Black Politicians Oppose “Reparations” Disclaimer In Slavery Apology

By News One June 24, 2009 9:47 am

From BlackAmericaWeb

Several members of the Congressional Black Caucus have expressed concerns about a disclaimer that states that “nothing in this resolution authorizes or supports any claim against the United States; or serves as a settlement of any claim against the United States.’

The CBC members think that the disclaimer is an attempt to stave off reparations claims from the descendants of slaves. Congressional Black Caucus Chair Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) said her organization is studying the language of Harkin’s resolution.

Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss) said, “Putting in a disclaimer takes away from the meaning of an apology. A number of us are prepared to vote against it in its present form. There are several members of the Progressive Caucus who feel the same way.”

Read The Whole Story

Share with friends!
  • BlackPlanet
  • TwitThis
  • Facebook
  • E-mail this story to a friend!

Comments

6

% %

You must be logged in to post a comment.
  • 6-24-2009 12:59 pm

    Does this “apology” also acknowledge the first slaves here, the first nations better known as the American Indian–and [what about] slavery to Blacks and the Native people (Taino and Caribs) of the Caribbean Islands and South America? With this apology, what does the government plan to do as “payback” to those families? Also, the government should readily go to the reservations and save the Native people from poor health, alcohol and other abuses [such as] AIDS; they were enslaved first on their own land (especially after they mixed with the Blacks and the government passed unfair laws that dealt with that issue). Prejudice and racism still remain today within the Blacks and Native people because of what the government did to people of color. If they acknowledge “slavery,” then acknowledge all that slavery did in all the different levels.

    –Stephen Wilson

  • 6-24-2009 12:57 pm

    Congress apologizes for slavery? And so what does this mean? As far as I am concern, this is another “stoke” Black folk on the shoulder deal. Give me a break already! You can apologize all day and night. But if your behavior has not changed, what is the point? Give up the wealth you stole off of the back of Black labor and the continued suffering (mental) that has been nearly embedded in the genes of Black folk. Yes, we are “recovering”; we have the money, fame, etc. But the bottom line is: In the mind of Black folk, there is still that I-am-not-really-in-charge thought. The residue remains and is clearly evident in that we have “merged” our culture, values, morals and more with the surrounding communities without having established who we are and what we are among ourselves. The richness of what the pure Black race “could have been” is long lost and gone.
    –Pat Barrow

    Click here to read “How Does Slavery Benefit White People Today?”

  • 6-24-2009 12:54 pm

    Thompson and other Black Caucus members noted that a 1988 apology issued to the Japanese-Americans held in U.S. camps during World War II had no disclaimer and didn’t prevent them from receiving compensation.

  • 6-24-2009 12:25 pm

    but yea haha I totally agree with MrLeanMuscle

  • 6-24-2009 12:22 pm

    its amazing how only in america people trip about stuff like this…but there were twice the amounts of slave brought down to south america….I always go to brazil, and you don’t see them tripping about stuff like this instead they embrace their history and culture and express themselves in artistic ways, they hole no grudges, especially for something never been through…..I personally believe that the United States doesn’t owe blacks an apology because it isn’t black vs. white and it hasn’t been for a while now….if people want apologies then the apologies should go out to every minority, every majority, every woman, everybody lol….the reason why Obama won was not just to give the blacks hope, but to also shed lights on all minorities and maybe touch whites also

  • 6-24-2009 10:42 am

    Everything doesn’t happen in life on your terms! It is ia life lesson, that some people are having a hard time understanding.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT