Re: Caribbean Net News Article

June 1, 2005

An interesting article. I am pleased to read that the Danish firms will not pay up. In my opinion, the reparations movement is nothing more than a shakedown. Indeed what happened to their ancestors was a bad thing, but want to look at the truly guilty people they should look to their ancestral lands. It was other black people who had been practicing slavery themselves long before the whites came who captured and sold those people.

Had Africans refused to supply even in the face of demand, the slave trade could never have been. While Europeans did have firearms, they were few in number. They also were easy prey for the tropical diseases and heat. The Africans could have fought them off all the more easily because the European nations would not habe been keen to send their young men off to died fighting to capture slaves for sugar plantations in the caribean and elsewhere.

The simple fact is that companies in operation at the time were working within existing law. Once slavery was outlawed, they stopped. The people to hold responsible were the ones who ran the company back then. They also happen to be dead and any wealth they may have passed on diluted by several generations of inheritances, inheritances given to people further removed from the slavery issue by each generation. Allowing reparations based on a company's practices of 150 years ago would set a terrible precident under which businesses could taken to court for events a hundred years or more after the fact.

Some people compare this to the reparations paid to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. The two are actually entirely different. Some of the Jewish victims, people who had been IN the deathcamps, were still alive. In other cases the children of these people were alive. Also, these were cases of individuals having their property stolen by a government or banks. Other cases were about people worked to death by Nazi controlled companies. In spite of that being called slavery it wasn't: it was something far worse than slavery.

In the US, a few trillion dollars have already been spent on those reparation demands: education and land. Much of that money has also been given out directly to individuals as personal income. Free health care and free food have also been available. Add to that preferences and quotas for getting into college, slots for jobs and promotions, etc. much has already been paid. The amount almost certainly exceeds any reasonable amount for reparations that could be made up.

What I think it is is just some people looking for a lot of "free money". I've heard a figure of $100,000 going around. That would be $100,000 going to each of about 16 million people. Care to do the math on that? My calculator doesn't have enough spaces before going to scientific notation. There is no way the US could come up with that kind of money without totally destroying the economy. This money would also come from people who had nothing at all to do with slavery. Most people living in the US are descended from people who came after the Civil War. It is the same for most companies as well. Even I who comes from a long line of Southerners never had a slave owner in the family.

So, all that any reparations payments would accomplish is the crash the economy and make race relations worse than they have ever been or were imagined to be.

June 1, 2005

An interesting article. I am pleased to read that the Danish firms will not pay up. In my opinion, the reparations movement is nothing more than a shakedown. Indeed what happened to their ancestors was a bad thing, but want to look at the truly guilty people they should look to their ancestral lands. It was other black people who had been practicing slavery themselves long before the whites came who captured and sold those people.

Had Africans refused to supply even in the face of demand, the slave trade could never have been. While Europeans did have firearms, they were few in number. They also were easy prey for the tropical diseases and heat. The Africans could have fought them off all the more easily because the European nations would not habe been keen to send their young men off to died fighting to capture slaves for sugar plantations in the caribean and elsewhere.

The simple fact is that companies in operation at the time were working within existing law. Once slavery was outlawed, they stopped. The people to hold responsible were the ones who ran the company back then. They also happen to be dead and any wealth they may have passed on diluted by several generations of inheritances, inheritances given to people further removed from the slavery issue by each generation. Allowing reparations based on a company's practices of 150 years ago would set a terrible precident under which businesses could taken to court for events a hundred years or more after the fact.

Some people compare this to the reparations paid to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. The two are actually entirely different. Some of the Jewish victims, people who had been IN the deathcamps, were still alive. In other cases the children of these people were alive. Also, these were cases of individuals having their property stolen by a government or banks. Other cases were about people worked to death by Nazi controlled companies. In spite of that being called slavery it wasn't: it was something far worse than slavery.

In the US, a few trillion dollars have already been spent on those reparation demands: education and land. Much of that money has also been given out directly to individuals as personal income. Free health care and free food have also been available. Add to that preferences and quotas for getting into college, slots for jobs and promotions, etc. much has already been paid. The amount almost certainly exceeds any reasonable amount for reparations that could be made up.

What I think it is is just some people looking for a lot of "free money". I've heard a figure of $100,000 going around. That would be $100,000 going to each of about 16 million people. Care to do the math on that? My calculator doesn't have enough spaces before going to scientific notation. There is no way the US could come up with that kind of money without totally destroying the economy. This money would also come from people who had nothing at all to do with slavery. Most people living in the US are descended from people who came after the Civil War. It is the same for most companies as well. Even I who comes from a long line of Southerners never had a slave owner in the family.

So, all that any reparations payments would accomplish is the crash the economy and make race relations worse than they have ever been or were imagined to be.

June 1, 2005

An interesting article. I am pleased to read that the Danish firms will not pay up. In my opinion, the reparations movement is nothing more than a shakedown. Indeed what happened to their ancestors was a bad thing, but want to look at the truly guilty people they should look to their ancestral lands. It was other black people who had been practicing slavery themselves long before the whites came who captured and sold those people.

