Obama opposes slavery reparations, apology

[peejay 327]

Obama opposes slavery reparations, apology

By CHRISTOPHER WILLS, Associated Press Writer

31 minutes ago

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama opposes offering reparations to the descendants of slaves, putting him at odds with some black groups and leaders.

The man with a serious chance to become the nation's first black president argues that government should instead combat the legacy of slavery by improving schools, health care and the economy for all.

"I have said in the past — and I'll repeat again — that the best reparations we can provide are good schools in the inner city and jobs for people who are unemployed," the Illinois Democrat said recently.

Some two dozen members of Congress are co-sponsors of legislation to create a commission that would study reparations — that is, payments and programs to make up for the damage done by slavery.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People supports the legislation, too. Cities around the country, including Obama's home of Chicago, have endorsed the idea, and so has a major union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Obama has worked to be seen as someone who will bring people together, not divide them into various interest groups with checklists of demands. Supporting reparations could undermine that image and make him appear to be pandering to black voters.

"Let's not be naive. Sen. Obama is running for president of the United States, and so he is in a constant battle to save his political life," said Kibibi Tyehimba, co-chair of the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America. "In light of the demographics of this country, I don't think it's realistic to expect him to do anything other than what he's done."

But this is not a position Obama adopted just for the presidential campaign. He voiced the same concerns about reparations during his successful run for the Senate in 2004.

There's enough flexibility in the term "reparations" that Obama can oppose them and still have plenty of common ground with supporters.

The NAACP says reparations could take the form of government programs to help struggling people of all races. Efforts to improve schools in the inner city could also aid students in the mountains of West Virginia, said Hilary Shelton, director of the NAACP's Washington bureau.

"The solution could be broad and sweeping," Shelton said.

The National Urban League — a group Obama is to address Saturday — avoids the word "reparations" as too vague and highly charged. But the group advocates government action to close the gaps between white America and black America.

Urban League President Marc Morial said he expects his members to press Obama on how he intends to close those gaps and what action he would take in the first 100 days of his presidency.

"What steps should we take as a nation to alleviate the effects of racial exclusion and racial discrimination?" Morial asked.

The House voted this week to apologize for slavery. The resolution, which was approved on a voice vote, does not mention reparations, but past opponents have argued that an apology would increase pressure for concrete action.

Obama says an apology would be appropriate but not particularly helpful in improving the lives of black Americans. Reparations could also be a distraction, he said.

In a 2004 questionnaire, he told the NAACP, "I fear that reparations would be an excuse for some to say, 'We've paid our debt,' and to avoid the much harder work."

Taking questions Sunday at a conference of minority journalists, Obama said he would be willing to talk to American Indian leaders about an apology for the nation's treatment of their people.

Pressed for his position on apologizing to blacks or offering reparations, Obama said he was more interested in taking action to help people struggling to get by. Because many of them are minorities, he said, that would help the same people who would stand to benefit from reparations.

"If we have a program, for example, of universal health care, that will disproportionately affect people of color, because they're disproportionately uninsured," Obama said. "If we've got an agenda that says every child in America should get — should be able to go to college, regardless of income, that will disproportionately affect people of color, because it's oftentimes our children who can't afford to go to college."

One reparations advocate, Vernellia Randall, a law professor at the University of Dayton, bluntly responded: "I think he's dead wrong."

She said aid to the poor in general won't close the gaps — poor blacks would still trail poor whites, and middle-class blacks would still lag behind middle-class whites. Instead, assistance must be aimed directly at the people facing the after-effects of slavery and Jim Crow laws, she said.

"People say he can't run and get elected if he says those kinds of things," Randall said. "I'm like, well does that mean we're really not ready for a black president?"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080802/ap_on_...nh_BqYiBw9h24cA

[Ban Hammer 14,303]

uncle tom!

[Peikko 1,575]

How does this show that Barack is 'moving' to the right? My understanding is that he has never called for either an apology or reparations. The one thing I do believe is that he is demanding that blacks (or whatever the correct label is) take some responsibility for their own desitiny while ensuring that they have opportunities via schooling etc. This is not a shift in his thinking. He has done some shifting, but not on this issue.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I'd be surprised if this idea of paying monetary reparations directly to the descendants of oppressed minorities is a big mainstream issue in the Democrat party.

All this really proves is that the man isn't as "far left" radical as people want to believe.

Edited August 2, 2008 by Number 6

[mendeleev 69]

The article peejay posted reminds us that Obama opposed reparations when he ran for the Senate a few years ago. His stand isn't new.

peejay's headline would have us believe it is new. But maybe peejay doesn't read the articles he posts!

[peejay 327]

The article peejay posted reminds us that Obama opposed reparations when he ran for the Senate a few years ago. His stand isn't new.

peejay's headline would have us believe it is new. But maybe peejay doesn't read the articles he posts!

