While we are on the subject of reparations let’s apply the principle logically and consistently. We hear the word in relation to slavery in America and all of the nasty things done to black people over the years. Discrimination of the bad kind was too common and justice of the good kind was too rare. In modern thinking slavery was an evil institution. Segregated drinking fountains were a slap in the face of people who deserved more. We have heard about it so many times that we think what we are hearing is the whole story. We need to get out of our shells and look at history. If we are going to get into a memory game and demand that past evils be made good we have a lot of digging to do.
What got me on this topic was thinking about the Middle East and the Arab/Jew conflict. We need to keep in mind that this conflict goes back a long way. The earliest record I am aware of was around 1,500 B.C. when the Egyptians (Arabs?) made slaves of the visiting decedents of Abraham (Jews). It seems the slavery went on for 400 years. So with compounded interest, how much does Egypt owe to the Jews of the world?
Did I mention slavery? Keep in mind that historically slavery, until recently, was a normal part of life. As far back as you go in time people accepted slavery. They generally did not like it if they were the slaves although there were exceptions. If you were the master it didn’t seem to be such a bad deal. What has always amazed me is that warriors who were captured in battle would then submit to being slaves. They would even become the bodyguards of the person who enslaved them. There was a mind set that said, “I lost fair and square. I deserve this.” We don’t understand that because with the advent of Christianity it became necessary to look at your slave as your brother.
If we are going to look back on history and try to right all wrongs there will never be any peace in the world and civilization will come to an end. I wonder if there is any self identifying group in the history of the world that could not find something to feel they needed to be reimbursed for. Take the Irish. They were pushed into Germany by some other group. Then the Germans pushed them to France. The Franks pushed them to Britain. The Saxons and Norsemen pushed them to Ireland. The English pushed them to the United States. Here they were discriminated against by just about everyone. Who are they going to get paid off by? Everyone. When? Never.
So grow up and live your life. Take responsibility and play the cards dealt you. You can’t change the past but you can influence the future.
homo unius libri
None of my direct ancestors appear to have owned slaves, but a few of them fought to free them. My gg-grandfather does doing so. Does that mean that
ReplyDeletemodern blacks owe my family money for the lack of family support after his death, since many of the blacks were sold into slavery by their own chieftains?
And it is possible if you go back a little further that your ancestors were driven here by violence or discrimination in another country. You could get at least two checks.
DeleteGrace and peace.