Sitting in a lecture series this week. The theme is The Way to Peace. Yesterdays talk was about reparations for slavery and past racial injustice. Good for stimulating the brain cells. My reaction to this concept is first: It is not possible, second; can't we just move on?
But that's easy for me to say.
Our speaker (a black woman professor), told a story where a southern white man discovered his ancestors owned people 4 generations ago. Horrified, he looked up their decendants, found them and apologized for the past. This does bring it on home the reality for everybody.
I remember being a teenager watching an NFL game with my maternal grandfather, a Mississippi man. A large black football player with his last name made a big play. I thought "how did that guy get the same name as my grandfather?" Grandpa said "I'll be darn, he's one of ours!" Again, bringing it on home.
My family were probably sharecroppers, so I don't think I need to worry about personal reparations, but really, the biggest issue for me is the fact that so many southerners are so adamantly against the concept. Is there any compassion there at all?
ReplyDeleteI'm not for writing people checks. I find that idea offensive. That IS the easy way out. Meeting, having a series of heart to heart talks makes more sense than anything.
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