Gavin Newsom, governor of California, has floated the thought that California would give every black citizen in the state $ 250 K each. This kind of payment would effectively bankrupt California. Newsome knows this and it will never happen, but he is putting it on his resume. Newsome is telling blacks around the country he is their champion.
This is much like the stunt Tim Ryan and Ro Kahana floated, gving everyone over 16 years of age be given $ 2000 per month during Covid. Another idea that was not serious, but telegraphed empathy to voters.
Never mind, California is on the brink of insolvency, Newsome is getting headlines for a plan that can never be implemented or paid for. If it could be done, you would have to consider Native Americans enslaved by Columbus, Japanese interned during world war 2, Mexicans for the land we took in the Spanish American War. the trail of tears inflicted on the American Indian and so many other groups that have been wronged.
We all understand the injustice of slavery and it should be abhorrent to everyone. If you wanted to atone for this atrocity, who would get the benefit? Would it be people who have a trace of African blood, since we are so much a mixed-race country? Would black millionaires get the payment?
The larger point is that generations of people, far removed from slavery would be made to pay for an injustice they had nothing to do with. Consider this, we would be providing reparations in a country where the majority white population elected a Black president and Black Vice president. The stain of discrimination in America has been replaced by an enlightened society that believes in fairness for all me based on the content of their character.
Dan Rivers
Mid Days
570 WKBN