Black Demonstrators Demand Slavery Reparations

AP via Yahoo! News ^ | Sat Aug 17, 5:18 PM ET | Mark Wilkinson

[Chi-townChief]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A few thousand black demonstrators rallied on the Mall in Washington on Saturday to demand that the U.S. government pay blacks reparations for slavery and decades of discrimination.

"I want to go up to the closest white person and say, 'You can't understand this, it's a black thing,' and then slap him, just for my mental health," Charles Barron, a member of the New York City Council, told the crowd.

The demonstrators, numbering about 2,000 to 3,000, came from all parts of the United States, many traveling by bus from as far away as Texas. With the U.S. Capitol in the background, they chanted "Black power! Reparations!" and "Start the Revolution!"

"Apologize White America," said a sign carried by one demonstrator.

Barron, a self-proclaimed "elected revolutionary," said if the government did not act swiftly he personally would storm the Treasury Department ( news - web sites) and take the money for reparations.

Black activist Louis Farrakhan told the crowd, "America owes the black people a lot for what they've endured."

"We need land for political independence, we need millions of acres," Farrakhan added. "We need payment for 310 years of slavery, of destruction of our minds and the robbery of our culture."

The United States, torn apart by the Civil War, abolished slavery in 1865. Some people argue that even 137 years after abolition, blacks still suffer from the vestiges of slavery.

U.S. Rep. John Conyers, a Democrat from Michigan, urged blacks to press their elected representatives in Congress to deal with the issue of slavery reparations.

"We want reparations -- not next century, not 10 years from now, but now," Conyers said. "These wrongs can only be corrected in the House of Representatives, only Congress can do what we want now. All congressmen ought to be here today."

Conyers has backed legislation that would require the House of Representatives to study slavery's effects on blacks.

Demonstrators said blacks deserved "long overdue" reparations, noting compensation won by Jews in the aftermath of the Nazi Holocaust and Japanese-Americans for their internment by the United States in camps during World War II.

The turnout was smaller than the tens of thousands of demonstrators forecast by organizers of the "Millions for Reparations" movement. But those who traveled to Washington said they believed the rally would make a difference.

"You have to really make some noise just to be heard," Edna Russell, who traveled from Denver, told Reuters.

Kobina Abew, an American citizen from Ghana dressed in a colorful African gown, said, "It's going to be very effective. It's going to bring a solution to this problem, I believe."

[Chi-townChief]

"I want to go up to the closest white person and say, 'You can't understand this, it's a black thing,' and then slap him, just for my mental health," Charles Barron, a member of the New York City Council, told the crowd.

Charles Barron sounds like a real bright-boy!

[Crazymonarch]

50 percent of my income goes to either federal,state or local government taxes 30 percent goes to the bank...maybe I can join them with my white slaver placard.

[Crazymonarch]

oops 'slavery' placard I no longer work for the bank

[Dales]

These guys point out how there once was a wrong committed, a vile, horrible wrong. And they, who were not the wronged, want to collect a lot of money taken from people like me, who did not commit the wrong.

I just hope they realize that what they are really pushing for is a civil war. Because if reparations ever becomes anything more than a leftist carnival act, and actually becomes law, that is precisely what those pushing it will get.

[07055]

The turnout was smaller than the tens of thousands of demonstrators forecast by organizers of the "Millions for Reparations" movement.

Let's see...they say "millions" on their website.

The organizers predict "tens of thousands."

This article says "thousands."

AP says "hundreds."

Watching the rally on TV, I thought they had "dozens."

[Texas_Jarhead]

"Kobina Abew, an American citizen from Ghana dressed in a colorful African gown, said, "It's going to be very effective. It's going to bring a solution to this problem, I believe."

Someone enlighten me here. Would this person be eligible to receive reparations?

[SpringheelJack]

We need payment for 310 years of slavery,

1619-1865 = 246 years.

Ebonimatics, anyone?

[07055]

Would this person be eligible to receive reparations?

Being an African, this person should be *paying* any reparations. Not for what happened hundreds of years ago, but for the people being enslaved in Africa *today.*

[F16Fighter]

Quite frankly, if this absurdly divisive movement gathers enough steam to coerce and encourage the U.S. government into ANY reparations, America will no doubt be facing not only instability but chaos across the board....

The ACLU, Socialists, and One-Worlders no doubt will be thrilled.

