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    Nunna Yorz (Greys get dismissed with prejudice)Michael Harriot
    2/27/19 4:47pm

    So will black people ever get reparations?

    If I had to guess, I’d say no.

    Sometimes the world will surprise you. I remember talking to my grandfather before he passed in 2005. We agreed that I’d probably never see a black president in my lifetime because white people would lose their shit before they let that happen. We were half right. It was nice to be wrong about a seeing a black president, but white people did factually lose their shit, which is how the teabaggers arose, the sales of guns and ammo increased, the number of white nationalist hate groups increased, and the number of mass shootings by economically anxious lone wolves right wing white men has increased.

    Despite the mayo-American backlash, there’s no doubt the country was better off in 2016 than when he was elected in 2008. So while its always good to be realistic, don’t let go of hope. 

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      Old white guyNunna Yorz (Greys get dismissed with prejudice)
      2/27/19 6:06pm

      I have no idea what you mean about white people losing their shit over a black president. No, we embraced our black president. Next thing you’ll know you’ll be telling me pictures like this are racist and not loving:

      Illustration for article titled

      What? It is? Hmmm. Next you’ll be telling me that “Obama being elected ended white on black racism” is a lie too.

      What? Seriously? OK, but Obama lied in the white house. Remember how he said we could keep our health plan. He lied through his teeth. And republicans, unlike democrats, have morals and standards, and rightly wouldn’t stand for a lying president!

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      TheRealMarthaJones3.0Nunna Yorz (Greys get dismissed with prejudice)
      2/28/19 9:22am

      I think that the fact that people are talking about it and taking it seriously, is important in and of itself. Plus, it only takes one. Islands in the Caribbean have been in a legal battle for reparations for a while now. If even just a couple of States approved and put through some type of program. It would set a serious precedent. 

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    Not Enough Day DrinkingMichael Harriot
    2/27/19 4:23pm

    Why Everyone’s Talking About Reparations, Explained

    Because democratic primaries are coming up. Everyone will shut up about reparations by Super Tuesday. And everyone will make sure you’re not allowed to ask about reparations after the nominee is chosen. 

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      Not Enough Day DrinkingNot Enough Day Drinking
      2/28/19 10:27am
      Illustration for article titled

      Democratic primaries have already started buddy, or do you think the primaries start with voting?

      By the time voting starts the primaries are mostly over. 

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    MarcelineMichael Harriot
    2/27/19 6:54pm

    Has anyone done any actual polling on the topic of reparations to see how black people who aren’t on Twitter feel about the concept?

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      LolaFalanasLongAssLegsMarceline
      2/27/19 7:31pm

      LOL.

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      Not Enough Day DrinkingMarceline
      2/27/19 7:49pm

      This one is a couple of years old, but a newer one I trust less says even more white people disapprove of reparations than did 2 years ago

      Illustration for article titled

      http://maristpoll.marist.edu/wp-content/misc/usapolls/us160502/Point%20Taken/Reparations/Exclusive%20Point%20Taken-Marist%20Poll_Reparations%20Banner%201_May%202016.pdf#page=4

      But the word reparations is a lot like the word ‘socialism.’ It can mean a lot of different things and some of things it means would likely have a lot of support.

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    ThoseAreDigimonMichael Harriot
    2/27/19 6:40pm

    We’d basically be looking at potentially massive across the board tax hikes on all working families since a tax hike on only white workers would likely be unconstitutional. The tax dollars would then be funneled through a government pipeline where a fraction of it makes it through to be given to some organizations largely run by wealthy white conmen.

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      SessoMatto (Yes, I'm really fun at parties.)ThoseAreDigimon
      2/27/19 7:33pm

      Or we could cut corporate welfare and military spending... I’m just say’n.

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      PsiPhiGrrrlSessoMatto (Yes, I'm really fun at parties.)
      2/27/19 8:43pm

      We could definitely use the money spent on military planes like Ospreys and the F-35. Also, don’t forget about other ongoing wasteful “pork” projects:

      https://www.cagw.org/reporting/pig-book

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    BlackMage2030Michael Harriot
    2/28/19 10:11am

    I really do wish the options available for generational wealth growth were factored into the wider talk of reparations. We know they’d rather burn the whole thing down rather than hand us a check or not get our tax dollars for a period of time. They really shouldn’t be fucking us for free tuition, room, board, books and fees (to include extra add-ons like trips abroad and internships) for the generational equivalent of 400 years for any federally-supported training, whether vocational, community college, undergrad, grad, or professional schools. Slavery, Jim Crow, the weakening of institutions like unions and federal government work the minute more than two black people enter them... we are owed something. I can see the sticky wicket with ADOS vs modern generations of black Americans from willing treks to the US. But: really the Americas as a whole owes all DOS, whether Caribbean, Central American, North or South American - current European territory or no - and honestly the Dutch, Spanish, French, and British governments at a minimum need to get on it as well). A global reparation movement involving generational wealth would do something for the ADOS vs Recent Immigrant divide.

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    Old white guyMichael Harriot
    2/27/19 6:06pm

    Every time I see Junior Klansman my mind literally reads it as Jared Kushner. It’s just weird how that happens.

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    PooJavelinIsSickOfLosingBurnerPasswordsMichael Harriot
    2/28/19 4:03am

    So once again, we’re going to have a bunch of elderly white guys demanding that black people produce their birth certificates to prove they’re legit?

    Illustration for article titled
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    SessoMatto (Yes, I'm really fun at parties.)Michael Harriot
    3/01/19 12:33am

    This is a great series, thank you. A lot of this stuff isn’t at all new to me, but seeing it clearly spelled out always brings insight. Plus it’s helpful for knowing what to say when talking to folks about complicated stuff which they may have never considered.

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