ON TARGET

3/5/19     By Dave Gunn

Reparations – A Can of Worms

     In an already too early presidential election campaign, Democrats are tripping all over themselves to play the race card early, and pander to black voters by advocating reparations to the black descendants of slaves. Democrat candidates Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Julian Castro all came out strongly endorsing the idea of payments of money to the descendants of black slaves. Warren, perhaps to atone for her false claim to Cherokee heritage, also endorsed the payment of reparations to American Indians.

     The issue immediately raises the questions, “Who qualifies for payment?” and “Who should make payment?” The answers to these questions raises more questions and complications than can be sorted out.

     So who should make such payments? That hinges on who is responsible for the enslavement of blacks, which was a tragedy that never should have been.

     A study of history reveals that the first sale of African-American slaves took place in Africa where blacks enslaved each other and sold one another to the white slavers. Make no mistake about it. Whites did not go into the African interior hunting blacks. They bought them on the coast from their black owners.

     By the way, the flags flying over the ships that brought slaves to America were either the Union Jack or the Star Spangled Banner. Think about that the next time you are tempted to call the Confederate Battle Flag a symbol of oppression and racism. Another juicy tidbit of history: The Confederacy outlawed the importation of slaves before Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.

     So who owned the black slaves in America? Mostly, white plantation owners. However, there were, in 1830, 3.776 blacks who owned black slaves in America. This black ownership of blacks began in the colonies in 1654 and continued until the end of the Civil War, in every one of the original colonies and later in every state that allowed slavery.

     In North Carolina, black freeman John Stanly owned three plantations and 163 black slaves. He even employed white overseers to make sure his slaves did their work diligently.

     In South Carolina, black freeman William Ellison owned 900 acres of land and 63 slaves. He was born into slavery on a plantation, but was able to buy his freedom. He never allowed any of his black slaves to buy their freedom from him.

     Were blacks the only people enslaved? No, for American Indians were also used as slaves. In Colonial times, white Irishmen and Englishmen were sent to America as indentured servants – a more gentle term for slavery.

     Do whites owe blacks reparations for slavery? What about blacks who sold and owned their fellow blacks? And what of whites whose ancestors were not slave owners?

     My ancestors on my father’s side came from Italy to America 60 years after slavery ended. My ancestors on my mother’s side were from the South, mostly from Louisiana. Two of them served in the Confederate Army. However, none of my southern ancestors were wealthy enough to even consider owning slaves. Actually, some of my southern ancestors resented slavery because they would have liked to have worked on a plantation, but could not because all the positions were taken by slaves.

     But while we are talking about my ancestors, how about reparations for the shoddy treatment my Italian grandparents received when they came to America? How about reparations for the way my Irish ancestors were persecuted when they came over (“No Irish Need Apply”). What of my Choctaw ancestors, who were displaced and sent to the reservations? Maybe Elizabeth Warren can help me with this one! Where does it all end? Will all of us have to pay and receive reparations?

     If the Democrats really want to help black people, instead of pandering to them based on what happened over 150 years ago, they can help President Trump to further reduce taxes and regulations on businesses so that more jobs will be available. They can further reduce taxes on individuals so that black workers can keep more of what they earn. They can get serious about border security so that illegal aliens will not be taking jobs entry-level black teenagers could have. They could take their stand against abortion so that the Planned Parenthood genocide against the black race would cease. In short, they could adopt Republican principles that benefit all no matter their race.

[Dave Gunn is the nom de plume of Dr. David E. Gonnella, pastor of the Magnolia Springs Baptist Church in Theodore, Alabama. The opinions expressed are his own, and no not necessarily reflect those of the church or its membership.]