[goldstategop]

I see AP bumped up the numbers. They're lyin' through their teeth. There weren't more than a few hundred in attendance there. As for Charles Barron's pledge, it'll be a cold day in hell before he breaks into Fort Knox. It ain't as easy as it looks. At least we know the reparations proponents have gone at one remove from a shakedown to outright theft. For those who don't know, that's called seizing the moral high ground! ;-)

[germanicus]

I want to go up to the closest white person and say, 'You can't understand this, it's a black thing,' and then slap him, just for my mental health," Charles Barron, a member of the New York City Council, told the crowd

Mr. Barron had better watch who he slaps. He may find his mental health splattered all over some sidewalk (by someone defending themselves, of course).

[mict42]

"You can't understand this, it's a white thing!There's right, there's wrong, and then there's an evolutionary thing called Common Sense. It's genetic.

[goldstategop]

Its also absent from the liberal gene. He needs to be slapped really good back into reality!

[TomServo]

"We need land for political independence, we need millions of acres," Farrakhan added.

It's just across the "pond", asshole. Knock yourself out.

[Chad Fairbanks]

A few thousand? Looks like those of us watching missed a few...

[oldironsides]

This will serve to separate the races. That is why they are having such a stupid gathering. There is an effort in America to divide and separate. It is becoming more transparent by the day. The biggest perps in the race baiting are the Democrats. They have become experts at disgusting election pandering. They are not speaking to Americans as a whole, they divide and stir the pot of mistrust and anger. This entire matter was instigated by the race baiting, church campaigning Democratic Party. They are totally to blame for fueling hatred and division.

[jgrubbs]

I can hear the chants:

"Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, Give Us Money So We Aint Po!"

[gunnedah]

I will be glad when they do this,maybe then some people will realize it is not benficial to be a coward.

[goldstategop]

Along with this extra:

"Hey, ho, ho, ho, ho Whitey's Got To Go!!!"

[Sam Cree]

"50 percent of my income goes to either federal,state or local government taxes, 30 percent goes to the bank"

A fair amount of that 50% is probably already being payed to black people in the form of various government entitlements, which are beginning to be thought of as "rights." However, if reparations are paid, I think justice dictates that entitlements, affirmative action, etc. will no longer be required.

[Mudboy Slim]

"I want to go up to the closest white person and say, 'You can't understand this, it's a black thing,' and then slap him, just for my mental health," Charles Barron, a member of the New York City Council, told the crowd."

Sure would like the li'l peckerhead to try, just fer my mental health!! When's the next protest?!

Quite Sincerely...MUD

[jgrubbs]

They are chanting "Black power! Reparations!" and "Start the Revolution!"

Could you imgine the headlins if 3,000 white people started chanting "White power!" and "Start the Revolution!"

[Mudboy Slim]

"...if reparations are paid, I think justice dictates that entitlements, affirmative action, etc. will no longer be required."

Tell the snivellin' ba$+ards to pay back the over $6 Trillion we've already handed out and maybe then we'll talk...then again, maybe not!!

SHEEEESH...MUD

[Lib-Lickers 2]

1776-1865 = 89yrs

[RicocheT]

Huge bump for post 16.

[goldstategop]

If 300 whites held a racist rally blaming everything on blacks they'd be laughed out of credibility by liberals. And here we're supposed to take the half mad rantings of black racists with respect. Yeah right. We should show them respect - a boot up their greedy and lazy ass.

[Mudboy Slim]

"The turnout was smaller than the tens of thousands of demonstrators forecast by organizers of the "Millions for Reparations" movement. But those who traveled to Washington said they believed the rally would make a difference."

BWAHAHAHAHAHA...MUD

[Crazymonarch]

Or you could be like my Grandfather who worked in a Nazi labour camp under conditions positively peachy compared to a lot of slaves,just put it behind you and get on with life.

[Dixielander]

""Apologize White America."

That placard holder must be really stupid to think that America owes him or any black anything. If he had a measurable IQ, he'd be on his knees thanking God that he enjoys the privilege of living in America.

As for the rest of the demonstrators, I ask "Isn't extortion a crime?"

[kjenerette]

Shouldn't the dates be adjusted: slave wages and reparations prior to 1776; sue the English Crown?

[marvlus]

I say this. For every African-American that wants reparations, the conditions are as follows:

1) Take $100,000
2) Be stripped of U.S. Citizenship
3) Be exported back to Africa
4) Never attempt to come back to the U.S.

[07055]

These people want land?

I hear there is lots of vacant farmland in Zimbabwe right now.

Stolen from the White farmers who were then killed because of the color of their skin.

I vote that we give those in attendance today reparations in the form of a one-way ticket to their beloved Africa.

[Defend the Second]

600,000 Americans died during the Civil War, which, no matter why it was fought, ended slavery in the US. That seems like a significant enough "payment" to me. These people can go to hell.