Had Africans refused to supply even in the face of demand, the slave trade could never have been. While Europeans did have firearms, they were few in number. They also were easy prey for the tropical diseases and heat. The Africans could have fought them off all the more easily because the European nations would not habe been keen to send their young men off to died fighting to capture slaves for sugar plantations in the caribean and elsewhere.

The simple fact is that companies in operation at the time were working within existing law. Once slavery was outlawed, they stopped. The people to hold responsible were the ones who ran the company back then. They also happen to be dead and any wealth they may have passed on diluted by several generations of inheritances, inheritances given to people further removed from the slavery issue by each generation. Allowing reparations based on a company's practices of 150 years ago would set a terrible precident under which businesses could taken to court for events a hundred years or more after the fact.

Some people compare this to the reparations paid to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. The two are actually entirely different. Some of the Jewish victims, people who had been IN the deathcamps, were still alive. In other cases the children of these people were alive. Also, these were cases of individuals having their property stolen by a government or banks. Other cases were about people worked to death by Nazi controlled companies. In spite of that being called slavery it wasn't: it was something far worse than slavery.

In the US, a few trillion dollars have already been spent on those reparation demands: education and land. Much of that money has also been given out directly to individuals as personal income. Free health care and free food have also been available. Add to that preferences and quotas for getting into college, slots for jobs and promotions, etc. much has already been paid. The amount almost certainly exceeds any reasonable amount for reparations that could be made up.

What I think it is is just some people looking for a lot of "free money". I've heard a figure of $100,000 going around. That would be $100,000 going to each of about 16 million people. Care to do the math on that? My calculator doesn't have enough spaces before going to scientific notation. There is no way the US could come up with that kind of money without totally destroying the economy. This money would also come from people who had nothing at all to do with slavery. Most people living in the US are descended from people who came after the Civil War. It is the same for most companies as well. Even I who comes from a long line of Southerners never had a slave owner in the family.

So, all that any reparations payments would accomplish is the crash the economy and make race relations worse than they have ever been or were imagined to be.

June 1, 2005

,

Do you believe that the

US Virgin Islands reparations

leaders and the other

distinguished panel members

are succeeding in making the

U.S. Virgin Islands a better

place to live?

Dwight

> USVI reparations leaders hold public meeting

>

> by Mann

>

> Caribbean Net News USVI Correspondent

>

> Monday, May 30, 2005

>

> CHARLOTTE AMALIE, USVI: US Virgin Islands reparations

> leaders met with a public audience at Ottley Legislative

> Hall, Legislative House, in Charlotte Amalie on May 25. The

> date, which has been celebrated internationally since 1991,

> is recognized as African Liberation Day.

>

> The formal gathering was entitled " Reparations, where do we

> go from here? " and was moderated by Dr. Malik Sekou, Chair

> if the Social Sciences Division at the University of the

> Virgin Islands. Welcoming remarks were delivered by Senate

> President Lorraine Berry and former US Ambassador to

> Denmark, Terrance A. Todman, participated by teleconference.

>

> Senator Terrance " Positive " of the St. Croix

> District offered an overview of his experience, as a member

> of the Reparations delegation which traveled to Denmark

> last month. He reported that Danish officials expressed a

> deep regret about the treatment previous generations of

> Danes inflicted upon former West Indies slave colonies. Dr

> Etherero Akinshegun of the African Hebrewite Community of

> Jerusalem, who also participated in the trip, shared his

> impressions with the group.

>

> The definition of the term, " reparations " was explored at

> some length, throughout the discussion. For the most part,

> the panel was unified about the need to focus on how

> reparations can benefit the present citizens of the USVI.

> Mr Khalil Osiris, Executive Director, Circle of Courage

> STJ, stressed the need to focus on, " land, language, and

> cultural " reparations.

>

> Mr Moorhead, founder of the African - Caribbean

> Reparations and Resettlement Alliance, stated that any

> reparational intent " must first be spiritual " , and that the

> " most important part is our self-reparation. "

>

> Dr Chenzira -Kahina, co-organizer of Per Ankh, Inc.,

> of St. Croix, pointed out that there is currently no

> officially designated Pan African Representative for the

> USVI. She cited examples of how this had been a stumbling

> block in her attempts to be a part of this movement. Dr

> -Kahina offered to immediately help draft necessary

> documentation for consideration for such an appointment.

>

> The African-Caribbean Reparations and Resettlement Alliance

> organized the territory's first meeting in November 2004. A

> nine member delegation from the Virgin Islands was then

> invited to travel to Denmark to discuss reparations with

> Danish humanitarian and cultural groups in April, 2005.

>

> A memorandum of understanding was signed during the visit,

> as well as an agreement to establish a Joint Task force

> with the Danish Institute of Human Rights. The intent of

> the document is to further study the issue of reparations,

> and explore possible ways to promote cultural exchanges,

> education, and training opportunities. Historical research

> projects will also be a focus.

