Reparations Means DC Residents should Keep Their Eyes Open and Open Their Mouths

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It is indeed strange to see a city that's majority Black have the heads of most departments be White. One thing comes to mind: the plantation. On the plantation there was a majority Black population headed by a White minority. Yet, despite the numbers the Blacks never opened their mouths.

Yes, we have a Black mayor. But, what if he was put in power by the White people? What if he was just a face on an ulterior agenda? What if these White appointees were thank yous to the true power - the White folk behind the Black face? What if we're being hoodwinked, bamboozled, run a muck? Will we wait until it's too late?

Reparations means that we must speak up and speak out before it is too late. We cannot wait until they move us all to PG County and make way for the young White folks intended to be the new face of the District. If we wait, it will be too late. And, if we wait we have forfeited our right to complain.

Are we saying there are no competent Black people to do the job? With all the "progress" that is being claimed to be made, we know there are Black people - even young Black people - who have similar and better qualifications that those White people being appointed as our overseers.

Now, I'm not saying that White people are not to be hired. It's just that if I were White, and elected mayor of Elkton, Maryland, I would not bring in a young Black female police chief. I would not have my public safety officials be Black. I might hire some Black people, however they would be few - at most, in proportion to their representation in the community.

But, the policy of Affirmative Action dictates that fairness only applies to the minority (in the District that's White people), to the detriment of the majority (in the District that's Black people). Reparations means that we demand control of our community; it dictates that we must not allow the Government to push us out of our community. Reparations demands that we remain active participants in the shaping of the Government that we chose. Repair our nation...change your thinking. Get your Reparations!

Reparations and Barak Obama

Ok...it was a bit disturbing around the time of the commemoration of Bloody Sunday. Hilary Clinton and Barak Obama were both on hand and gave speeches at separate churches. Hilary's speech - lackluster; Obama's speech - rousing as usual (that's not bias - even though it is - that's a fact...everyone knows Hilary's not a rousing speaker.) None of that was disturbing.

What was disturbing was the interview with Rep. John Lewis of Atlanta, GA. I found it quite amazing to watch and listen to him say how torn he was over who he should support - Hilary or Obama. Here's what makes it amazing - especially on the anniversary of Bloody Sunday. Congressman Lewis was at the original Bloody Sunday. (He's the one in the foreground, on his knees, with a billy club coming towards his head.) He endured this beating so that people who look like us - and ultimately himself - might have a say in American life...hence he's a US Congressman. So - to beg the question - how does one go from enduring a beating so that Black people in this country could one day hold the highest office in the land, to being torn on whether or not to support the first Black man who actually has a chance?

We - as a people - are idiots! I'm so tired of hearing about how much the Black community owes the Clintons? What do we owe them, and why do we owe them? Even if he did something for the Black community, do we owe him? Is that not what a President is supposed to do? Are we now to the point where we accept mediocrity and reward people for fulfilling their job descriptions? Yet, let's look at what the Clintons did do...Rwanda? What about mandatory sentencing laws and more blacks being sent to prison than under Bush I and Regan combined? (See here) But, we want to induct him into Blacks in wax museums, and call him the first Black president because he smokes weed, plays a sax and lives in (and helped gentrify) Harlem.
Maybe he is Black - after all, he did sell "his people" out...helping them spend more time behind bars.

Yet, Rep. Lewis is "torn." And, his way of thinking represents that of countless of our people. Brother Malcolm was right: the Black man is - indeed - sickest of all, politically.

Reparations makes it a no-brainer that we ought to support Obama. Not simply because he's Black (I would not recommend supporting Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton.), but essentially because he's a reputable Black candidate who not only has a great chance to win but also has a social and political savvy that will enable him to do things of which others would be incapable.

Reparations demands that we not be fooled. Many will talk of what the Clintons have done for the Black community. Where was Senator Clinton (and her White counterparts) in 2001 and in 2005 when we needed her? When Members of Congress challenged the certification of ballots in the Presidential election, she would not join the objection so that debate could go forward. We might give her a pass in 2001 - she was just sworn in, but surely in 2005 she had clout and capital to expend. Can we really trust her to stand for us?

