Reparations: The Mission

Reparations: The Blog is a publication for the Negro woman and man, for the downtrodden, disfranchised and dispossessed of society. The purpose of this publication is to show the Negro how to get his or her Reparations. From a race-first, Pan-Africanist perspective, when we say Reparations, we speak of much more than a check.

When we speak of Reparations, we are speaking of Self-Reliance. We believe that a check from the government (or some other handout) is only a very small - negligible - fraction of the issue, a fraction that is not necessary for forward movement.

Greater is the need to seize economic control of our communities, as we Negroes here in America spend more money than any of the other so-called "minority groups," we just lack the self-reliant, national commitment to take advantage of the situation. A check from the government would serve as deception, becouse without the economic base we will return the money straight to the mainstream economy, with no benefit to our community.

It is more important that we organize ourselves politically, because political strength can create a buffer zone, allowing for the development of a strong economic base, a base that will allow us to rid ourselves of unemployment, poor education, poor health care and poverty. This will in turn allow us to rid ourselves of the problems, which lead to crime, violence and drugs. By forming a strong political vessel, a race first Pan-African political group, we are guaranteed to meet our own needs, namely control over our economic situation.

That is Reparations - doing for self. Reparations is about us as Negro people standing on our own, with no one but ourselves, realizing that no true help or assistance is going to come from those external to our communities. Reparations is about repairing our minds - conditioning minds to acknowledge the fact that we are strong enough to help ourselves.

This publication is written with that spirit. Reparations: The Blog will address the repair of our people mentally, physically and spiritually. It will address Nationalism, the need for it and the benefits of such ideology, thus dispelling the negative connotation thrust upon it by either those who fail to understand it, or by those who wish to continue misleading the people. Reparations: The Blog is about solutions. Come and get your Reparations: The Blog!!!

Reparations: In Defense of Our Legacy

Some would say, "what does immigration have to do with Reparations?"

Good question. Answer: one should have nothing to do with the other. But, those debating the issue want to drag us into it.

Why is it that I hear people comparing the immigration debate to the Civil Rights Movement. Some Illegal Alien activist had the audacity to say they are preparing for their Selma and their Montgomery!

I say, if they want to prepare for such a struggle go right ahead. But, there is nothing that will happen to them that can be compared to the Civil Rights Movement. When they had their demonstrations a few weeks ago, there was no fire department hosing them down; no police dogs attacked them; and, while bigots probably were visible, no one was lynched, tarred and feathered or otherwise abused.

I say to those organizing for the rights of Illegal Aliens: "DO NOT compare this to the Civil Rights Movement!" And, "hands off our legacy!" The blood, sweat and tears that our ancestors laid out for our rights must not be mocked. Are you saying that African people came to this Country illegally? (We might have been brought here illegally...no wait - we were brought here legally, just immorally!) Are you saying that the struggles of those who were brought here as cattle compare to those who willingly come to this Country? Do the hardships of a life that we didn't seek compare to the hardships faced by those looking for them?

There is no comparison to be made here. The Civil Rights Movement is off limits for you. Please, this is not about racism or bigotry. This is about Reparations and defending our legacy.

For someone to draw comparison between the two struggles either shows a lack of respect for our struggle, or an ignorance of our struggle. I believe that the Negro voice is the only valid voice on this debate - well, maybe us and the Native American. America is a land of immigrants (except again for the Natives), and only the Negro came here not seeking freedom and opportunity. We did not come to America seeking a better way of life. Nor were we seeking to escape the tyranny of our homeland. We were brought here to build freedom and opportunity for others.

But, I am not about to say that we would have been better off in Africa - having never been brought to America, for all is under the providence of a Loving God. I say to our brothers in humankind what Joseph said to his brothers, "As far as I am concerned, God turned into good what you meant for evil. He brought me to the high position I have today so I could save the lives of many people."

So in that spirit, I submit the key to solving the immigration problem - it is a problem. The key is our foreign policy. The vast majority comes to America - legally and illegally - in pursuit of a better life; this is the same reason that most Europeans came to this Country. As President Bush said, the risk their lives in pursuit of wages that Americans wouldn't (frankly shouldn't) accept.

But, why do they flock to this Country? Certainly it's not to get a rise out of Americans. They come to this Country because of their poverty. And, the road to prosperity leads to America. We should be humbled by what God has given us. As it is written, to whom much is given much shall be required. It is not for us to hoard the blessings we've received, but to share them with our neighbors.

No one's saying to give them a hand-out, hooking the entire hemisphere on that dependency-building drug: welfare. But, we ought to work with these countries to truly develop their own plan for prosperity - the same opportunity for prosperity afforded to Americans. So long as people believe that only Americans are endowed with inalienable rights, people will flock our borders to become American.