>

> Senator told other members of the panel and the

> audience that the Danish officials the reparation

> delegation met with explained to the Virgin Islands group

> that direct reparation was not likely. For instance,

> companies in Denmark today, such as sugar manufacturing

> companies, would not participate. The Danish Institute for

> Human Rights is a United Nations chartered organization.

>

> According to Moorhead, the signed agreement is " the first

> document of its kind between Europe and the Caribbean that

> officially recognizes that the descendants of enslaved

> Africans have suffered economic, psychological, social and

> emotional harm as a result of the European institution of

> slavery. "

>

> Former Ambassador Todman agreed to assist those assembled

> for the meeting with the reparation effort. Copies of the

> signed Memorandum of Understanding between the

> African-Caribbean Reparations and Resettlement Alliance and

> the Danish Institute for Human Rights were distributed to

> those in attendance. It indicates that a plan of action

> shall be completed by the Joint Task Force within a period

> of no more than 180 days from the date of signature.

>

> Panel members then answered questions from the audience.

> The next meeting will be held on St. Croix, and is

> scheduled for early July.

>

> http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/2005/05/30/reparations.shtml

>

> Click here to receive our daily Caribbean news headlines by

> e-mail:

>

> http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/subscribe.htm

>

June 1, 2005

ok, i'm reading it now...

-- In FAMSecretSociety , " " <moonpiewoman@y...>

wrote:

> USVI reparations leaders hold public meeting

>

> by Mann

>

> Caribbean Net News USVI Correspondent

>

> Monday, May 30, 2005

>

> CHARLOTTE AMALIE, USVI: US Virgin Islands reparations

> leaders met with a public audience at Ottley Legislative

> Hall, Legislative House, in Charlotte Amalie on May 25. The

> date, which has been celebrated internationally since 1991,

> is recognized as African Liberation Day.

>

> The formal gathering was entitled " Reparations, where do we

> go from here? " and was moderated by Dr. Malik Sekou, Chair

> if the Social Sciences Division at the University of the

> Virgin Islands. Welcoming remarks were delivered by Senate

> President Lorraine Berry and former US Ambassador to

> Denmark, Terrance A. Todman, participated by teleconference.

>

> Senator Terrance " Positive " of the St. Croix

> District offered an overview of his experience, as a member

> of the Reparations delegation which traveled to Denmark

> last month. He reported that Danish officials expressed a

> deep regret about the treatment previous generations of

> Danes inflicted upon former West Indies slave colonies. Dr

> Etherero Akinshegun of the African Hebrewite Community of

> Jerusalem, who also participated in the trip, shared his

> impressions with the group.

>

> The definition of the term, " reparations " was explored at

> some length, throughout the discussion. For the most part,

> the panel was unified about the need to focus on how

> reparations can benefit the present citizens of the USVI.

> Mr Khalil Osiris, Executive Director, Circle of Courage

> STJ, stressed the need to focus on, " land, language, and

> cultural " reparations.

>

> Mr Moorhead, founder of the African - Caribbean

> Reparations and Resettlement Alliance, stated that any

> reparational intent " must first be spiritual " , and that the

> " most important part is our self-reparation. "

>

> Dr Chenzira -Kahina, co-organizer of Per Ankh, Inc.,

> of St. Croix, pointed out that there is currently no

> officially designated Pan African Representative for the

> USVI. She cited examples of how this had been a stumbling

> block in her attempts to be a part of this movement. Dr

> -Kahina offered to immediately help draft necessary

> documentation for consideration for such an appointment.

>

> The African-Caribbean Reparations and Resettlement Alliance

> organized the territory's first meeting in November 2004. A

> nine member delegation from the Virgin Islands was then

> invited to travel to Denmark to discuss reparations with

> Danish humanitarian and cultural groups in April, 2005.

>

> A memorandum of understanding was signed during the visit,

> as well as an agreement to establish a Joint Task force

> with the Danish Institute of Human Rights. The intent of

> the document is to further study the issue of reparations,

> and explore possible ways to promote cultural exchanges,

> education, and training opportunities. Historical research

> projects will also be a focus.

>

> Senator told other members of the panel and the

> audience that the Danish officials the reparation

> delegation met with explained to the Virgin Islands group

> that direct reparation was not likely. For instance,

> companies in Denmark today, such as sugar manufacturing

> companies, would not participate. The Danish Institute for

> Human Rights is a United Nations chartered organization.

>

> According to Moorhead, the signed agreement is " the first

> document of its kind between Europe and the Caribbean that

> officially recognizes that the descendants of enslaved

> Africans have suffered economic, psychological, social and

> emotional harm as a result of the European institution of

> slavery. "

>

> Former Ambassador Todman agreed to assist those assembled

> for the meeting with the reparation effort. Copies of the

> signed Memorandum of Understanding between the

> African-Caribbean Reparations and Resettlement Alliance and

> the Danish Institute for Human Rights were distributed to

> those in attendance. It indicates that a plan of action

> shall be completed by the Joint Task Force within a period

> of no more than 180 days from the date of signature.

>

> Panel members then answered questions from the audience.

> The next meeting will be held on St. Croix, and is

> scheduled for early July.

