Jiovanni Lopez
Toni Fannin
English 122-5504
27 April 2023
Will Reparations be Enough
The question of whether or not the United States government should pay some form of reparations to African Americans is a complicated problem, with strong arguments on both sides. Including arguments from Steven Dubner which he mentioned in “The Pros and Cons of Reparations” podcast. “On one hand, many argue that the United States government has systematically created barriers for African Americans, such as redlining, which denied them access to home ownership and the ability to create generational wealth. As a result, many Black Americans have been unable to accumulate wealth for generations, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and inequality.” These systematic
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and the effects of discrimination, we still see today, the question of whether or not the government should provide reparations is one to take into deep understanding and consideration. After reading from the sources provided and examining the arguments and evidence of both sides, many would argue that reparations would be too hard to implement or that they undermine individuals who have surpassed the need for reparations. These arguments overlook the deep history of economic and social factors that have limited the opportunities and resources available to Black Americans. So I do believe that the government should pay a sum to those who have had to deal with generations of discrimination and inequality and that it is the best option to start the process of understanding and …show more content…
As mentioned in The Impossibility of Reparations, David Frum "The fact is, reparations are impossible—not just practically, but philosophically. The very word implies a transaction between those who did wrong and those who were wronged. But the people who were wronged are no longer here, and the people who did wrong are no longer the same people." And while it's easy to see where he is coming from and although the people who were wronged are no longer here the figure of the government is still relevant and so are the memories of who and how they were wronged, so is it really out of the question for the government to acknowledge the