The Realness: Reparations

It has become the new mass movement, grabbing the attention of the masses. But, how much do we really know about Reparations? Left to politrictians, the Mess Media, the "Black Bourgeoisie," and the Weekend Warriors, the issue is made into some kind of "get rich quick scheme." The vast majority is focusing solely on lawsuits and ways to acquire more government funds, not at the root of the issue.

The root of Reparations is REPAIR, or to fix. So, if we want our Reparations, we want to be fixed. Not speaking from a nationalist perspective on Reparations is paramount to wishing to be fixed by someone other than ourselves. Our perspectives have been skewed to the point that we are on the verge of launching another "we shall overcome" type movement, organizing more marches and looking for additional government handouts.

While I do agree that they owe us a debt for our "service," as well as for the lasting affects of slavery and colonialism, I do not feel that the money is necessary; it would be nice, but not necessary. We have our own money. And, if we focused that money on building for our communities, we would have our Reparations.

But, we don't want to develop; all we want to do is meet. Every week we have "great meetings," and go home satisfied, although we've accomplished nothing. Where's the action? What do all of these meetings accomplish?

To many within our communities, Reparations seems like some kind of foreign issues because we have not shown the community how it applies at the "here and now" level. We must bring the issue of Reparations to the masses, and show them how it applies everyday. You see Reparations is an issue of self-sufficiency, not of finding some new crutch to help us off our decrepit butts. If we want to have Reparations, we must repair ourselves.

I’d like to close this message to you with the very real words of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie the First, as he speaks on self-sufficiency:

The people themselves must come to realize their own difficulties in the development of their community and try to solve them by collective participation following an order or priority and taking their potentiality into account. It is well known to you all that recognizing one’s problems and striving hard to challenge them is a mark of an attempt at self-sufficiency. Self-help in the benefits to be acquired through education will save the individual from asking someone’s assistance.