>

> http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/2005/05/30/reparations.shtml

>

> Click here to receive our daily Caribbean news headlines by

> e-mail:

>

> http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/subscribe.htm

>

June 1, 2005

ok, i'm reading it now...

-- In FAMSecretSociety , " " <moonpiewoman@y...>

wrote:

> USVI reparations leaders hold public meeting

>

> by Mann

>

> Caribbean Net News USVI Correspondent

>

> Monday, May 30, 2005

>

> CHARLOTTE AMALIE, USVI: US Virgin Islands reparations

> leaders met with a public audience at Ottley Legislative

> Hall, Legislative House, in Charlotte Amalie on May 25. The

> date, which has been celebrated internationally since 1991,

> is recognized as African Liberation Day.

>

> The formal gathering was entitled " Reparations, where do we

> go from here? " and was moderated by Dr. Malik Sekou, Chair

> if the Social Sciences Division at the University of the

> Virgin Islands. Welcoming remarks were delivered by Senate

> President Lorraine Berry and former US Ambassador to

> Denmark, Terrance A. Todman, participated by teleconference.

>

> Senator Terrance " Positive " of the St. Croix

> District offered an overview of his experience, as a member

> of the Reparations delegation which traveled to Denmark

> last month. He reported that Danish officials expressed a

> deep regret about the treatment previous generations of

> Danes inflicted upon former West Indies slave colonies. Dr

> Etherero Akinshegun of the African Hebrewite Community of

> Jerusalem, who also participated in the trip, shared his

> impressions with the group.

>

> The definition of the term, " reparations " was explored at

> some length, throughout the discussion. For the most part,

> the panel was unified about the need to focus on how

> reparations can benefit the present citizens of the USVI.

> Mr Khalil Osiris, Executive Director, Circle of Courage

> STJ, stressed the need to focus on, " land, language, and

> cultural " reparations.

>

> Mr Moorhead, founder of the African - Caribbean

> Reparations and Resettlement Alliance, stated that any

> reparational intent " must first be spiritual " , and that the

> " most important part is our self-reparation. "

>

> Dr Chenzira -Kahina, co-organizer of Per Ankh, Inc.,

> of St. Croix, pointed out that there is currently no

> officially designated Pan African Representative for the

> USVI. She cited examples of how this had been a stumbling

> block in her attempts to be a part of this movement. Dr

> -Kahina offered to immediately help draft necessary

> documentation for consideration for such an appointment.

>

> The African-Caribbean Reparations and Resettlement Alliance

> organized the territory's first meeting in November 2004. A

> nine member delegation from the Virgin Islands was then

> invited to travel to Denmark to discuss reparations with

> Danish humanitarian and cultural groups in April, 2005.

>

> A memorandum of understanding was signed during the visit,

> as well as an agreement to establish a Joint Task force

> with the Danish Institute of Human Rights. The intent of

> the document is to further study the issue of reparations,

> and explore possible ways to promote cultural exchanges,

> education, and training opportunities. Historical research

> projects will also be a focus.

>

> Senator told other members of the panel and the

> audience that the Danish officials the reparation

> delegation met with explained to the Virgin Islands group

> that direct reparation was not likely. For instance,

> companies in Denmark today, such as sugar manufacturing

> companies, would not participate. The Danish Institute for

> Human Rights is a United Nations chartered organization.

>

> According to Moorhead, the signed agreement is " the first

> document of its kind between Europe and the Caribbean that

> officially recognizes that the descendants of enslaved

> Africans have suffered economic, psychological, social and

> emotional harm as a result of the European institution of

> slavery. "

>

> Former Ambassador Todman agreed to assist those assembled

> for the meeting with the reparation effort. Copies of the

> signed Memorandum of Understanding between the

> African-Caribbean Reparations and Resettlement Alliance and

> the Danish Institute for Human Rights were distributed to

> those in attendance. It indicates that a plan of action

> shall be completed by the Joint Task Force within a period

> of no more than 180 days from the date of signature.

>

> Panel members then answered questions from the audience.

> The next meeting will be held on St. Croix, and is

> scheduled for early July.

>

> http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/2005/05/30/reparations.shtml

>

> Click here to receive our daily Caribbean news headlines by

> e-mail:

>

> http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/subscribe.htm

>

June 1, 2005

If the U.S.A. wants to

help people in need, why

don't we help the people

in Africa? All I have seen

on TV is how many starving

people live in Africa! Our

president says he has marched

on Iraq to help the Iraqi

people (with over 80 billion

dollars). It seems that there

are people in other countries

(other than IRAQ)who are in

MUCH WORSE living conditions

than the Iraqi people! I have

seen more than 50 shows on

PBS(Public Broadcasting System)

TV that tells how bad it is

in Africa but I have not seen

a single program telling me

about how many people are

in Iraq that are starving to

death each day. I question

the moral integrity of our

presence in Iraq. If our

hearts are in the right place,

why aren't we helping the

people that need it the MOST?!?!

