All across the globe recompense is being sought after and paid for historical atrocities; however, when it comes to the plight of the African - wherever he finds himself in the world, such terms as militant, angry, and trouble maker are used in an attempted to ostracize and minimize those who raise this topic to the grandchildren and great grandchildren of European colonial enslavers.
There have been countless documented cases that have preceded the current fight for African American reparations. In fact, in the 1540's, an indigenous population in...Southern Chile…fought and successfully won for the return of their homeland that was taken away by the European invaders.
In addition, the Eskimo's of Arctic Canada were offered compensation of 850,000 sq. miles of their ancestral lands that was formerly taken away European colonizers.
Bringing the struggle closer to home, i.e...America..; the Native American Indian has been presented billions of dollars in recompense from the ....United States.... government through the construction of countless gambling casinos, which has effectively created billionaires out of many in the Native American community.
Moreover, if the truth be told, the most recognizable historically documented case of reparations was campaign for by the Jewish people; in which some of the most enormous quantities of recompense have been paid to date.
This is not to presuppose that the Jewish culture does not deservingly warrant the recompense received from the German government; however, if these large amounts of compensation are being paid for twelve (12) years of brutality inflicted upon the Jewish people by Adolph Hitler's Nazi regime, then how much more is due to the African, African American and African of the Diaspora for four hundred years of brutality, degradation, mass-murder and cultural genocide.
The recompense paid to Jewish people include, but are not limited to; billions to the families of the persecuted victims, millions in personal indemnities, and pensions for the survivors of the victims. These amounts are just the tip of the iceberg and continue to be amended.
As one can plainly verify that, to a large degree, the plight of the Jewish people has been redressed and continues to be rectified on a daily basis. Also, the plight of the Native American Indian has for all intents and purposes been redressed by means of the billions of dollars in land, and Native American owned and operated casino's, that has ventured into a trillion dollar a year business for the Native American coupled with monumental lobbying power.
Nevertheless, the irony of these vast expressions of compensation is that, neither the Native American nor the Jewish holocaust comes remotely close to the African holocaust (Trans Atlantic Slave Trade).
It remains imperative for the world to thoroughly understand that, the African was taken from a place of spiritual sovereignty and reduced to the social pariahs of the planet; equally, his/her plight continues to be largely ignored by international community and the European world.
Four hundred years of degradation, brutality, murder, couple with cultural and spiritual genocide perpetrated upon African people, eclipses all crimes against humanity; bar none. Not to mentioned the additional years of Jim Crow legislation, and the subjective racism still so prevalent today.
Minister Malcolm X once stated that: "If you plunge a nine inch knife into someone's back, and pull it out six inches, you have not made any progress. If you pull the knife all the way out, you still have not made any progress. Progress begins when you begin to heal the wounds that the knife made".
The United States government will barely acknowledge that a knife exists, let alone begin to make atonements to heal the wounds.
A QUOTE BY ONE OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS:
"The whole commerce between master and slave is a perpetual exercise of the most unremitting despotism (tyranny) on the one part, and degrading submission on the other. Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever". (Close quote)
- Thomas Jefferson, 1782
THE WEBSITES BELOW EFFECTIVELY ARTICUALTE BLACK "AFRICAN" LIFE BEFORE THE APATHY CREATED BY EUROPEAN COLONIAL SLAVERY:
http://www.freemaninstitute.com/RTGpix.htm
http://www.swagga.com/kemet.htm
As the United States of America attempts to distance itself from the atrocities of the Trans Atlanta Slave Trade as if it had absolutely no impact on the hearts and minds of today's African American and Africans worldwide, coupled with the repeated denials of recompense; we must categorically remember the words put forth in a speech by slave owner Willie Lynch, which he delivered to slave owners in 1712 on how to keep their slaves (black people) divided, and the permanent and long lasting affects of doing so.