[Freeper]

We need payment for 310 years of slavery, ,br> 1619-1865 = 246 years.
Ebonimatics, anyone?

No offence intended to anyone who realistically applies math to this situation BUT! - - - -

The United States of America DID NOT EXIST until 1776. If you want to complain about who did what to whom before that - - - talk to the British, The French and the Spanish. But do not attempt to blame my native country or me.

In reality, the United States only was only involved in responsibly ( to what ever degree) from 1776 until 1865. Only 79 YEARS. And then only a FEW selected individuals out of millions of people were involved.

Hopefully realization that it was only 79 YEARS will help to qualm the garbage being spewed by many.

[ivanhoe116]

Demonstrators said blacks deserved "long overdue" reparations, noting compensation won by Jews in the aftermath of the Nazi Holocaust and Japanese-Americans for their internment by the United States in camps during World War II.

No sense wasting your breath on people with this mentality.

[abclily]

Love your response! Louis would have better luck getting land if he went to Africa and helped the blacks who are presently stealing farms from the whites.

[BJungNan]

"I want to go up to the closest white person and say, 'You can't understand this, it's a black thing,' and then slap him, just for my mental health," Charles Barron, a member of the New York City Council, told the crowd.

This aint no black thing. This is a money thing and that slap happy black man wants his. It aint the slapping of a white face that will make him happy, it is the slapping of them dollars on the counter and the slappin of his thigh that will put a smile on his face. That black man wants him a shinney new car and youze all ta buy it fah him.

[Moose4]

"I want to go up to the closest white person and say, 'You can't understand this, it's a black thing,' and then slap him, just for my mental health," Charles Barron, a member of the New York City Council, told the crowd.

HATE SPEECH! HATE SPEECH! I'm filing a complaint, dammit! He's producing hate speech! He's inciting hatred against whites! </sarcasm>

Holy crap. Could you imagine the crapstorm if a white guy got up in front of 500 people and said "I want to go up to the closest black person and say 'You can't understand this, it's a white thing,' and then slap him, just for my mental health"? Such a double standard, but we knew that already.

}:-)4

[marvlus]

I am a person that normally does not let "things" get to me. But the talk of slavery reparations is one of those "things" that causes my blood pressure and negative emotions to rise. I can't imagine this ever coming to a head, but if, and this is a big if, slavery reparations start becoming a reality, I can guarantee you, great divisiveness will become a reality within our country. If you think black/white relations are bad now, just try implementing slavery reparations.

[07055]

Even if they gave every one of these people $100,000 in reparations, how long before the money is all gone and they find themselves in the exact same situation before they got the cash?

[End The Hypocrisy]

Strangely enough, the Washington Post gave an even MORE conservative figure for the http://www.millionsforreparations.com event today:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30662-2002Aug17.html

"Hundreds of blacks rallied in front of the Capitol on Saturday to demand slavery reparations, saying that compensation is long overdue for the ills of that institution."

Ouch! :-)

[The Wizard]

2 or 3 thousand........this thing is dead.....

[Catspaw]

I caught one of the speakers--they listed him as co-chairman--say that 900 buses came to the rally. Just doing a little quick math & giving the benefit of the doubt by using the 3000 figure, that means that each bus held 3.3 people.

That's a waste of a lot of good diesel.

[Salvey]

Given the present racial climate, perhaps pro-white rallies, tee shirts, bumper-stickers, etc., would not be excoriated. I hear more and more folks say things like, "If they can do it, then why can't we?".

[dfwgator]

Of course when the blacks buy their new cars, the money will end right back up in Whitey's hands anyway.

[gesully]

Seems to me these people should thank God their ancestors were slaves. If not they would not be on the Mall in Washington DC but would be in some dusty, God-forsaken african country squatting in the dirt, eating grass and probably infected with AIDS.

[marvlus]

I caught one of the speakers--they listed him as co-chairman--say that 900 buses came to the rally. Just doing a little quick math & giving the benefit of the doubt by using the 3000 figure, that means that each bus held 3.3 people.

Based on the numbers reported in the Washington Post, the bus driver was the only one on the Bus!!

[robertpaulsen]

"This entire matter was instigated by the race baiting, church campaigning Democratic Party."

And I hope that every democRATic congressman runs on this issue this November. They don't dare.

[07055]

I bet the buses were at least half full. Wonder where the riders went though? It sure wasn't the rally.

[BJungNan]

Of course when the blacks buy their new cars, the money will end right back up in Whitey's hands anyway.

What I want to aks is this, when they get their new cars, will they get SUV's?