 

[civilwarbuff]

The work is about more broadly addressing systemic racism,

Actually it is not but you are attempting to make it about racism in the US as opposed to the more broad measure of slavery. As i said re-read the OP.....this is about Obama's statement not the drivel that the Biden administration let's out. So please at least attempt to stay on topic or, better yet, go start your own thread about 'systemic racism' (whatever that is).

 

[civilwarbuff]

How about addressing racism without giving cash to descendants of slaves; try that and everybody will agree.

Actually not a bad idea......

 

[civilwarbuff]

I will agree much of the wealth of the South during that time was built off the backs of the slaves,

That's true; and what is also true is most of it was lost during the Civil War and the recovery of the South did not truly take place until after WWII, 70 years after the CS ended. As Lincoln said in his 2nd inaugural address:
"Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword as was said three thousand years ago so still it must be said 'the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.'
And so it came to pass......

 

[civilwarbuff]

Yes it does, you are singling out Africans as doing something to their own people, a standard not applied to other continents. I have yet to hear anyone refer to the numerous European wars as killing their own people. Do you refer to the American Revolution as the a group of people killing their own to form a new country? You don't.

Of course I do. The English monarchy was closely related to the German monarchy: the Hapsburgs. Absolutely they were killing their own people. Rebels vs Loyalists during the American Revolution often were neighbors who fought each other on battlefields. And the CW was referred to as a war of brother against brother......as it often entailed just that. If you want to talk about history learn about it first and don't speak from lack of knowledge.

The whole "selling their own people" line is meant to ignore the racism of American slavery in order to deflect from the racial basis of the institution (from the American viewpoint) and the racist systems that followed the abolition of slavery.

Sorry that that phrase offends you but that offense does not make it any less true.

Nonetheless, this approach is racist because it treats the continent of Africa as a single country of one type of people, failing to recognize that is has the same diversity and nuances of Europeans (it could be argued that is far more diverse and nuanced culturally, ethnically, and biologically).

But we are not talking about 'all' of Africa. The slaves that arrived in the 'new world' primarily came from the north-west and central west areas of Africa. These areas were easily accessable to the Muslim who dominated the slave trade.
What part of Africa did most enslaved people come from?

It brings to mind that when it comes to another skin color, all those people are defined by their skin color alone,

That sounds like someone I am holding a conversation with.......

 

[rjs330]

Really? Last time I discussed it with you, I thought we agreed in practicality....it's impossible.

Then you took a position of a sort of racially targeted welfare.

Then I pointed out statistics showing that wouldn't work in principle....since black people already disproportionately claim the benefits of welfare.

Then if I recall...you stopped replying.

When a 2nd generation immigrant can come here and do better than the average....the idea that racism is a good explanation for anything seems silly.

There's also the fact that blacks from other countries come here and do better than blacks in our own country.

 

[rjs330]

You mean because they had nothing to do with it? Then count me in; I will stand with those salty poor white folks who refuse to pay for something I had nothing to with.....but please if assuage your 'white guilt' feel free to start writing checks to pay your 'fair' share.

You know that's a good point. I think whites with white guilt should start writing their own checks to blacks. Just go start handing them money. Or send checks to support black owned businesses. I don't feel guilt at all for what happened. I had nothing to do with it. And since all countries of the world enslaved others including blacks enslaving blacks then I have nothing to feel guilty for!

It's totally unjust to make the grand children pay for the sins of the grandparents.

 

[Ken-1122]

That's a bit beside the point.

The point is they already practiced slavery. It wasn't new to the continent of Africa.

The question was asked; how could they enslave their own people! I responded that they did not enslave their own people. The fact that slavery already existed in Africa had nothing to do with the question I responded to

 

[Ana the Ist]

The question was asked; how could they enslave their own people! I responded that they did not enslave their own people. The fact that slavery already existed in Africa had nothing to do with the question I responded to

Right...which is also why it's bizarre to look at "white people" as a single organized cohesive racial group.

Back then, they didn't see themselves that way either.

 

[civilwarbuff]

The NAZI did not see the Jewish people as their own people.

According to the census of June 1933, the Jewish population of Germany consisted of about 500,000 people.
Eighty percent of the Jews in Germany (about 400,000 people) held German citizenship. The remainder were mostly Jews of Polish citizenship, many of whom were born in Germany and who had permanent resident status in Germany.
Jews in Prewar Germany

 

[Erik Nelson]

"Reparations or death" says MSM:

Reparations for slavery could have reduced Covid-19 transmission and deaths in the US, Harvard study says