Now, we have to "controversy" over Obama not supporting the Congressional Black Caucus. But, how relevant is the Black Caucus? As Janet would say, what have they done for us lately? I cannot recall anything the Black Caucus has done that is worthy of support. They are nothing more than the watchdog for White Democrats. For instance, the CBC's tacit-at-best support of Kweisi Mfume didn't do much to help him against Ben Cardin. Also, the Black Caucus surely lent no support to Michael Steele. As individual politicians, yes they must be aligned with their Party. But, as the Black Caucus they are to be aligned with Black people. They have yet to prove that their agenda is for our people. It all seems to be for their Party.

Reparations dictates that we cease supporting any organization that doesn't support us. Have you seen the CBC working to better the situation in your community? If so, then you might want to support them. If not, what allegiance is there to them?

For those of us serious about Reparations, Barak Obama is the choice to make. Even if he doesn't win, his candidacy is an opportunity for us to highlight the issues of race still hindering us as a people and as a Country. And, as a people disfranchised, we ought to use every opportunity to state our case.

Reparations and the Aspiring Black Athlete

When I meet young brothers pursuing a career in sports, they're always thinking about football and/or basketball. I always try to sway them to baseball...not only because I think it the greatest game, but also that is makes the most business sense. I mean, yes you are an athlete, but you should see yourself as a business owner...the business: yourself. How many 44 year olds do you know in basketball or football? How many 48 year olds? Yet, in baseball you have Julio Franco - 48 and Roger Clemens - 44. Then, of the 44+ year olds that might be in basketball and football that I don't know about, can any of them match Clemens' one-year contract for $28,000,022.00? (on top of that sum, he won't even be playing a complete season!) Yet, we let "them" convince us that basketball and football are better choices, and we perpetrate that thinking to the youth so intent on being professional athletes. A Reparations ideology tells us that we must put ourselves in the best position to uplift ourselves. Now frankly, with the obscene contracts in professional sports even a pro-ping pong player might make a decent living! (LOL) But, if you have the ability to play baseball, then that makes the best business sense. Michael Jordan is now 44 years old, and he's one of the greatest to ever step on a court, yet I don't know if some team would pay him $28 million to step on the court for one season. As Tupac (or should I say Makaveli) said in his song (ironically) "White Man's World," "Use your brains! It ain't 'them'...it's 'us.'" Peace...

Reparations means FINALLY listening to Malcolm X

"The Black man in North America was sickest of all politically. He let the White man divide him into...a Black 'Democrat,' a Black 'Republican,'...when a ten-million Black vote bloc could be the deciding balance of power in American politics..." This is what Brother Malcolm told us in his autobiography, and what he said could not have been more timely.

I'm watching the news recently and cannot help but wonder, "where is the place for the Black man in American society?" If society is politics - which it is - then more specifically, "where is the Black man's place within the American political system?"

We - Black people - have this sickening allegiance to the Democratic Party. It does not matter what they say, whether they keep their promises, or whether they truly do anything to support our community. If it is Democratic it is right - or so we think. On the flip-side, some of us who run against the grain would like to be Republican...thinking that trying a different Party will bring us different results. Oh, how futile such hope is!

Conventional wisdom says that if all (or the vast majority) of us are Democrats, both Parties will ignore our issues. The Democrats ignore us because they see us as a guaranteed vote to which there is no need to cater. The Republicans ignore us because they know we will vote for the Democrats.

The Black community shouted for joy when the Democrats won majorities in the House and Senate after the mid-term elections. Many thought that we would now receive the benefits due to us...those benefits that the Republicans had denied us. We felt that with so many Black Democratic Congresspeople, we would be in a great position as a people and that we would benefit greatly from the gains of the Democratic Party. Yet, we should now see this hope to be vain.

Florida Rep. Alcee Hastings was the next Democrat in line on the House Intelligence Committee, and should have taken Chairmanship according to all House precedent - which is supposed to be an honored thing to Congress. Yet, he was passed over for this post (who could trust a Negro with the White man's National Security information - after all Chevrolet has already shown in their recent ad campaign that this is their Country). They will say he was passed over because he was impeached as a Federal Judge in Florida. However, he was acquitted of any wrong doing prior to impeachment. Moreover, he was recently elected to his seventh (7th) term in the US House since the impeachment. His District obviously trusts him. Everyone says he has served the House admirable (including Ms. Pelosi). Yet, he was passed over. Is there any other reason than because he is Black? Things that make you go hmmm..... Maybe Ms. Pelosi will still appoint a Black person to the Chairmanship - but maybe that is simply wishful thinking.

