I am writing to respectfully disagree with Ms. Rowntree’s letter (July 9, 2020) “Reparations Now”.
While I agree there have been past injustices in the past, California had little to do with slavery before the Civil War. It was a free state and unlike Japanese American reparation in 1988, slaves that were directly affected have died generations ago. There are no living people who were enslaved, especially the “zero” never in California. Why then should descendants get anything? Are we basing this on inequalities now?
This proposal would open up a can of worms. If it’s all black people does that include an immigrant from Ethiopia who came to California in 1993? What about mixed-race people? How do they prove it? Do they have a genealogy that traces back? There are hundreds of other questions!
I would honestly hope California will NOT pass any recommended reparations presented by the “task force” simply because, during this time of Covid 19, unemployment and general unrest, it would be fiscally irresponsible for the state of California and more importantly because no one alive was personally in the system or directly affected by it. It just doesn’t make sense.
— Laurie Sebesta, Sonoma
1st off reparations are not just about slavery. 2nd off Just because something is hard and difficult doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it! There is a debt that must be paid. I think all black people should receive reparations, but the amount you qualify for should depend how far you trace your lineage back. Good book to check out is “from here to equality”.
YOU are NOT owed that debt. You were NOT a slave, and Laurie Sebesta was not a slave owner! Stop trying to steal other people’s money. you do not deserve it.
My relatives came to the USA in 1910. They were Ukrainians from the Austrian Empire. My other grandparents came from Belgium and Holland!..I have no relatives who fought for the North or South. No relative owned slaves! I don’t owe a dime for reparations!..