John Edwards (RAT - NC) Says No Reparations for U.S. Slavery

Yahoo News ^ | 1/29/04 | Jane Sutton

[Libloather]

Edwards Says No Reparations for U.S. Slavery
Thu Jan 29, 3:42 PM ET
By Jane Sutton

GREENVILLE, S.C. (Reuters) - Courting voters in his home Southland, Sen. John Edwards said on Thursday employment and educational incentives -- not reparations for slavery -- were the way to address the economic disparity between blacks and whites.

"I'm not for reparations. What I'm for is dealing with the root causes of the disparity," Edwards said in Greenville, South Carolina, where he was to debate the other Democratic presidential candidates on Thursday night.

Specifically, he has proposed granting tax incentives to companies that open in economically depressed areas and bonuses for teachers who agree to work in troubled schools. He has also proposed scholarships to state colleges for poor students with good grades, if they agree to work 10 hours a week, and applauded judges who ordered racial integration of schools.

Greenville attorney Efia Nwangaza pressed Edwards on the reparations issue, whereby blacks would receive a payment for the time their ancestors spent in slavery before the Civil War.

After a forum sponsored by a local gospel music station at the Allen Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church, she said she did not like his answer and would vote for civil rights Al Sharpton or Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich on Tuesday, when South Carolina and six other states hold Democratic primaries and caucuses.

Edwards said school and job incentives, along with affirmative action programs, would better ensure economic fairness for the descendants of America's slaves. Party officials expect blacks to make up some 40 percent of South Carolina's Democratic primary voters.

Edwards, who was born in South Carolina and represents North Carolina in the Senate, has stressed his southern roots in the state, which he must win in order to maintain a credible national candidacy.

Asked about his expectations in the election, Edwards gave a thumbs up sign to supporters at the church in Greenville, saying "I feel completely at home, very comfortable -- I feel great."

Edwards returned to South Carolina after a quick jaunt through Oklahoma and Missouri, which also hold Democratic primaries on Tuesday.

Outside the jam-packed Blueberry Hill bar in St. Louis, where Edwards rallied hundreds of supporters on Wednesday night, an overflow crowd stood in the biting cold and greeted Edwards like rock star groupies.

Edwards mounted the running board of a police van and told them through a bullhorn, "I need you at the polls ... Together we can change America."

[Libloather]

Just for the record...

[areafiftyone]

Looks like its a race between Kerry and Edwards. Clark is going to drop out soon. This should be fun. I want to see Kerry and Edwards bash each other. But in the long run the media and the democreeps have chosen their man and that man is Kerry.

[11Bush]

employment and educational incentives..

Same thing, different name.

[lilylangtree]

Can just visualize ole Jesse "Shakedown" Jackson and Al "The Mouth" Sharpton paying a little visit to Edwards office for further discussion.

[templar]

..employment and educational incentives -- not reparations for slavery -- were the way to address the economic disparity between blacks and whites.

What a novel idea!. Wonder if it would work? And wonder why no one has ever thought to try this before.

[You Dirty Rats]

Very smart move by Edwards, IMHO.

[xrp]

"I'm not for reparations. What I'm for is dealing with the root causes of the disparity," Edwards said in Greenville, South Carolina

Would Senator Edwards care to explain how 1st and 2nd generation immigrants/children of immigrants from India, Asia, even Africa, perform better in school and life than a majority of multi-generational black Americans? Look at a BUNCH of tech startups in California over the last 5-7 years. Setup by immigrants from India who sold to larger corporations (like Intruvert to Network Associates for $100 million).

[blam]

Immigrant blacks in New York have a higher average income than the average income of whites.

[luvbach1]

How can it be Kerry? We have never had a French-looking president. No time to start now.

[luvbach1]

Lieberman just bowed out.

[wantabearainmaker]

Reparations, HMMMM. I am English, Welsh, Scots-Irish, American Indian, Hebrew and Italian. Regarding my ancestors, maybe we could sue Italy for facism, Egypt for slavery of the Jews, the US for treatment of Native Americans and taking their lands, the English for their treatment of the Scots and the Irish, and the English for their treatment of the English (My English people came via debtors prison). Does anyone know who or what we could seek reparations from or for the Welsh?

[pointsal]

Dear Sen-A-Tor ED-wards.......
Better check with REVEREND AL b'fo yo' address this topic a'gin.
(smack-smooch) yo' lov'n voters

[FastCoyote]

I don't think there should be Respirations for anyone! Period!

[rastus macgill]

Daring for a 'RAT ...Hillary won't say where she stands on the "issue".
Don't all their candidates support H.R. 60 or whatever the Repearations "study" bill is?

[azhenfud]

Someone tell Edwards to take two Exlax and call again in the morning. A "NO" would have sufficed.

[Constitution Day]

Indexing to Edwards Watch...

[lilylangtree]

My ancestors on my daddy's side came from England because of religious persecution. My mommy's side came from Ireland during the potato famine. I wanna sue England and Ireland for reparations.