But wait! There's slaps in the face to go around. Those of us who felt we could jump to the other side of the fence and do better - balancing things out so as to receive a "Fair Deal" for our people should now see that that door has been slammed in our face. Recently, the Republican National Committee decided who would become the Party's Chairman to replace Ken Mehlman.

Maryland Lt. Governor and Republican Senate Candidate Michael Steele - a brother endorsed by Cathy Hughes and Russell Simmons (among others) - was in the running for the post. Having been the State Chair for Maryland, we know he has the requisite experience. Moreover, no one can deny that he ran an impeccable campaign. Many would say that he was the only bright spot for the Republican Party this election cycle. Yet, he too was passed over in favor of Senator Mel Martinez of Florida - a Cuban American, which signals that instead of fixing the domestic problems that led to the Party's demise, they will be even more active in meddling in Cuba's domestic affairs. Sen. Martinez is also a proponent of the so-called "comprehensive" immigration reform. Thus, his appointment also signifies the Party's position that fighting with the Democrats over the Hispanic vote is of greater interest than seeking the Black vote.

I ask again, "where is the place for the Black man in American politics?"

It is a shame to see how a people so gifted at adapting to an environment to ensure their survival have failed to realize that this system under which we live is beat by mastering this political system. Every grouping of people has affected change on their own behalf through a group-first political platform. Every grouping of people has been able to shape the way politics, government and the law affects themselves through realizing the strength they posses by uniting at the very foundation of their grouping's existence.

Corn farmers, dairy farmers, peanut farmers, etc. have all united to serve the farmer's - every farmer's - political agenda. Doctors and educators have both made numerous political gains because of their commitment to better policy in both health care and education respectively, which works to benefit all physicians - surgeons, dentists, pediatricians, and etc. - and all educators - teachers, principals, administrators, and etc. The National Rifle Association has been able to dictate the way policy affects gun control because they decided to unite on the basic foundation of gun ownership.

The nation's labor force has united to form one of the most powerful Political Action Committees. No policy is passed into law without the Labor Lobby's opinion. And, no policy will be passed into law if the Labor Lobby firmly objects.

Even this nation's military veterans have been able to unite, in spite of the differences and rivalries existent between divisions of the armed forces in order to shape government, politics and the law to their advantage.

Each one of these groups have used the idea of a group-first political platform so well that the government has specific agencies to address their respective needs: Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, Department of Education, Department of Justice, Department of Labor, and the Veteran's Affairs Administration. Veterans have so much political power that they have their own thrift stores, credit unions, hospitals, and etc. Through group-first politics, others have accomplished these things.

Now if the African here in North America were to realize the strength in a group (race)-first political platform, we too could make these kinds of gains for ourselves within America. Through a race-first political platform, we can and will affect change for the betterment of our people and ourselves.

Whether you be light-skinned or dark, male or female, Democrat, Republican, Green or in between; whether you are rich or poor, educated or not, integrationist, segregationist, separatist or nationalist, if we come together at the root of our existence, our African ancestry, and address politics from a race-first perspective, we will affect change that will benefit not only the African in America but also the entire African Diaspora.

You see, every nation of people in this country has either achieved or is on its way to achieving the so-called "American Dream" by recognizing the importance of nationalism, and specifically political nationalism. Every nation of people in this country has not only bettered themselves, but also those of their nation in other parts of the world through this nationalism. We are now witnessing the benefits such nationalism is having for the Hispanic community: Special Sessions of Congress, appointments of Party Bosses, extensive media exposure and etc.

Why can they and others achieve such gains and we still wallow like swine in the mud? Simple: we have failed to develop a race-first, nationalist political platform. We have placed our faith in Democrats and Republicans, rather than in God and ourselves. Our allegiance should belong to Him alone. When it does, we will have better leverage with which to guard the sheep from the wolves.

