I think you are trying to draw to direct a line between the discrimination and who contributed to the discrimination and the recipients and contributors of reparations. We are not talking about damages we are talking about reparations. One segment of society acknowledging that they benefited from discrimination in at least a very general way and making amends in the form of reparations to the segment of society that was harmed by the discrimination. Very few rich white families did not benefit in some way from discrimination whether is was job opportunities, educational opportunities, better housing, cheaper goods and services or better service. Even poor white families mostly saw some benefit as well. Only the Rich are in a position to make reparations. The poor and middle class are under so much economic stress that they can’t make more than a token contribution.

All that said I am not sure that reparations would be a good idea. I was just trying to correct the idea that reparations would only be for slavery. Reparations would be for all the racial discrimination that has occurred on this Continent since Europeans started settling here. Blacks should not be the only recipients of reparations.

Ta-Nehisi Coates covered a lot of my reservations in the interview. One time cash payments might sort of provide absolution for white guilt but I would do very little to level the racial divide. Affirmative action seems to have shown that racial preference in education and employment can be as damaging as they are helpful. Maybe modest monthly checks to all racially disadvantaged persons including those not even born yet with payments to continue until the demographic data shows no racial inequity. If prejudice and discrimination are responsible for racial inequity then maybe prejudice and discrimination are responsible for sexist inequity and maybe women and girls deserve modest monthly checks as well until the wage gap is closed.

This is not unprecedented those with disability often are given payments to cover the gap between what they can earn and what they need. Don’t get me wrong on this I don’t consider being black or female a disability, just a disadvantage.

I expect that something like this would end up being consider inadequate and would have many perverse incentives and unintended consequences so while I mentioned this idea, I do not advocated for its adoption. It is just something to think about.

TEK