Tim Wise, a racial justice activist and warrior, visited my set at Netroots Nation 2024 to discuss the state of racism and racial justice and much more.
You report: “...Reparations, as he envisions them, would involve the government and institutions that perpetuated racism paying the price, not individual white people.”
Wise argues for systemic reparations. Institutional. Presumably tax-supported. Consider: say I’m a Black person. I pay taxes, but part of my tax money is going to support systemic reparations to MY people? Make it make sense.
I think the issue can be resolved, somehow, but whew! Rising water lifts all boats, but still. There’s a lot to unwind.
Egberto, thanks for spotlighting Tim Wise’s views on reparations. I don’t necessarily agree 100%, but these are good insights.
Wise mentions Bacon’s Rebellion, in which “poor white and Black indentured servants and slaves united against the wealthy elites in the 17th century.” Unsaid, these folks took up arms because they wanted the Crown’s governor to drive indigenous peoples out of Virginia. The governor refused. In other words, these local British subjects — largely first and second generation immigrants — rebelled because the government would not commit genocide.
Tragic irony lies so thick, it morphs into black humor. I could envision a Monty Python skit.
You report: “...Reparations, as he envisions them, would involve the government and institutions that perpetuated racism paying the price, not individual white people.”
Wise argues for systemic reparations. Institutional. Presumably tax-supported. Consider: say I’m a Black person. I pay taxes, but part of my tax money is going to support systemic reparations to MY people? Make it make sense.
I think the issue can be resolved, somehow, but whew! Rising water lifts all boats, but still. There’s a lot to unwind.
Egberto, thanks for spotlighting Tim Wise’s views on reparations. I don’t necessarily agree 100%, but these are good insights.
Wise mentions Bacon’s Rebellion, in which “poor white and Black indentured servants and slaves united against the wealthy elites in the 17th century.” Unsaid, these folks took up arms because they wanted the Crown’s governor to drive indigenous peoples out of Virginia. The governor refused. In other words, these local British subjects — largely first and second generation immigrants — rebelled because the government would not commit genocide.
Tragic irony lies so thick, it morphs into black humor. I could envision a Monty Python skit.