Reparations for America

By my father: Krim Menelik Ballentine

Reparations are not due ex-slaves or persons of color who were enslaved or the ancestors or such. And, Indians and Irish cannot be compared in any academic research with the degradation afforded the people of color in our America and now permeates the world. The newly created “largest minority”, so called Hispanics, is another media/political hype untrue. Hispanics are made minority by ancestry and language and African Americans are made minority because of skin color black. Do you now see the apples and orange comparison?

Descendants of slaves in America are entitled to reparations only because they were natural born citizens of these United States after 1776, in accordance with the Constitution, and were denied by white mouths, Jim Crow laws and other non-constitutional means their fundamental birthright acknowledged by the Constitution of the United States.

People of color or descendants of Africans were not made slaves in the Constitution of the United States where “We the people…” and “free men” were generic terms without gender or skin color preferential. Also, in the Constitution, white skins were not made superior or preferential. Reparations are due to persons of color because of the denial in their fundamental birthright to be the natural born or naturalized citizen of this great country of ours, the United States.

Reparations are due those persons as no other persons in the United States were denied their fundamental birthright supported by the system of governance in the United States. No other persons in the United States were denied by un-constitutional laws and the mouths of citizens who are white skinned from participating in government or living in the United States. No other persons were denied human existence in the history, the glory of wars and peace, the water fountain and transportation restrictions and walking the streets moving from the sidewalks for those of white skin and denied the ability to represent citizens in this country. Natural born people of color who met the standards and qualifications to seek the Office of the President of the United States, natural born, 35 years of age and fourteen years a resident in the United States, were denied their fundamental natural born birthright all by word of and out of white mouths, no constitutional law support.

What reparations might sooth the reputations of persons of color in our United States? Start by providing an avenue for people of color to publish and be paid to publish books so that their non-marketable stuff can catch up to the non-marketable books published and on the shelves of our libraries. Give free scholarships at all colleges for people of color who become the softer side of living: sociologist, psychologist, anthropologist, historians, artist and any person wanting a Liberal Arts degree. Finance books and other public media to redo movies, news and history to include people of color as legitimate contributors of the history of the United States.

Go and charge each state government a fee for having their government representatives to stand in the doors of schools, restaurants who denied access and sheriffs and law enforcement persons to include prosecutors who failed to prosecute laws using constitutional guidelines; and, finally, overrule Affirmative Action, Separate but equal and all the doctrines now accepted as law wherein persons of color are given certain rights above and because of their skin color as opposed to demanding enforcement of laws of all citizens, natural born and naturalized in this country.

Stop bussing our children destroying our community concept of America and burying persons into ghettos homemade. Bus in those things government owns: teachers, per capita cost per pupil, school finances to be equalized and school supplies to be distributed equally to citizens of these United States.

Last, instead of so-called “urban renewal” commence a program where one can earn this country by taking the old ghettos and destroying them and the renewal concept and give free to any natural born or naturalized citizen an amount of land to build a home on and give them five years to commence or complete their home or forfeit the land back into a landbank of sorts. Reintroduce the Homestead Act of 1867 which denied participation of natural born and or naturalized citizens skin color black. Look through the military and fix the mistakes doled out to soldiers of color in denials of awards and promotions and give them retroactively even the ones like me who had applied to be a Moslem Chaplain.

There is a way to REPAIR we must just stop thinking that it is reparations for slaves or ex-slaves or people of color and come to the realization that they are reparations for citizens of these United States who were denied opportunities in this country because of skin color and by-white-mouth laws. Fundamental endowed rights were denied human beings in a country where it is written must not happen. Enforce the Constitution of the United States not against or for people but for the United States. Now you know my rest of the story.

Again, we miss our Reparations....

Tonight I'm watching Monday Night football. (You know it's nice to see that the two best teams in the league - the Colts and the Bears - both have Black head coaches.) In the follow-up commentary on the game, the commentators began critiquing Arizona...it was a terrible loss. There is no excusing Arizona giving up a 20+ point lead.

But, what does football and this loss have to do with Reparations? The commentators began criticizing the Cardinals, and singled out Denny Green. Now, I am a firm believer that coaching bears much responsibility for a loss of this type. However, I want to look at the way the critique was played. Chris Berman started by saying, (paraphrase) we see the progress made by Luvie Smith, and Tony Dungy, and Marvin Lewis, and then we think about Denny Green...

