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IIn recent years, the news has featured cases of prominent black people accused or convicted of heinous acts. R. Kelly, Bill Cosby, Russell Simmonsand more recently Sean Diddy Combshave dominated the headlines for years, generating public interest and debate. And given the role these figures play in society, it should have. But how much does the focus on the bad and terrible deeds of celebrities distract us from the most brutal crimes committed by white Americans against black Americans? What if there were as many articles and discussions about reparations to black people as there are about Diddy?
While it is important to hold individuals accountable for their actions, I would argue that it is equally, and perhaps even more, important to hold individuals across society accountable for their actions.
of Seeking compensation Anti-Black racism is deeply rooted in the history of slavery and institutional racism in the United States. Despite the abolition of slavery more than 150 years ago, Black Americans continue to face institutional barriers that impede socio-economic progress. Reparations are seen as a necessary step to address the enduring effects of these injustices, including racial wealth disparities, education disparities and health disparities.
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Moreover, white people today live off dividends from their ancestors' theft. Focusing on policy issues such as reparations is essential to creating meaningful change. Unlike the temporary drama of a celebrity scandal, policy change can create lasting impact that can address systemic inequalities and improve the lives of millions of Black Americans. Advocating for reparations involves pushing for legislative and social change that recognizes and redresses historical injustices.
Reports say NPRA Michigan church led the charge to raise the issue of reparations back in 2020. Inspired by the killing of George Floyd, Lansing resident Willie Byran went to his pastor and Justice League of Greater Lansing. Since then, the league has raised more than $400,000 to support advocacy efforts for reparations for Black Americans.
Other countries, including South Africa, Peru and Colombia, have shown that reparations can be effective. AxiosHowever, arguments against reparations continue in the United States, and the issue has not progressed at the federal level.
2021 Report Pew Research Center Polls have found that more than three-quarters of white Americans oppose reparations for Black Americans. This is true across liberals and non-liberals, Democrats and Republicans. But it's Republicans who are the most vocal on this issue. In 2019, then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell argued that the government shouldn't give reparations to Black people. CNN.
“I don't think reparations are a good idea for something that happened 150 years ago that none of us living today are responsible for,” McConnell said. He and his colleagues, and many white Americans, don't want to take responsibility for something they didn't do personally. But they continue to personally benefit from slavery's economic and institutional aftereffects while black Americans continue to endure the prejudice, trauma and economic inequality that come with slavery.
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But that's not all that the Pew Research Center found. In a survey of black people, rear Another survey conducted in 2022 showed that More than three-quarters of black Americans support reparations. And a massive 85% of black adults believe the legacy of slavery continues to harm them today.
Shifting the focus from celebrity scandals to reparations allows the Black community to engage in more meaningful discussions about justice, equity, and economic empowerment. It encourages us to focus on collective well-being and long-term solutions, rather than getting caught up in momentary controversies surrounding individual celebrities.
But the focus on celebrity scandals rather than broader, ongoing societal harms and injustices keeps the debate one person versus one person, whereas what kills black people is often the actions of many people targeting the lives of many people.
While there is accountability for individuals, we must not forget to focus on how to hold accountable those who have committed or profited from perhaps the greatest crime the world has ever seen: the continued oppression and exploitation and enslavement of Black people over centuries.
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