Robert F. Kennedy Jr. just played the race reparations card
In a bold move that is sure to shake up the U.S 2024 presidential race, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has come out in favor of reparations for Black Americans.
Kennedy initially ran for the Democratic Party nomination but announced on October 9, 2023, that he would run as an Independent. He has been critical of both major parties.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. supports issuing reparations to the black community, making him the most prominent 2024 candidate to favor the controversial policy meant to atone for slavery and legal segregation.- New York Post
The enslavement of Black people in the United States was a period of immense suffering and injustice. For over 200 years, Black people were denied their basic human rights, subjected to brutal treatment, and forced to labor for the benefit of others.
The legacy of slavery continues to impact Black Americans today, in the form of racial disparities in wealth, education, healthcare, and criminal justice.
Nearly 60 years after the Civil Rights Act, the condition of Black people in America is better in many respects. However, in terms of income, wealth, education, infant mortality, home ownership, incarceration,health, and life expectancy, they still lag behind the rest of the population.- Kennedy24
Reparations would be compensation for past labor and harms. In the case of Black Americans, reparations would be a way of acknowledging the enduring legacy of slavery and providing resources to help Black Americans overcome the economic and social disadvantages.
The idea of reparations for Black Americans has been around for centuries. After the Civil War, there were a number of proposals to provide reparations to freed slaves, but none of these proposals were ever implemented.
The debate over reparations is often heated. Some people argue that reparations are not necessary because slavery ended over 150 years ago and no one alive today owned slaves or was a slave.
Others argue that reparations would be divisive and would create more racial tension.
On his campaign website Kennedy talks about racial healing :
Communities that were specifically targeted for destruction need to be specifically targeted for repair. During Jim Crow, Black banks, businesses, hospitals, schools, and farms were targeted for destruction. Racists knew that without these, the Black community had no chance of building wealth. We must set federal dollars aside to rebuild Black infrastructure. (Kennedy24)
Many Black voters have made it clear that they are no longer willing to settle for empty promises and are demanding tangible change for their communities. Reparations are at the top of that list.
Black Political Opinion is a multi-part opinion-editorial series that looks at various political topics, news, and views, from the perspective of a Black female, conservative leaning Independent. www.BlackPoliticalOpinion.com