Well true, Coaches Smith, Dungy and Lewis all have great programs and winning teams. They all took over teams that were struggling, and turned them around. But, of the 32 teams in the NFL are those coached by the aforementioned the only ones that were struggling? Why is it that only those teams with Black coaches were singled out?

A coach should be compared to his peers. He should be held to certain standards. But, why are we condemned to have White coaches with lackluster performances loom around the league (Rod Marinelli, Dick Jauron, Mike Nolan, Nick Saban). The way Chris Berman stated things, it was as though he made the judgment that bringing in some Black coaches has worked out, but that Black coaches still had a way to go.

The worst part was that Michael Irving and Tom Jackson heard this and didn't take the opportunity to point out the countless White Coaches who have had worse tenures with their teams. I'm not implying that Chris Berman even meant to slight Denny Green, however those comments don't help to alleviate the stereotypes of those who still suffer from acute cases of racism.

Again, racism call us to create teachable moments, where we uncover the vestiges of institutional racism that still plague our society - infecting the soul of our Country. Reparations is everywhere. It's not an issue of money. It's an issue of repairing the lives of a people - lives that were systematically broken. Reparations is about restoring dignity to a people. It's not about wearing a badge of victim. But, it is about using our various platforms as a chance to be vocal for those who have no voice in hopes of relieving some of their hardships. May God help us heal our wounds through steady doses of the truth.

Reparations & Creating Teachable Moments...

I sat this evening, watching Ed Bradley (of 60 Minutes on CBS) do a story on the "Duke Lacrosse Rape" case. This interview was very interesting. Not so much for what was said, but for the appearance it gave. The interview appeared as though 60 Minutes was hired by the Defense Attorneys. Ed Bradley (their Negro commentator) was used to interview those involved, and a Negro professor was also used as an "expert" of sorts - I assume to quell the race issue.

All in all, it was a smart tactic by whomever initiated the interview. However as a descendant of those subjected to American slavery and Jim Crow, another factor made this interview more interesting. What matters in my analysis is not the innocence or guilt of the parties involved, nor the truth or falsehood of the statements made. I have no way of judging guilt or innocence, truth or lies, and I will not attempt so to do. However, I will look at Mr. Bradley's role as a journalist and the squandered opportunity for us to have a bit of Reparations.

In the interview, you hear the defendants profess their innocence. You hear they lament how their whole lives are changed instantly by one accusation. You hear them speak of the tribulation this situation has caused in their lives, and the lives of their family.

I found myself understanding such a plight. And if these claims prove to be false, then indeed a great injustice has occurred and much damage done to the reputation of these young men. Yet, in hearing their story I found myself asking, how many of our African brothers and sisters (both deceased and living) have been faced with such a plight? I myself can remember police bulletins looking for a Black male between 5'8" and 6' tall weighing 185 lbs, wearing dark clothing. How many of us have been wrongfully accused and convicted - picked from a lineup simply because of our skin color?

They picture the Prosecutor as someone manipulating a racial situation for his own political gain. How many times have our people been victimized by the system in order to appease the sentiments of the majority?

Now I'm not asking or hoping that anyone be victimized. Victimizing someone cannot serve as Reparations for the victimization faced by our people. Yet, creating a teachable moment would have gone far in repairing the damage done.

Reparations calls for us to create teachable moments. We ought to use every opportunity to open the eyes of others that they might better understand the hardships faced by our people. Ed Bradley could have ended the interview by giving the nation some perspective. The mainstream "White American" society can empathize with these young men. It is easy to see them as victims.

Yet, when the tables are turned and young Black men are sitting in the same seat as these White men are, society at large quickly dismisses any possibility of wrongful accusation. This case is a perfect opportunity for America to be educated on racism. This is a perfect opportunity for our Country to gain further understanding of our various struggles.

We are in this Country together. For us to coexist, we must understand each other. Part of gaining our Reparations involves creating teachable moments, where we educate the society-at-large of the various nuances of being Black in America.

Our journalists have to use the platforms given to them for the benefit of us all. God gives us nothing for our own gain. But, we are given blessings that we ourselves might bless others. So let us strive to not miss opportunities to promote healing.