I just wonder why he has to make this statement out of the blue. As far as I know, nobody brought the issue up until this statement was released.

The point I was trying to make was that Obama is widely considered to be one of the most liberal US senators. Hence, Teddy boy's enthusiastic endorsement. It seems he is trying to steer his image right and toward the center to be more palatable to the center which encompasses the big block of independent voters.

The statement hasn't hurt him with Black voters. He couldn't say much of anything that would hurt him there. His camp released this right now for a reason.

BTW...I just loved his LaRaza speech comparing ICE immigration raids to terrorism. Great stuff.

[Ban Hammer 14,303]

BTW...I just loved his LaRaza speech comparing ICE immigration raids to terrorism. Great stuff.

a sign of things to come.........

[HAL 9000 96]

*yawn*

[Ken y Leidys 20]

PeeJay, I'm African-American and;

I have worked every day since I was 11 yrs. old. I have the house and car to prove it.

I hold a BA and am working now on my MA in Education. I have the job to prove it.

I have the intellectual capacity to learn new things through travel. I have the passport stamps to prove it.

Why don't you get over the race thing? You're backwards.

[kerewin21 2]

I'm about as liberal as they get, but reparations? This idea will never take off because it's impractical. How do you know who was affected by Jim Crow and who wasn't? Will people have to show documentation that their parents or grandparents suffered from discrimination? What about people who are "black" but aren't descendents of slaves (ie dark-skinned latinos, people who recently immigrated from Africa). Many would argue that since the problems are still ongoing, anyone who might possibly be a target of discrimination based on skin color should get money.

As Obama says, the best monetary "reparations" are investing in schools, afterschool programs, college scholarships, work opportunities and job training to give people who are historically disadvantaged a better chance.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

The title is misleading.

Obama isn't opposed to the apology he's making a political move by saying to put your money where your mouth is and then we'd know it's a true apology from the government.

In other words, "Actions speak louder than words."

[peejay 327]

PeeJay, I'm African-American and;

I have worked every day since I was 11 yrs. old. I have the house and car to prove it.

I hold a BA and am working now on my MA in Education. I have the job to prove it.

I have the intellectual capacity to learn new things through travel. I have the passport stamps to prove it.

Why don't you get over the race thing? You're backwards.

So...you are living proof that quotas, affirmative action, reparations (renamed of course), and other government imposed set asides are totally unnecessary in 2008? The question is...so why are you hitching your saddle to the Teddy Kennedy, Howard Dean, Obama wing of the Democratic party?

I've voted for candidates of both parties throughout the years. I'm not a party hack for anyone. As many have stated before me, "I didn't leave the Democratic party...it left me." Party politics from both isles suck, but at some point you gotta pick the lesser of 2 weasels or just sit at home on election day.

Getting past the "race thing"? Backward? That's rich! With Black folks voting overwhelmingly along racial lines? Gee, the nerve of some folks.

I would vote for a Black candidate...most likely it won't be Obama.

Edited August 3, 2008 by peejay

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Unless of course Barack suddenly jumps ship and becomes a Republican there is no chance you would vote for him PeeJay! Duh, your statement that you would not vote for Obama is roughly as coherent and relevant as the title to this thread:

But this is not a position Obama adopted just for the presidential campaign. He voiced the same concerns about reparations during his successful run for the Senate in 2004. To quote your own posted article.

Thus no movement to the right just to get elected...

[peejay 327]

Unless of course Barack suddenly jumps ship and becomes a Republican there is no chance you would vote for him PeeJay! Duh, your statement that you would not vote for Obama is roughly as coherent and relevant as the title to this thread:

But this is not a position Obama adopted just for the presidential campaign. He voiced the same concerns about reparations during his successful run for the Senate in 2004. To quote your own posted article.

Thus no movement to the right just to get elected...

I think you will find that Obama pretty much falls in line with the Teddy K crowd. Comparisons to JFK not withstanding, Obama is closer to Teddy than he ever will be to JFK. Obama is no JFK.

If you like the politics of Teddy and the Left then Obama is probably your guy. That is his base.

Many have the opinion that Obama is riding on GWB's coattails. Without a GWB I doubt Obama would get any traction. A lot of people are voting against Bush rather than for Obama. They will soon get a huge dose of buyer's remorse. Especially without a Republican majority in Congress to keep him on a leash like they did with Slick Willy for 8 years.

No doubt GWB has blown it in numerous ways. I blame him more so than I do the mainstream Republican party.

Edited August 3, 2008 by peejay

[maore 0]

I am afro-polynesian.

Slave Reparation is a lunatic idea :

1) Nations (US,UK,France,Spain,Portugal,Netherlands,etc...)involved are broke and paying for it will make them bankrupts

2) Africans Nation (via their despotes called Chiefs ) were involved/promoted slavery for century before/after the Europeans actually came to Africa

Finally B. Obama is the best thing ever happening after Kennedy and Clinton: Young , fresh ideas and a politician