Now, please leave our struggle out of your debate! Don't disturb my focus...the focus is Reparations: defending our hard won legacy from being watered down by trifles, which could be solved rather easily. Reparations will not allow Negroes to be a springboard for everyone to step on us on their way to inclusion. Reparations dictates that we provide others with solutions for their problems while protecting the integrity of our situation - believing always in the Brotherhood of man and the Fatherhood of God. Everyone could use some Reparations - come and get yours!

Reparations is not throwing stones....

It is said, "if you live in a glass house, don't throw stones." Yet, we continuously launch them at the establishment, although we have no platform on which to stand. Last night, I watched Al Sharpton on Sharp Talk. He led a discussion on Hurricane Katrina, her aftermath and the Government response. Like the good guard dogs that we are, we bark up the tree at Republicans, lick the feet of Democrats and receive nothing substantial from either.

Again, we need to understand Reparations...what it is, and what it is not. Reparations is about seizing opportunities, not waiting for them to be handed to us on a silver platter. We witness all the opportunities for economic prosperity unfolding in New Orleans. We witness the opportunity to build a city that meets the needs of our people. We witness the opportunity to seize political control of a city that means a great deal to the Country economically. Yet, instead of seizing the opportunity, we're waiting for someone to open the door for us.

We're upset because the majority of the contracts are going to white firms. We're upset because Mayor Nagin sought "right-wing" support. We're upset because the Government is not providing the people with a means by which to return to the city. Like Jay-Z's old parody, "the Mad Rapper," we are "Mad Citizens;" wasting time crying to the Ref about the last foul while the game is still being played. I like that "Mad Rapper" parody. What Jay was saying is that while everyone else complains about the game and how it's being played, he was going to focus on out-playing everyone. And, he has. As a present day Kennedy-type, he took his hustle to a higher level, ignoring unfairness and outsmarting the opposition. Who says you can't learn anything positive from a rapper?

We have to play the game better. We have to outsmart the opposition. In the scheme of things, who cares about what they didn't do in assisting the Katrina victims? What's more important is what we're going to do now. Don't get me wrong: having been through two hurricanes - one a 4, the other a 5 - I can completely empathize and sympathize with those who suffered Katrina. We in the United States Virgin Islands were without power for SIX (6) months! We were without telephone for about a YEAR! And in a small territory where there is very limited television (one local station), we were without cable for more than one year! Two and three years after the storm, people were still waiting for FEMA to send the money to fix their roofs. Two and three years later, our islands were still full of homes covered with blue FEMA tarp. So, believe me, we in the Virgin Islands understand.

But, once we understand what is our response? History should tell us that the Government isn't going to respond effectively. And, that's not a Democrat/Republican thing. That's a Government/Citizen thing. We must take charge of our destiny. The Declaration of Independence states that God endowed us with inalienable rights. It is we, ourselves, who are to pursue those rights. It is not the Government's duty to secure those rights for us. Nor, should we want the Government to do so. Do you really want the Government telling you how to be free?

Reparations says that WE lay claim to New Orleans. We ought to ensure that the 75% of New Orleaneans (Negro) are able to vote and have a 75% stake in the rebuilding of that city. We should be mad at the Congressional Black Caucus. Instead of holding the Government accountable for the future, they're busy trying to hold them accountable for the past. Meanwhile, the future is running away from us, and we're being shut out of the process.

Don't be hoodwinked! Don't be bamboozled! Reparations will not allow us to think as Democrats or Republicans, but as Negro people. We have joined the Democrats in blasting the Republicans over the response to Katrina. The Democrats are expecting us to vote Democratic in '06 and '08 (as usual) because of the "Republican response." But, has any Democrat given us a plan for what they will do to ensure that we receive that 75% stake in the rebuilding of New Orleans? They state how the response was inept. They talk about what they would have done differently, and if something like this happens again.

Why are we worrying about "if something like this happens again?" Christ tell us, let tomorrow worry about itself, and that today's worries are enough. Only God knows if we will face this type of destruction again. We do know, however, that we have to rebuild. We do know that we are being excluded from the rebuilding process. We do know that hundreds of thousands of New Orleaneans have been displaced, with no means of return and no reason to return. We do know that the dynamic of the city is changing as we speak; the game is still being played, while we cry foul to the Ref from what happened in the second quarter.

Reparations dictates that we find a way to make every situation work for us. How do we ensure that "New Orleans will be chocolate again?" How do we ensure that it is not only chocolate, but mint chocolate: brown with a strong base of green? Has a high-level Democrat pushed a program to do this? Has a high-level Republican done so? Until then, pledge no allegiance to neither...Get your Reparations!