California wasn’t a slave state. Should it pay reparations?
To the editor: The lots of of years of enslavement of African Individuals and the racism that adopted are ethical abominations that ought to by no means be forgotten. However there’s something askew within the motion for reparations in California. (“Why skeptical Californians ought to rethink money reparations for slavery,” editorial, Sept. 17)
States within the southeastern U.S. had been chargeable for most slavery on this nation. They constructed their prosperity on the compelled labor of African Individuals, but they’re absent from this dialog. A few of these states, as your editorial famous, train their younger those who slavery benefited the enslaved.
We Californians aren’t innocent. But when we had been to indemnify descendants of slaves for the harms achieved to them, why not concentrate on descendants of people that had been enslaved in California?
The Armenian genocide dedicated by the Ottoman Empire a century in the past was additionally an abomination. Quite than compensating the descendants of the victims, Turkey denies its predecessor state dedicated genocide. Does it make sense for California to step into the breach and supply reparations to Armenian descendants who stay right here?
Cyril Barnert, Los Angeles
..
To the editor: A majority of California voters agreed that “it’s unfair to ask immediately’s taxpayers to pay for wrongs dedicated previously.” Too unhealthy they weren’t requested whether or not it’s truthful for the descendants of slaves to proceed paying for wrongs dedicated towards them within the distant and up to date previous.
The reality is that taxpayers are all the time paying for issues that weren’t their fault, whether or not it’s for wildfires or misbehaving officers. It’s a part of being a citizen.
We have to undo the wrongs, not simply sweep them beneath the rug. The one actual query is just not whether or not to take action, however the way to do it successfully.
Geoff Kuenning, Claremont
..
To the editor: As a Native American Indian, I’m puzzled by the bulk’s blindness to systemic racism. Not simply Black Individuals are affected — all individuals of colour are.
The federal government-endorsed genocide of Native American Indians is well-documented. It’s true that our nation has made some progress in combating racism. That’s commendable. However most historians have missed the basis reason for our systemic racism.
Underneath the guise of faith, European explorers in 1452 had been licensed by papal edict to “seize, vanquish and subdue” the Indigenous inhabitants of the lands they discovered. This grew to become often known as the Doctrine of Discovery, and it opened the door to chattel slavery and to the colonization of this continent.
Most U.S. residents aren’t even conscious of this doctrine. Historians often ignore it. Faculties aren’t required to show it.
Realistically, I don’t count on the land to be returned to us. Personally, I don’t care about reparations. I simply want our nation had the integrity to acknowledge its darkish historical past of inhumanity.
Harold Printup, Mar Vista
..
To the editor: Thanks for bringing a simply and high-minded focus to the matter of reparations for African Individuals in California. Training about previous and protracted systemic harms rooted in slavery is essential.
We should additionally advocate that our state legislators do the proper factor and move laws that repairs the harms of historic wrongs “based mostly on considerate knowledgeable decision-making, not a preferred ballot.” And it’s not too quickly to begin.
Karen Hilfman, Los Angeles