> An interesting article. I am pleased to read that the Danish firms

will not

> pay up. In my opinion, the reparations movement is nothing more

than a

> shakedown. Indeed what happened to their ancestors was a bad thing,

but want to

> look at the truly guilty people they should look to their ancestral

lands. It

> was other black people who had been practicing slavery themselves

long before

> the whites came who captured and sold those people.

>

> Had Africans refused to supply even in the face of demand, the

slave trade

> could never have been. While Europeans did have firearms, they were

few in

> number. They also were easy prey for the tropical diseases and

heat. The

> Africans could have fought them off all the more easily because the

European nations

> would not habe been keen to send their young men off to died

fighting to

> capture slaves for sugar plantations in the caribean and elsewhere.

>

> The simple fact is that companies in operation at the time were

working

> within existing law. Once slavery was outlawed, they stopped. The

people to hold

> responsible were the ones who ran the company back then. They also

happen to

> be dead and any wealth they may have passed on diluted by several

generations

> of inheritances, inheritances given to people further removed from

the

> slavery issue by each generation. Allowing reparations based on a

company's

> practices of 150 years ago would set a terrible precident under

which businesses

> could taken to court for events a hundred years or more after the

fact.

>

> Some people compare this to the reparations paid to the Jewish

victims of

> the Holocaust. The two are actually entirely different. Some of the

Jewish

> victims, people who had been IN the deathcamps, were still alive.

In other cases

> the children of these people were alive. Also, these were cases of

individuals

> having their property stolen by a government or banks. Other cases

were

> about people worked to death by Nazi controlled companies. In

spite of that being

> called slavery it wasn't: it was something far worse than slavery.

>

> In the US, a few trillion dollars have already been spent on those

> reparation demands: education and land. Much of that money has also

been given out

> directly to individuals as personal income. Free health care and

free food have

> also been available. Add to that preferences and quotas for getting

into

> college, slots for jobs and promotions, etc. much has already been

paid. The

> amount almost certainly exceeds any reasonable amount for

reparations that could

> be made up.

>

> What I think it is is just some people looking for a lot of " free

money " .

> I've heard a figure of $100,000 going around. That would be

$100,000 going to

> each of about 16 million people. Care to do the math on that? My

calculator

> doesn't have enough spaces before going to scientific notation.

There is no way

> the US could come up with that kind of money without totally

destroying the

> economy. This money would also come from people who had nothing at

all to do

> with slavery. Most people living in the US are descended from

people who came

> after the Civil War. It is the same for most companies as well.

Even I who

> comes from a long line of Southerners never had a slave owner in

the family.

>

> So, all that any reparations payments would accomplish is the crash

the

> economy and make race relations worse than they have ever been or

were imagined

> to be.

>

June 1, 2005

If the U.S.A. wants to

help people in need, why

don't we help the people

in Africa? All I have seen

on TV is how many starving

people live in Africa! Our

president says he has marched

on Iraq to help the Iraqi

people (with over 80 billion

dollars). It seems that there

are people in other countries

(other than IRAQ)who are in

MUCH WORSE living conditions

than the Iraqi people! I have

seen more than 50 shows on

PBS(Public Broadcasting System)

TV that tells how bad it is

in Africa but I have not seen

a single program telling me

about how many people are

in Iraq that are starving to

death each day. I question

the moral integrity of our

presence in Iraq. If our

hearts are in the right place,

why aren't we helping the

people that need it the MOST?!?!

> An interesting article. I am pleased to read that the Danish firms

will not

> pay up. In my opinion, the reparations movement is nothing more

than a

> shakedown. Indeed what happened to their ancestors was a bad thing,

but want to

> look at the truly guilty people they should look to their ancestral

lands. It

> was other black people who had been practicing slavery themselves

long before

> the whites came who captured and sold those people.

>

> Had Africans refused to supply even in the face of demand, the

slave trade

> could never have been. While Europeans did have firearms, they were

few in

> number. They also were easy prey for the tropical diseases and

heat. The

> Africans could have fought them off all the more easily because the

European nations

> would not habe been keen to send their young men off to died

fighting to

> capture slaves for sugar plantations in the caribean and elsewhere.

>

> The simple fact is that companies in operation at the time were

working

> within existing law. Once slavery was outlawed, they stopped. The

people to hold

> responsible were the ones who ran the company back then. They also

happen to

> be dead and any wealth they may have passed on diluted by several

generations

> of inheritances, inheritances given to people further removed from

the

> slavery issue by each generation. Allowing reparations based on a

company's

> practices of 150 years ago would set a terrible precident under

which businesses

> could taken to court for events a hundred years or more after the

fact.

>

> Some people compare this to the reparations paid to the Jewish

victims of

> the Holocaust. The two are actually entirely different. Some of the

Jewish

> victims, people who had been IN the deathcamps, were still alive.

In other cases

> the children of these people were alive. Also, these were cases of

individuals

> having their property stolen by a government or banks. Other cases

were

> about people worked to death by Nazi controlled companies. In

spite of that being

> called slavery it wasn't: it was something far worse than slavery.

