[Mr 5 0]

Hammer:

Ah, 'reparations'. Much ado about nothing, really. August is a slow news month so the TV nets and the newspapers love these kind of 'stories' to play up. I believe the actual 'demonstration' had a few hundred people there. I could get a few hundred people for a car show on my front lawn so that number isn't impressive and indicates the thin support this divisive idea really has.

By comparison, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King had 150,000 people in attendance in D.C. back in '63 when he made his historic 'I Have a Dream' speech. That's real support. These reparations race hustlers like Louis Farrakhan don't have anything close to that kind of support from blacks - and none from whites.

There will never be any reparations paid to black people. The whole idea is absurd. The last time I checked, less than 2% of the current 'white' population in America can trace their roots back to slave owners in the south. I can guarantee you that no American - most of us a mix of various ethnic groups that came here well after the slaves were freed - is going to sit still for cash money from their taxes going to people who may or may not have been related to slaves, over 150 years ago. The last poll I saw about this had 90+% of the respondents against reparations for blacks.

Any reparations would have to come from the U.S. Treasury and that means a law has to be passed by Congress authorizing the money to be spent. Ain't gonna happen. No politician will touch this as the whole idea is just a race-baiting ploy to give hustlers like Farrakhan a pulpit to 'blame whitey' and get attention. Racism is becoming less and less of a real problem in America every year and these clowns need an 'issue' to chew on and get the medias attention. I noticed few well-known black 'leaders' (I use the term loosely) attending this rally. They aren't stupid...this kind of thing just infuritaes most non-blacks and has zero political value.

The premise that 'America was built on slavery' is bogus. It played a part, yes, but with the industrial revolution manual labor became less and less important and the north and central states turned to manufacturing, not growing cotton. Slaves were not needed. Most slaves were sold by their own tribal leaders and actually did better in America than they ever would have done in Africa. Yes, some were beaten, misused and lynched but only a minority. The Alex Haley book and TV series of the '70's: 'Roots' ,was mostly myth. The idea of white men ruuning around the jungle trying to catch a native to take as a slave may have happened but not often. Africa - then and now - was a very hot, dangerous place and a white man or two running around there was very vulnerable in those days (1700 - 1850). Most just stayed on the ship.

Muhammad Ali made a very telling comment after the "Rumble in the Jungle." When asked his impression of Africa, he said "Thank God my Granddaddy got on that boat." I have my problems with Ali but in this instance, he was right.

Of course slavery was an abomination and not something to be made light of or ignored, but it ended - after a civil war where 600,000 Americans died - 137 years ago. It's been a long, slow climb but blacks in America are doing well. Most black crime, unfortunately, is against other blacks. There are problems of course, always will be in a diverse culture, but institutional racism is dead and the casual bigotery of yesteryear is about gone.

Another note: I refuse to preface any comment I make about blacks or issues like reparations with a defense of myself and protestations of not being a bigot or racist. To those who have a cause, like reparations, those claims of being color-blind fall on deaf ears. If you're not for reparations, you're a 'bigot' and they don't want to hear about all your black friends. To those who are reasonable, they will give you the benefit of the doubt on the point and assume you're not a racist until you prove otherwise. I do the same for them.

I don't apologize for being white nor do I think anyone needs to apologize for being black, hispanic, asian or whatever the ethnic heritage they are part of. I'm an American, as they are. I don't 'owe them' and they don't owe me. This is truly the land of opportunity and any honest person knows it.

How much do 'white' people owe Michael Jordan, Michael Jackson, Oprah Winfrey, Halle Berry, Bill Cosby, and millions of other successful (if not millionaire) black citizens? Get real. I don't see Asians on welfare or asking for handout and special breaks. Wonder why? They work like dogs, get educated and generally stick together to make a better life for themselfs and don't waste time whining about racism or what's fair. They just do it.

Blacks have every opportunity there is, as previous posts have mentioned. The days of the 'white mans club' is gone. The white power structure has practically abandoned their place at the front of the line to allow others to take their place. This is ignored by the 'angry' blacks like those in attendance at the D.C. Reparations rally Saturday, but to most sensible people, especially blacks, it's a fact. That some do not choose to take advantage of the opportunity available in America, I say: Tough. Your choice. Black or white, if you refuse to get an education and work at what you want, you'll fail. America won't fail you, you'll have failed to do what was necessary to take advantage of Americas freedoms and opportunities. Not my problem and I don't owe you. America did not create black slavery, but ended it. The civil war was won. America has outlawed segregation and discrimination. The civil rights cause was victorious.

In my opinion, real racial peace will only come after African-Americans reject the description: African-American and become simply, 'American'. Such a change will only come after they reject the lies of liberalism and recognize all of the harm liberalism has done to them. Don't hold your breath.