Reparations Means Fighting for our Human Rights

Today many bloggers are uniting for human rights. The idea is that bloggers would be ablet o use their platform to push for human rights. I agree wholeheartedly.

Reparations means fighting for human rights. And, there are myriad human rights crises faced by the Global Black Community. The growing - systemic - disparities between Black and White in America; the marginalization of Afro-Latinos in South America (yes, there are African people there...many more than are here in the US); and of course the problems in Caribbean nations like Haiti and African nations like Sudan.

We all could rattle off a list of numerous struggles for human dignity in the African World. But, let us rather discuss why reparations means fighting for human rights. We must know: no one really cares about the struggles of our people.

The powers that be allowed the Rwanda Genocide to happen. They aided the turmoil in Haiti. They assisted rancor in Latin America. They funded diamond wars on the Continent. When it becomes politically expedient, they become magnanimous and oust the tyrannical regimes they once sponsored...then the cycle continues, under new tyrants.

Reparations means fighting for human rights because we will be the only ones to push for the protection of our people. And, they may not be the glamorous issues of the day. But, we must be the ones who keep our issues on the agenda. We cannot allow Darfur to fall off the radar. We cannot allow Haiti to fall off the radar. We must be the ones to hold up our people before those powers that be and demand that something be done.

We are the ones who must begin to develop our own strategies for supporting the human rights struggles of our people. We do not need to wait for Western Powers to "gain religion." We have the tools and the means by which we can develop our own initiatives to end strife. We need to develop our own mediating bodies...to strengthen the African Union and CARICOM...to increase our participation at the Organization of American States.

These struggles drag on because we are not engaged. These struggles can be overcome only as we become more engaged. If we are to see our reparations, it will be for us to manifest. And, we can make it a reality if we are willing to do the work. Let's get organized!

Come and Get Your Reparations!