>

> In the US, a few trillion dollars have already been spent on those

> reparation demands: education and land. Much of that money has also

been given out

> directly to individuals as personal income. Free health care and

free food have

> also been available. Add to that preferences and quotas for getting

into

> college, slots for jobs and promotions, etc. much has already been

paid. The

> amount almost certainly exceeds any reasonable amount for

reparations that could

> be made up.

>

> What I think it is is just some people looking for a lot of " free

money " .

> I've heard a figure of $100,000 going around. That would be

$100,000 going to

> each of about 16 million people. Care to do the math on that? My

calculator

> doesn't have enough spaces before going to scientific notation.

There is no way

> the US could come up with that kind of money without totally

destroying the

> economy. This money would also come from people who had nothing at

all to do

> with slavery. Most people living in the US are descended from

people who came

> after the Civil War. It is the same for most companies as well.

Even I who

> comes from a long line of Southerners never had a slave owner in

the family.

>

> So, all that any reparations payments would accomplish is the crash

the

> economy and make race relations worse than they have ever been or

were imagined

> to be.

>

June 1, 2005

If the U.S.A. wants to

help people in need, why

don't we help the people

in Africa? All I have seen

on TV is how many starving

people live in Africa! Our

president says he has marched

on Iraq to help the Iraqi

people (with over 80 billion

dollars). It seems that there

are people in other countries

(other than IRAQ)who are in

MUCH WORSE living conditions

than the Iraqi people! I have

seen more than 50 shows on

PBS(Public Broadcasting System)

TV that tells how bad it is

in Africa but I have not seen

a single program telling me

about how many people are

in Iraq that are starving to

death each day. I question

the moral integrity of our

presence in Iraq. If our

hearts are in the right place,

why aren't we helping the

people that need it the MOST?!?!

> An interesting article. I am pleased to read that the Danish firms

will not

> pay up. In my opinion, the reparations movement is nothing more

than a

> shakedown. Indeed what happened to their ancestors was a bad thing,

but want to

> look at the truly guilty people they should look to their ancestral

lands. It

> was other black people who had been practicing slavery themselves

long before

> the whites came who captured and sold those people.

>

> Had Africans refused to supply even in the face of demand, the

slave trade

> could never have been. While Europeans did have firearms, they were

few in

> number. They also were easy prey for the tropical diseases and

heat. The

> Africans could have fought them off all the more easily because the

European nations

> would not habe been keen to send their young men off to died

fighting to

> capture slaves for sugar plantations in the caribean and elsewhere.

>

> The simple fact is that companies in operation at the time were

working

> within existing law. Once slavery was outlawed, they stopped. The

people to hold

> responsible were the ones who ran the company back then. They also

happen to

> be dead and any wealth they may have passed on diluted by several

generations

> of inheritances, inheritances given to people further removed from

the

> slavery issue by each generation. Allowing reparations based on a

company's

> practices of 150 years ago would set a terrible precident under

which businesses

> could taken to court for events a hundred years or more after the

fact.

>

> Some people compare this to the reparations paid to the Jewish

victims of

> the Holocaust. The two are actually entirely different. Some of the

Jewish

> victims, people who had been IN the deathcamps, were still alive.

In other cases

> the children of these people were alive. Also, these were cases of

individuals

> having their property stolen by a government or banks. Other cases

were

> about people worked to death by Nazi controlled companies. In

spite of that being

> called slavery it wasn't: it was something far worse than slavery.

>

> In the US, a few trillion dollars have already been spent on those

> reparation demands: education and land. Much of that money has also

been given out

> directly to individuals as personal income. Free health care and

free food have

> also been available. Add to that preferences and quotas for getting

into

> college, slots for jobs and promotions, etc. much has already been

paid. The

> amount almost certainly exceeds any reasonable amount for

reparations that could

> be made up.

>

> What I think it is is just some people looking for a lot of " free

money " .

> I've heard a figure of $100,000 going around. That would be

$100,000 going to

> each of about 16 million people. Care to do the math on that? My

calculator

> doesn't have enough spaces before going to scientific notation.

There is no way

> the US could come up with that kind of money without totally

destroying the

> economy. This money would also come from people who had nothing at

all to do

> with slavery. Most people living in the US are descended from

people who came

> after the Civil War. It is the same for most companies as well.

Even I who

> comes from a long line of Southerners never had a slave owner in

the family.

>

> So, all that any reparations payments would accomplish is the crash

the

> economy and make race relations worse than they have ever been or

were imagined

> to be.

