January 28th 2024.
A recent poll conducted by the Washington Post in spring 2023 revealed that only 14% of Black respondents believe that reparations will be granted in their lifetime. This is despite 75% of them acknowledging that America has a responsibility to address the issue. The lack of belief in reparations stems from the fact that little has been done to address it. However, some, like Trevor Smith, the head of the Reparations Advocacy Lab, caution that this skepticism may hinder progress. He stated in an interview with the Post, "If Black people don't believe in the possibility of reparations, then it will be difficult to garner support from other communities, including people of color and white individuals."
Smith's concerns are backed by polling numbers from California, which show that both Asian and Latinx communities, as well as white individuals, do not believe in providing reparations to Black Americans. However, Black residents like Aziza Kamara-Amimi are eager to see action taken sooner rather than later. At a meeting in California to discuss a reparations proposal, Kamara-Amimi expressed her frustration, saying, "We've been talking about this for years, and people have been fighting for this for years. Yet, all we're doing is talking and talking, and I don't see any real progress being made. What's the solution?"
In San Francisco, a task force was established to address reparations, separate from state efforts. The task force recommended a comprehensive package of incentives for Black residents, including $5 million in direct payments. Initially, San Francisco's Black Democratic Mayor London Breed supported the plan and allocated $4 million for the program. However, she later eliminated the office of reparations, citing budget concerns and her belief that this issue should be dealt with by the federal government.
This perspective is shared by scholars like William "Sandy" Darity and A. Kirsten Mullen, who co-authored the book "From Here To Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the Twenty-First Century." They argue that the federal government is ultimately responsible for providing reparations. In an interview with CNBC, Darity emphasized the importance of spreading out the $14 trillion payments over a period of 10 years to minimize the risk of inflation.
Despite the setback in San Francisco, some are still focused on local efforts for reparations. Shamann Walton, who introduced the measure in San Francisco, remains hopeful. He told the Post, "My hope is that the city's deficit is eliminated quickly, so that we can fund the Office of Reparations and fulfill our commitment to addressing the historical injustices and inequities that have persisted for generations for Black San Franciscans."
In New York, a committee was formed in June 2023 to study reparations after the state's legislature passed a bill. After six months of political pressure, New York's Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the bill into law. In the same year, Rep. Cori Bush introduced HR 414, which marked the first time that the United States' treatment of Black citizens, from enslavement to Jim Crow and beyond, was included in the congressional record. The bill states, "The United States has a moral and legal obligation to provide reparations for the enslavement of Africans and its lasting harm on the lives of millions of Black people in the United States." Bush's resolution also calls for action on the state and local levels, following the lead of California and New York.
Bush's bill, along with another bill introduced by California Democrat Barbara Lee, aims to establish a United States Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation. These bills are designed to complement HR 40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act. HR 40, introduced by John Conyers in 1989 and re-introduced each year, is an ongoing effort to address reparations. Bush acknowledged that her bill may not receive a vote, but she hopes to build momentum for reparations efforts across the country.
The debate over reparations was highlighted at a meeting at the Oakland Center on the campus of Cal State East Bay. The crowd was addressed by Chris Lodgson, who has been working with California's reparations committee to gain support for their proposals. He stated, "We have a bit of a Catch-22 here. In order for progress to be made, we need more people to believe and organize. But in order for people to believe and take action, they need to see some progress already."
As the conversation around reparations continues, it is clear that there is pushback and skepticism, but there are also calls for action. The debate over what to do about reparations is ongoing, with efforts on both the federal and local levels. It remains to be seen how this issue will be addressed in the future.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
