I Want Me Some Damn Reparations

And Kamala supports me!

I have seen the light. I recently changed my position on reparations for descendants of slaves or who were otherwise egregiously harmed by the Confederacy. I used to think that the demands for reparations were just another money grab, but I now realize that they will fairly compensate those who have had a hard row to hoe because of the egregious harm done to their ancestors, even if those ancestors were white men.

In this crusade, I join Kamala Harris, Reverend Al Sharpton, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and even David Brooks (who you should know is a conservative because the New York Times tells us he is), in their calls for social justice. They all are all-in for reparations, even if some are a bit vague about exactly how they would work.

Equity demands free money for reparations.

There is no denying that slaves suffered enormously from their bondage. So, how should their descendants be compensated today. That is a difficult question but happily we have been given an answer by our “elites:” It is “reparations.” Exactly what form universal reparations would take is a bit unclear, but it is clear that the proponents want money. Lots of it.

For example, the California task force on reparations recommended a package of reparations that could total up to $1.2 million per person, for each descendent of a slave.

But the State of California was a piker compared to Kamala’s hometown, San Francisco. The recommendations by a San Francisco reparations committee included

Payments of $5 million to every eligible Black adult, the elimination of personal debt and tax burdens, guaranteed annual incomes of at least $97,000 for 250 years and homes in San Francisco for just $1 a family.

In these times of economic uncertainty, lost jobs, rising costs, difficulty in buying groceries and paying rent, we reparations advocates must be judicious and alert to political issues. Nevertheless, we cannot let those relatively minor difficulties cause us to lose sight of the fact only large sums of money can fairly compensate those whose ancestors suffered at the hands of the Confederacy. And we must not get bogged down in such questions as whether Joe the Plumber should have to pay for reparations to Oprah Winfree, the Duchess of Sussex, or, say, the biracial descendent of an Irish-Jamaican slaveowner. Equity must be done!

I have seen the light — Reflections on the abuse my ancestor suffered at the hands of the Confederacy.

Only relatively recently I had reason to reflect upon why reparations for ancestors of those who suffered mightily at the hands of the Confederacy are both fair and compelled by social justice. The occasion for the scales dropping from my eyes was my recollection of seeing the Civil War service record of one of my 19th century ancestors. Regrettably, due to the passage of time, several moves, and other events, I have lost track of it. But I recall that when he was discharged, he received a one-page written summary of his military service. It showed that he enlisted and served in a Union regiment organized in Kentucky. I cannot recall any mention of the battles he fought in, but it recited that he was captured and held in a Confederate prisoner of war camp.

The prison camp where he was held prisoner was in Virginia on Belle Isle. Belle Isle is a small island in the James River that now is only a short walk from downtown Richmond. Belle Isle sounds like a nice place, no? Well, it is. Today.

Families and outdoor enthusiasts now use it for hiking, picnicking, mountain biking, and other activities. I have walked and jogged its trails many times. It now comprises a 54-acre park that could be fairly described as ‘idyllic.’ Take a look for yourself.

But in 1862 - 64, Belle Isle was not quite so idyllic. The eastern tip of the island was a flat space of about six acres that “housed” up to 8000 Union prisoners at one time. I put “housed” in quotes because there were no buildings of any sort to “house” the prisoners. There was only a grossly inadequate number of small tents, leaving most men to live, eat, and sleep on the ground, exposed to the elements. Today that prison stockade area is directly under the elevated freeway and pedestrian foot bridge that connects the island to the north shore of the James. You can see them in some of the pictures above.

So why are reparations fair for descendants of Belle Isle prisoners? Well, this could be the reason why:

Union prisoners after their release from Belle Isle

Living, eating and sleeping of the flat ground without any shelter from rain, snow, the hot sun in summer and freezing cold in the winter were only part of their problems. As you can see from the images, they also received grossly inadequate food, and endured rampant disease, including life-threatening dysentery and even a smallpox epidemic.

So that is the hell that my ancestor endured and survived, when all he was guilty of was fighting for the Union, trying to free the slaves. Surely his ancestors are entitled to some reparations for his suffering? I think that I am equally entitled to reparations. And as you shall see below, I have good allies for the idea.

Kamala’s support for reparations.

Kamala has my back. While enduring rigorous questioning by Reverend Al Sharpton she was asked if she would sign a bill to give reparations to “descendants of Africans and slaves.” Her unhesitating answer was unambiguous:

When I am elected President, I will sign that bill.

Her answer is so clear that we can consider that her commitment to reparations is one of her fundamental “values” that has not changed. No doubt that is why the ABC “moderators” of the recent debate never questioned her about it. And she obviously is happy to affirm that commitment, because her vibrant chortling immediately afterwards is a clear sign of her pure joy! It exemplifies her joyful campaign!

Although she was answering a question about reparations for “descendants of Africans and slaves,” I have no doubt that her commitment to equity will cause her to support equal reparations for me and other descendants of survivors of Confederate prison camps, not to mention the millions of descendants of the estimated 620,000 union soldiers who gave their lives to free the slaves. Will that be expensive? Sure it will, but you can’t put a price on equity, can you?

Thank you, Madame Vice President!

And the flashing red light?

For those of you who may not have realized it (hopefully a small number) the flashing red light at the top of this post was a warning light cautioning the reader about the sarcasm to follow.