>

June 1, 2005

May be in a transcendental sense.Punjabi Jowo wrote: , Do you believe that theUS Virgin Islands reparationsleaders and the other distinguished panel members are succeeding in making the U.S. Virgin Islands a better place to live?Dwight> USVI reparations leaders hold public meeting> > by Mann> > Caribbean Net News USVI Correspondent> > Monday, May 30, 2005> > CHARLOTTE AMALIE, USVI: US Virgin Islands reparations> leaders met with a public audience at Ottley Legislative> Hall, Legislative House, in Charlotte Amalie on May 25. The> date, which has been celebrated internationally since 1991,> is recognized as African Liberation Day.> > The formal gathering was entitled "Reparations, where do we>

go from here?" and was moderated by Dr. Malik Sekou, Chair> if the Social Sciences Division at the University of the> Virgin Islands. Welcoming remarks were delivered by Senate> President Lorraine Berry and former US Ambassador to> Denmark, Terrance A. Todman, participated by teleconference.> > Senator Terrance "Positive" of the St. Croix> District offered an overview of his experience, as a member> of the Reparations delegation which traveled to Denmark> last month. He reported that Danish officials expressed a> deep regret about the treatment previous generations of> Danes inflicted upon former West Indies slave colonies. Dr> Etherero Akinshegun of the African Hebrewite Community of> Jerusalem, who also participated in the trip, shared his> impressions with the group.> > The definition of the term, "reparations" was explored at> some length, throughout the

discussion. For the most part,> the panel was unified about the need to focus on how> reparations can benefit the present citizens of the USVI.> Mr Khalil Osiris, Executive Director, Circle of Courage> STJ, stressed the need to focus on, "land, language, and> cultural" reparations.> > Mr Moorhead, founder of the African - Caribbean> Reparations and Resettlement Alliance, stated that any> reparational intent "must first be spiritual", and that the> "most important part is our self-reparation."> > Dr Chenzira -Kahina, co-organizer of Per Ankh, Inc.,> of St. Croix, pointed out that there is currently no> officially designated Pan African Representative for the> USVI. She cited examples of how this had been a stumbling> block in her attempts to be a part of this movement. Dr> -Kahina offered to immediately help draft necessary> documentation for

consideration for such an appointment.> > The African-Caribbean Reparations and Resettlement Alliance> organized the territory's first meeting in November 2004. A> nine member delegation from the Virgin Islands was then> invited to travel to Denmark to discuss reparations with> Danish humanitarian and cultural groups in April, 2005.> > A memorandum of understanding was signed during the visit,> as well as an agreement to establish a Joint Task force> with the Danish Institute of Human Rights. The intent of> the document is to further study the issue of reparations,> and explore possible ways to promote cultural exchanges,> education, and training opportunities. Historical research> projects will also be a focus.> > Senator told other members of the panel and the> audience that the Danish officials the reparation> delegation met with explained to the

Virgin Islands group> that direct reparation was not likely. For instance,> companies in Denmark today, such as sugar manufacturing> companies, would not participate. The Danish Institute for> Human Rights is a United Nations chartered organization.> > According to Moorhead, the signed agreement is "the first> document of its kind between Europe and the Caribbean that> officially recognizes that the descendants of enslaved> Africans have suffered economic, psychological, social and> emotional harm as a result of the European institution of> slavery."> > Former Ambassador Todman agreed to assist those assembled> for the meeting with the reparation effort. Copies of the> signed Memorandum of Understanding between the> African-Caribbean Reparations and Resettlement Alliance and> the Danish Institute for Human Rights were distributed to> those in attendance. It

indicates that a plan of action> shall be completed by the Joint Task Force within a period> of no more than 180 days from the date of signature.> > Panel members then answered questions from the audience.> The next meeting will be held on St. Croix, and is> scheduled for early July.> > http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/2005/05/30/reparations.shtml> > Click here to receive our daily Caribbean news headlines by> e-mail:> > http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/subscribe.htm> > Copyright © 2005 Caribbean Net News All Rights Reserved

June 1, 2005

May be in a transcendental sense.Punjabi Jowo wrote: , Do you believe that theUS Virgin Islands reparationsleaders and the other distinguished panel members are succeeding in making the U.S. Virgin Islands a better place to live?Dwight> USVI reparations leaders hold public meeting> > by Mann> > Caribbean Net News USVI Correspondent> > Monday, May 30, 2005> > CHARLOTTE AMALIE, USVI: US Virgin Islands reparations> leaders met with a public audience at Ottley Legislative> Hall, Legislative House, in Charlotte Amalie on May 25. The> date, which has been celebrated internationally since 1991,> is recognized as African Liberation Day.> > The formal gathering was entitled "Reparations, where do we>

go from here?" and was moderated by Dr. Malik Sekou, Chair> if the Social Sciences Division at the University of the> Virgin Islands. Welcoming remarks were delivered by Senate> President Lorraine Berry and former US Ambassador to> Denmark, Terrance A. Todman, participated by teleconference.> > Senator Terrance "Positive" of the St. Croix> District offered an overview of his experience, as a member> of the Reparations delegation which traveled to Denmark> last month. He reported that Danish officials expressed a> deep regret about the treatment previous generations of> Danes inflicted upon former West Indies slave colonies. Dr> Etherero Akinshegun of the African Hebrewite Community of> Jerusalem, who also participated in the trip, shared his> impressions with the group.> > The definition of the term, "reparations" was explored at> some length, throughout the

