Repairing the reparations debate in the United States

Sigh. I didn't really want to get into this, but here I sit. First of all, I would like to say, as Projects Chair of the Black Student Union, that we would have loved for Mr. Harkleroad to attend our discussion on Saturday about reparations. It would have done both sides good to have more people with his viewpoint at the meeting. And I would also like to encourage people of all viewpoints, of all races and ethnicities to attend such discussions. Just because it says BSU on the flyer doesn't mean that it is exclusive to members only or Black students only.

That said, I am writing this in response to Mr. Harkleroad's latest letter. Mr. Harkleroad began his letter by stating, "labeling such individuals racist . . . is counterproductive." But earlier he said, "The reparations movement . . . is really about advancing a racist, anti-American agenda." So you're saying that you can label someone racist, but Ms. Donnelly can't? Sounds like a double standard to me.

Then Mr. Harkleroad goes on to talk about how his "Whiteness" doesn't affect his understanding of race relations. It doesn't. People of all races can understand, and do understand, race relations; however, it is the group who is in the minority who usually gets the best understanding. This is because the minority group must exist in the majority's world to function. I believe that this is what she is trying to assert. She never claims that your race prohibits your understanding. And speaking of hypocrite, and I was, here goes Mr. Harkleroad throwing around that word again that he so abhors, calling Ms. Donnelly's statements "a racist notion of questionable merit at best."

Then, here comes a gem. "Race and skin color are only defining characteristics for those who choose to let them be such." Oh man, I wish. Oh how I wish. I wish I didn't have to identify myself as a Black American, the lowest of the racial totem pole. I wish ideas would define me in this country rather than my race. You see, that may work for you, because you are White in America. You are the transparent race. I am Black, opaque. I want to, oh so bad, leave my race in my dorm when I drive on the New Jersey Turnpike, so I don't have an exponentially increased chance of being stopped just because of the color of my skin. I want to, oh so bad, leave my race in my home in Sugarland, Texas, so that when I go places and use my student ID that says Princeton University, people don't ask me flabbergasted, "Well, how'd you do that? Do ya play ball? What sport?" I want to, oh so bad, leave my race in my car when I go into the clothing store, so that I'm not followed around by the salesperson and constantly being hammered with, "Can I help you?"

It happens here on campus, also. I wish when I walk around campus, I could leave my race in my bed because then I, and my Black friends, wouldn't get stares, no, glares from some of the elder, and younger, White people who walk around this campus. You know the one, the "you, go HERE? Sure you didn't mean to be at Rutgers" look. I'm sure you've gotten it, Mr. Harkleroad because, in America, we define ourselves. I wish I could leave it in my room when I'm in precept, and the preceptor always asks me for my opinion just to get the "Black perspective." But what do I know about all that? In America, we define ourselves, not others.

Does racism still exist? Oh please believe. And though it may not be the overt, tangible racism that was in existence from 1492-1968, it is a worse brand of racism, it is intangible. Invisible. Only its effects can be felt. So while you, "choose not to let guilt over the crimes of slavery and segregation define [your] attitude toward black Americans," I am forced to let the crimes of slavery and segregation and racism define my, and millions of other Blacks in America, life.

You say, "racial disparities in America cannot be remedied though government programs . . . such programs have failed to achieve improvements," yet in your earlier article, you say, "[programs] mean nothing to those who stubbornly refuse to acknowledge the incredible progress that black Americans have made since the end of slavery and segregation." So do the programs work or not? Has there been improvement or not? I'm confused.

Many people who oppose reparations are misinformed. I, too, was on the other end. I, too, opposed reparations. That is because I did not know what they were. I, along will millions, ignorantly assumed that Black people just wanted free money. A check from Uncle Sam. However, advocates of reparations do not want this. No one of any importance in the Black community wants G.W. to write out a check. A check won't help the disparity in education. A check won't help me and the police get along. All a check will do would be to make problems even worse. Many taxpayers (from whom the money would come from) would be angry when they see a few Blacks, who through past depravity have little sense of banks, the stock market and family wealth, buying the latest cars.

Any person with common sense cannot disregard the lack of opportunities and learning in the average education of a Black person. Why is this so? I'm sorry that you went to D.C. and a few ignorant Black people, who aren't well-received in our community, wearing "Kill Whitey" shirts and saying, "Where my check, b*tch?" pissed you off. If this is the basis for your viewpoints, then it was even all the more important for you to attend the Black Student Union discussion on Saturday. There were no offending shirts, although some were fashionably offensive, or catchy, yet dumb, slogans. There was, however, a reasonable and fruitful discussion about reparations.

Now this article thing could go back and forth and forth and back and I, along with the millions of The Daily Princetonian readers will get bored and then possibly stop reading this paper. So, Mr. Harkleroad, anytime you, or anyone else, would like to have a discussion or perhaps a debate on this issue so that other views can be expressed by people who don't write into the 'Prince,' there are coutless people who would set an event up. This can even be put on by someone other than the BSU or a minority organization if you believe that said organization will present a slanted biased discussion. However, I do understand if you are too busy to set aside a couple hours out of your day, seeing as how you wrote three articles which I'm sure took much less than an hour or so.