26 July 2007

The Lonely Voice of Justice (BR)

About the only ink afforded to Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich after his performance at Tuesday's CNN/YouTube debate was in reference to his dubious distinction of having the lowest-testing moment of the night among focus groups.

He earned the enmity of these political taste-testers by being the only person on a panel of eight candidates, including one black man, who is openly in favor of the payment of reparations to African-Americans for the crime of slavery.


It's worth mentioning that this performance by Kucinich tested lower than a statement by Mike Gravel that American servicemen "died in vain" in Vietnam and are doing the same thing in Iraq today.

Maybe most Americans see an increasing black middle class, and the ascension of African-Americans to prominent and valorous positions in society -- like, for example, legitimate contender for the presidency -- and see the broaching of the topic of reparations as dredging up old unpleasantness and resurrecting a dialogue about race that we were never very comfortable taking part in, and decide that the whole thing is an anachronism and some karmic statute of limitations has expired.

Or maybe we're just used to the government not having to pay for hurting people.

The practice of kidnapping black Africans to America and forcing them and their children to work without pay was tolerated, regulated, and therefore endorsed by the United States government for the first 87 years of its existence. Millions who should have enjoyed rights equal to any other citizen instead were denied them wholesale, and could look forward to nothing other than pitiless oppression and endless toil, and release only in the form of death.

Was our government coddling the American Indians when it "reserved" some land for them to live on after defeating the natives in war? Should individuals today who abduct and hold victims against their will not have to answer for their actions? The United States, great and glorious though we are, for a time democratically sanctioned the trafficking of human beings like cattle, in violation of principles enshrined elsewhere in our laws. See the First, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments to the Constitution.

This is not abstract conceptualizing. Our legal system is based on a standard of justice whereby an injury to one party, materially and/or by denial of rights protected by law, must be repayed by the injurers, in direct monetary compensation or by forfeiture of their own rights.

Congressman Kucinich is not my preferred candidate for president, but he is no lunatic for understanding this very simple principle and applying it honestly to the topic of reparations. The unpopularity of his comment speaks less to his being out of touch with voters and more to how out of touch many Americans are with the ideals we claim to venerate.

13 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

"This is not abstract conceptualizing. Our legal system is based on a standard of justice whereby an injury to one party, materially and/or by denial of rights protected by law, must be repayed by the injurers, in direct monetary compensation or by forfeiture of their own rights."

You forget two important principles of American law here. First is the statute of limitations and second the idea that each man is responsible for his own actions. If you get into this concept of reparations, how far back will this go? 200 years? 300? Millenia?

Also, why should I as a taxpayer be forced to pay reparations for crimes commited by ancestors of mine so far back that I can not remember thier names against the ancestors of others for whom the realtion goes so far back that they can not remember the names?

11/28/2007 12:27 AM  
Blogger Brendan said...

Quite simply, we should all pay because the prosperity we have enjoyed, and continue to enjoy, by the accident of being born here in America owes quite a bit to labor performed by black slaves.

1/22/2008 8:47 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Who knows where to download XRumer 5.0 Palladium?
Help, please. All recommend this program to effectively advertise on the Internet, this is the best program!

11/21/2009 10:58 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi !.
You re, I guess , probably curious to know how one can collect a huge starting capital .
There is no initial capital needed You may begin earning with as small sum of money as 20-100 dollars.

AimTrust is what you thought of all the time
The firm incorporates an offshore structure with advanced asset management technologies in production and delivery of pipes for oil and gas.

It is based in Panama with affiliates around the world.
Do you want to become a happy investor?
That`s your chance That`s what you desire!

I`m happy and lucky, I started to take up income with the help of this company,
and I invite you to do the same. If it gets down to select a correct partner who uses your savings in a right way - that`s AimTrust!.
I make 2G daily, and my first deposit was 1 grand only!
It`s easy to get involved , just click this link http://igumugore.wtcsites.com/ogawivyf.html
and go! Let`s take this option together to feel the smell of real money

12/04/2009 3:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello !.
You re, I guess , perhaps very interested to know how one can make real money .
There is no initial capital needed You may commense to get income with as small sum of money as 20-100 dollars.

AimTrust is what you need
The company represents an offshore structure with advanced asset management technologies in production and delivery of pipes for oil and gas.

