NO ON REPARATIONS
Opportunities, Not Cash
Why It’s Wrong
The definition of reparations clearly shows one key problem with reparations to present-day Blacks. “The making of amends for a wrong one has done, by paying money to or otherwise helping those who have been wronged.” Since none of those demanding reparations were slaves, they do not qualify for reparations, any more than grandchildren of victims of the Nazis qualify. Yes, life may present struggles you wouldn’t have if your ancestors had not been killed/enslaved/challenged, but all of us face difficulties based on family origin/genetics and/or personal attributes.
And who pays? My family didn’t arrive in America till long after slavery ended. Many ancestors fought against slavery. Do they owe payment? Who deserves payment? Wealthy Black families like Oprah or the Obamas? How do we track who is really descended from slaves and whether it makes sense to offer reparations?
Money is not a fix. Anyone reading the stories of lottery winners or heirs suddenly presented with a great deal of money knows that almost every time, the money disappears quickly, with little change in life circumstances. You may buy “things,” but you don’t can’t buy happiness or success.
But We Want to Do Something
It’s natural to feel uncomfortable about aspects of the early days of America. Those feelings make us want to do something to “make it better.” But as we consider those thoughts, we need to look more broadly, as well as more carefully. Many people start out disadvantaged, whether it is because of being born in poverty, born with a disability, simply not that smart, or other challenges. This group does include Blacks, as well as every race, creed, color, sexual identification, etc. What each of those disadvantaged individuals need is “opportunity.” Simply being a certain race is not by itself a disadvantage; if it were, people wouldn’t pretend to be Black to secure a job. And we would never have elevated Blacks to positions such as Supreme Court Justice or President.
We cannot assure outcomes. I love to sing, but no one can give me a career in singing. Your 4’8” frame may dream of a basketball career, but it makes no sense for you to compete against 7’ tall pros. We can’t make a dream come true, but we can take steps to improve opportunities for those who start a step behind.
What Would That Look Like
Every child deserves a quality education, which is why we as taxpayers are willing to underwrite it. However, as we all know now, public schools aren’t created equal and many kids are served poorly by them. Equalize opportunity by giving parents a voucher to apply to the educational modality they prefer. Start early.
Offer additional help as the child grows. If you’re in a family that has little money or can’t manage it well, you need some financial education, starting with saving money and budgeting. Bring back Home Economics and Shop to schools, allowing children to learn how to cook and how to fix things around the home. Sex education should also include the benefits of two-parent, adult households before bringing children into the equation (substantiated in numerous studies). Look out for children who struggle with self-esteem issues and get them coaching. Early intervention can lead to better outcomes.
There are many other options to consider, but if we invest, this is how we should invest. Not by race, but by determining who is being left behind, regardless of how they look.
As for outcomes, life throws curveballs at us all. At the end of the day, what matters isn’t what happens to us, but how we cope with it. The quote below is from a concentration camp survivor. If Frankl can find a way to survive by how he views a situation, so can we all.
"When we are no longer able to change a situation - we are challenged to change ourselves." – Viktor Frankl