discussion. For the most part,> the panel was unified about the need to focus on how> reparations can benefit the present citizens of the USVI.> Mr Khalil Osiris, Executive Director, Circle of Courage> STJ, stressed the need to focus on, "land, language, and> cultural" reparations.> > Mr Moorhead, founder of the African - Caribbean> Reparations and Resettlement Alliance, stated that any> reparational intent "must first be spiritual", and that the> "most important part is our self-reparation."> > Dr Chenzira -Kahina, co-organizer of Per Ankh, Inc.,> of St. Croix, pointed out that there is currently no> officially designated Pan African Representative for the> USVI. She cited examples of how this had been a stumbling> block in her attempts to be a part of this movement. Dr> -Kahina offered to immediately help draft necessary> documentation for

consideration for such an appointment.> > The African-Caribbean Reparations and Resettlement Alliance> organized the territory's first meeting in November 2004. A> nine member delegation from the Virgin Islands was then> invited to travel to Denmark to discuss reparations with> Danish humanitarian and cultural groups in April, 2005.> > A memorandum of understanding was signed during the visit,> as well as an agreement to establish a Joint Task force> with the Danish Institute of Human Rights. The intent of> the document is to further study the issue of reparations,> and explore possible ways to promote cultural exchanges,> education, and training opportunities. Historical research> projects will also be a focus.> > Senator told other members of the panel and the> audience that the Danish officials the reparation> delegation met with explained to the

Virgin Islands group> that direct reparation was not likely. For instance,> companies in Denmark today, such as sugar manufacturing> companies, would not participate. The Danish Institute for> Human Rights is a United Nations chartered organization.> > According to Moorhead, the signed agreement is "the first> document of its kind between Europe and the Caribbean that> officially recognizes that the descendants of enslaved> Africans have suffered economic, psychological, social and> emotional harm as a result of the European institution of> slavery."> > Former Ambassador Todman agreed to assist those assembled> for the meeting with the reparation effort. Copies of the> signed Memorandum of Understanding between the> African-Caribbean Reparations and Resettlement Alliance and> the Danish Institute for Human Rights were distributed to> those in attendance. It

indicates that a plan of action> shall be completed by the Joint Task Force within a period> of no more than 180 days from the date of signature.> > Panel members then answered questions from the audience.> The next meeting will be held on St. Croix, and is> scheduled for early July.> > http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/2005/05/30/reparations.shtml> > Click here to receive our daily Caribbean news headlines by> e-mail:> > http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/subscribe.htm> > Copyright © 2005 Caribbean Net News All Rights Reserved

June 1, 2005

Okay.

We have more of a "one love" approach here in the islands. No one has asked for money (here). A little help, with moving forward to embrace the people's culture, that's all. The Africans here, due to their geographical placement, have some, very unique, unmet needs. The USVI is not a "mirror site", of the states.VISIGOTH@... wrote:

An interesting article. I am pleased to read that the Danish firms will not pay up. In my opinion, the reparations movement is nothing more than a shakedown. Indeed what happened to their ancestors was a bad thing, but want to look at the truly guilty people they should look to their ancestral lands. It was other black people who had been practicing slavery themselves long before the whites came who captured and sold those people.

Had Africans refused to supply even in the face of demand, the slave trade could never have been. While Europeans did have firearms, they were few in number. They also were easy prey for the tropical diseases and heat. The Africans could have fought them off all the more easily because the European nations would not habe been keen to send their young men off to died fighting to capture slaves for sugar plantations in the caribean and elsewhere.

The simple fact is that companies in operation at the time were working within existing law. Once slavery was outlawed, they stopped. The people to hold responsible were the ones who ran the company back then. They also happen to be dead and any wealth they may have passed on diluted by several generations of inheritances, inheritances given to people further removed from the slavery issue by each generation. Allowing reparations based on a company's practices of 150 years ago would set a terrible precident under which businesses could taken to court for events a hundred years or more after the fact.

Some people compare this to the reparations paid to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. The two are actually entirely different. Some of the Jewish victims, people who had been IN the deathcamps, were still alive. In other cases the children of these people were alive. Also, these were cases of individuals having their property stolen by a government or banks. Other cases were about people worked to death by Nazi controlled companies. In spite of that being called slavery it wasn't: it was something far worse than slavery.

In the US, a few trillion dollars have already been spent on those reparation demands: education and land. Much of that money has also been given out directly to individuals as personal income. Free health care and free food have also been available. Add to that preferences and quotas for getting into college, slots for jobs and promotions, etc. much has already been paid. The amount almost certainly exceeds any reasonable amount for reparations that could be made up.

What I think it is is just some people looking for a lot of "free money". I've heard a figure of $100,000 going around. That would be $100,000 going to each of about 16 million people. Care to do the math on that? My calculator doesn't have enough spaces before going to scientific notation. There is no way the US could come up with that kind of money without totally destroying the economy. This money would also come from people who had nothing at all to do with slavery. Most people living in the US are descended from people who came after the Civil War. It is the same for most companies as well. Even I who comes from a long line of Southerners never had a slave owner in the family.

So, all that any reparations payments would accomplish is the crash the economy and make race relations worse than they have ever been or were imagined to be.

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June 1, 2005