"Quote"
Gentlemen,
"In my bag here, I have a full-proof method for controlling your Black slaves. I guarantee everyone of you that if installed correctly it will control the slaves for at least 300 years. My method is simple, and any member of your family or overseer can use it. I have outlined a number of differences among the slaves, and I take these differences and make them bigger.
I use fear, distrust, and envy for control purposes. These methods have worked on my modest plantations in the…West Indies…, and it will throughout the South. Take this simple little list of differences and think about them.
On the top of my list is "Age", but it is there only because it starts with an "A"; the second is "Color" or shade; there is intelligence, size, sex, size of plantation, attitudes of owners, whether the slaves live in the valley, on a hill, East, West, North, South, have fine or coarse hair, or tall or short. Now that you have a list of differences, I shall give you an outline of action, but before that, I shall assure you that distrust is stronger than trust, and envy is stronger than adulation, respect or admiration. The Black Slave, after receiving this indoctrination shall carry on and will become self-refueling and self-generating for hundreds of years, maybe even thousands.
Don't forget, you must pitch the Old Black males vs. the Young Black males. You must use the dark slaves vs. the light skin slaves, and the light skinned slaves against the dark ones. You must use the female against the male, and the male vs. the female. You must also have your servants and overseers distrust "ALL" blacks, it is necessary that your slaves trust and depend on only us. They must love, respect, and trust only us.
"Gentlemen, these kits are your keys to control, use them. Have your wives and children use them. Never miss an opportunity. My plan is guaranteed, and the good thing about this plan is that if used intensely for on year, the slaves themselves will remain perpetually distrustful". (Close quote)
Need I say more?
"Quote"
In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Considering that there have been innumerable historically documented examples of recompense to non-Black people; one would have to surmise that it is none other than blatant racism from the United States of America and the rest of the international community to deny recompense to the African world for the past atrocities of colonial slavery.
Below are just a few examples of historical atrocities and compensation paid to those that have been wronged. It remains unmistakably verifiable, that the rules of engagement for the historical atrocities perpetrated upon African people beyond doubt seem to change when applied to the African, African American and the Africans of the Diaspora.
The African Holocaust
Reparations Paid to date: $ 0
Period of time: 1400's to 1865 plus an additional 140+ years of racial oppression, disenfranchisement, stereotyping and degradation.
Loss of lives: untold
The Native American Holocaust:
Reparations Paid: By 1972, the Native Americans Indian had received an astounding 818 million in recompense from the ....United States..... Furthermore, in the 1980s at least five Native American nations were paid reparations totaling from 12.3 million to 1.1 billion for historical atrocities perpetrated upon them by European invaders.
World War II - Japanese, Reparations:
Reparations Paid: The US Government admitted wrongdoing in 1938 for the atrocities inflicted upon Japanese Americans and awarded each internee $20,000. Plus 1.25 Billion for education fund.
Jewish Holocaust, Reparations:
Reparations Paid: The Article 2 Fund; has awarded more than 1.2 billion dollars to the survivors of this particular holocaust...
M. QUINN is a freelance journalist born in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Author of the book "Removing the Veil".
He is also the Founder of the "Campaign to Remove the Veil"; which advocates incorporating a comprehensive study of racism into the academic system of American society, and making it a prerequisite for graduation.
From K-12 to the university academic system, Mr. Quinn categorically expresses the imperativeness of this approach toward addressing the social sickness of American racism. He specializes in social, political, and historical analysis and commentary.
THE CAMPAIGN TO REMOVE THE VEIL
http://www.myspace.com/removingtheveil
REMOVING THE VEIL - THE BOOK
http://www.lulu.com/content/286753
A MATTER OF HUMAN RIGHTS
http://www.myspace.com/a_matter_of_human_rights
A MATTER OF HUMAN RIGHTS - THE BOOK
http://www.lulu.com/content/3044703
ADDITIONAL LITERARY WORKS' BY THE AUTHOR
http://www.gather.com/viewArticles.jsp?memberId=36194
All Rights reserved by the Author
© Feb 2009 By Afromerica || [TOP]
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Historical Atrocities and Reparations