It is based in Panama with offices everywhere: In USA, Canada, Cyprus.
Do you want to become really rich in short time?
That`s your chance That`s what you desire!

I feel good, I started to get real money with the help of this company,
and I invite you to do the same. It`s all about how to choose a correct partner utilizes your funds in a right way - that`s it!.
I earn US$2,000 per day, and my first deposit was 1 grand only!
It`s easy to get involved , just click this link http://oxybohewet.freewaywebhost.com/wyjupon.html
and go! Let`s take this option together to become rich

12/16/2009 5:48 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello everyone!
I would like to burn a theme at here. There is such a thing, called HYIP, or High Yield Investment Program. It reminds of financial piramyde, but in rare cases one may happen to meet a company that really pays up to 2% daily not on invested money, but from real profits.

For quite a long time, I make money with the help of these programs.
I don't have problems with money now, but there are heights that must be conquered . I get now up to 2G a day , and I started with funny 500 bucks.
Right now, I'm very close at catching at last a guaranteed variant to make a sharp rise . Visit my web site to get additional info.

[url=http://theblogmoney.com] Online investment blog[/url]

1/12/2010 11:49 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi!
You may probably be very curious to know how one can manage to receive high yields on investments.
There is no initial capital needed.
You may begin earning with a sum that usually goes
on daily food, that's 20-100 dollars.
I have been participating in one company's work for several years,
and I'll be glad to share my secrets at my blog.

Please visit my pages and send me private message to get the info.

P.S. I earn 1000-2000 per day now.

http://theinvestblog.com [url=http://theinvestblog.com]Online Investment Blog[/url]

1/22/2010 10:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good day, sun shines!
There have been times of troubles when I felt unhappy missing knowledge about opportunities of getting high yields on investments. I was a dump and downright stupid person.
I have never imagined that there weren't any need in big starting capital.
Now, I feel good, I started take up real income.
It gets down to choose a correct partner who utilizes your money in a right way - that is incorporate it in real deals, and shares the profit with me.

You may get interested, if there are such firms? I have to tell the truth, YES, there are. Please be informed of one of them:
[url=http://theblogmoney.com] Online investment blog[/url]

1/25/2010 1:36 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good day, sun shines!
There have been times of troubles when I felt unhappy missing knowledge about opportunities of getting high yields on investments. I was a dump and downright pessimistic person.
I have never thought that there weren't any need in big initial investment.
Nowadays, I feel good, I started to get real money.
It's all about how to select a proper companion who utilizes your money in a right way - that is incorporate it in real business, and shares the profit with me.

You can ask, if there are such firms? I'm obliged to tell the truth, YES, there are. Please get to know about one of them:
http://theinvestblog.com [url=http://theinvestblog.com]Online Investment Blog[/url]

2/03/2010 7:38 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi everybody!

For sure you didn’t here about me yet,
my name is Peter.
Generally I’m a social gmabler. for a long time I’m keen on online-casino and poker.
Not long time ago I started my own blog, where I describe my virtual adventures.
Probably, it will be interesting for you to find out my particular opinion on famous gambling projects.
Please visit my diary. http://allbestcasino.com I’ll be glad would you find time to leave your comments.

3/14/2010 1:45 AM  
Anonymous Chauffagiste à Bruxelles said...

Chauffagiste à Bruxelles

12/28/2020 11:53 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

 Une attention particulière vous est
accordée par une équipe d'experts,
prête à répondre à toutes
vos questions sur le vitrage automobile pour vous offrir le meilleur
service possible. Remplacez vos fenêtres et pare-brise, nous
réalisons tous les types de marques de voitures. Profitez de
notre vaste inventaire de produits de haute qualité. Réparer ou
remplacer votre vitre de voiture
? AutoGlass s'engage
à améliorer la qualité de service
grâce à un service personnalisé
adapté à vos besoins. Notre équipe
vous propose des devis gratuits et sur mesure, vous permettant de juger
par vous-même de la qualité de nos prestations. Le
temps d'attente n'est que de 24 heures. Toutes les
procédures d'assurance sont disponibles 24 heures sur 24, 7
jours sur 7.

3/19/2022 6:17 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

adam serrurier is bad

10/16/2023 9:29 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home