I envision reparations instead of space rockets and war machines, healing instead of perpetual wounding, awakening instead of fearful dreaming..... may it be so. xoxo
Yes, yes, 100% yes! Thank you, Marianne for your courage in being the only Presidential candidate to raise the issue of reparations as one of the pillars of your Campaign & for continuing to educate, advocate and inspire us to realize an idea whose time has come! 💕
Indeed, I still keep reminding people of Marianne's foresight on this matter. People didn't want to be reminded of our ancestors horrendous, ignorant behavior. We can heal when we atone for wrongdoing: let's keep the effort moving ahead. Peace.
"It isn't Charity; it's a Debt That's Owed". That's a powerful statement - and also a true statement. A couple of other sentences from your article that stood out for me: (1) "What I came to believe is that the average American is not racist, but that Americans are woefully uninformed and uneducated about race in America." (I think that statement gets right to the root of the problem) and (2) "When we respect people’s capacity for an enlightened response, they’re more likely to respond in an enlightened way." This last statement is a testament to the power of your words Marianne, and how they are spoken (with respect). Kudos to you and your light
Adding to your revealing history lesson, others may wish to read Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States" (1492- mostly now). His book opened my eyes when I lived in North Carolina from 2008-14--it helped me realize the truths of our country--it made it easy for me to accept your ideas Marianne when you ran for President.
Also, people may be interested to know Evanston, IL, passed reparations for its Black residents this year! A good start. Here's a news those interested:
Thank you. I am beyond grateful for your intelligence and insight into these very important issues. You have such a talent at articulating ideas that help inform us and teach us what is true. I am so very thankful for your voice and presence in this world. Keep being 100% you!!!!
I could not disagree with you more. I cringe at the idea that some elitist somehow owes me something that I can not obtain for myself. I am an immigrant who arrived with parents who had nothing. Not even the ability to speak proper Spanish, let alone English. While I do not disagree that there are prejudiced people in America as in other parts of the world, this fact does not make me a victim. I am the only one who can give consent to have someone else's estimate of me become my own (for good or evil). My worth is given to me by God. My supply and my opportunities come to me DIRECTLY from God and He will bless me no matter who hates or judges me. The condescension of those who think their money (their God) is also my God, and therefore I have been or am deprived of some sort of 'good' because they feel they have taken something of value from me is beyond contempt. I wish all the liberals who feel they know better than I do what is necessary for my good would shut up AND LET ME TELL YOU what I VALUE. My thoughts are NOT your thoughts. My VALUES are not, never have been, will never be YOUR values. I actually DO respect America and its history. I love this country. I am profoundly grateful to the USA for all I have been able to learn here despite the handful of haters who I have met along the way. The majority of people here are kind, generous, and ethical. Yes, there is a lot of ignorance in many parts of this country -as there is all over the world. But to condemn America and berate her failures is to chose to ignore her kindnesses and true history. People have a right to their feelings about others. We can not force people to like everybody. I don't. Do you? I am so sick of hearing that some White liberal knows better than I do what I want. Do you know what I think was really taken from some people? It was not their money. They didn't have any. It was their independence. It was their sense of autonomy and freedom to chose their own paths. It was their culture. It was their sense of agency and personal empowerment to chart their own course. AND today, this ridiculous focus on 'reparations' and 'equity' and ' critical race theory' CONTINUES the oppression. STOP CALLING US VICTIMS!!! Why don't you shut up and let us speak for ourselves? The nerve of you and others to tell us that we need what you think we want and what you think is of value, is the greatest MOST demeaning position you could take. I do not need things given to me that I can not earn for myself because what is really valuable is not the thing itself, it is the profound sense of worth and accomplishment to know that we have done a job well done and have been successful on our own merits - not that some White Liberal thinks they had to 'give' it to me. You can not give me what I have not earned. Just like Biden and this current administration, the underlying belief seems to be that we are all whores who are just in it for the money. Keep your money and try to really respect us.
I’m a black American born in the USA & a descendant of slaves. Iris you don’t speak for us. You are an immigrant to America & NOT in our position & do not have our history. Your family is here by choice & doesn’t have the same traumatic shared history of other blacks in America. Your comment comes across as extremely harsh, negative & uninformed. Also, reparations do not apply to you, so no one is telling YOU how to feel or think when referring to reparations. You have no right to speak for actual descendants of slaves. Iris please take your own advice & don’t speak for a group of people you don’t belong to.
To quote you Iris.... “Why don't you shut up and let us speak for ourselves? ”
I understand, and I fully support you. A majority of Asians, Arabs, Hispanics, Indians, Africans, and Caucasian people don't understand the struggles that you have experienced for more than 400 years and accounting. Some of them do get it and support you. I fully support cash reparations for your people.
I wrote a reply and it seems to have gone missing.
I am not speaking for you.
I am speaking for myself as an immigrant who had only two categories to choose when self identifying: black or white. I'm both and neither.
I was nether because I was both plus.
My comments were not intended to speak for you but only for myself. Isn't that how we read everyone's post?
You have a right to your opinions as do I.
I was speaking for myself because the race focus on America is so manipulated as to pretend to exclude immigrants who are just as affected by the conversation but not invited to the table to offer solutions. The racial divide is artificial. In my country most people are all of the above all in one family. I'm very tired of the artificial hatred and war flames that are fanned to manipulate people.
I never thought of myself as black or white or brown. Even when I lived in Europe. In America, forces of division use the issue to manipulate the political landscape keeping people focused on race.
In my country most people are multi racial.
The fact that you seem to have taken offense at my comments which were directed at the divisive nature of the issue tells me this issue is not being handled in good faith by those presenting it for our consideration. Conversations should invite us to unity, not to more conflict and punitive measures, in my opinion.
Marianne, please also cover the issue of the death penalty which is so stacked against poor, working class black people. My husband has been supporting Tim on death row in Ohio who is fighting for a fair retrial. We've just heard that a date has been set for his execution. The system is so broken and now our hearts are breaking too.
The leading gop candidate to replace the governor should he be ousted in California's bizarre recall election is a conservative African American talk show host, Larry Elder. He actually made the public declaration two days ago that it can be argued that former slave owners are owed reparations for having their slaves taken away. While I understand that both major parties have issues, one is strikingly more progressive than the other. It is not helpful to discuss them as though they are both equally bad. There are areas where they both impede the steps necessary to get where we need to go. But one, much more then the other, is profoundly committed to making things worse. That just cannot be ommitted from an honest conversation about how we move forward.
Thanks Marianne, this is an important message whose time is way past due. Can you put together a similar enlightening message to encourage folks to step up and get vaccinated? Or at the very least, put their masks back on for the foreseeable future?
Biden has instituted his stick, you can appeal to their consciousness. Thanks again.
I envision reparations instead of space rockets and war machines, healing instead of perpetual wounding, awakening instead of fearful dreaming..... may it be so. xoxo
Succinct and empathetic as usual. I am SO GRATEFUL for you, Marianne!
An amazing history lesson even for me as a German citizen 👩🏻🎨
Yes, yes, 100% yes! Thank you, Marianne for your courage in being the only Presidential candidate to raise the issue of reparations as one of the pillars of your Campaign & for continuing to educate, advocate and inspire us to realize an idea whose time has come! 💕
Indeed, I still keep reminding people of Marianne's foresight on this matter. People didn't want to be reminded of our ancestors horrendous, ignorant behavior. We can heal when we atone for wrongdoing: let's keep the effort moving ahead. Peace.
"It isn't Charity; it's a Debt That's Owed". That's a powerful statement - and also a true statement. A couple of other sentences from your article that stood out for me: (1) "What I came to believe is that the average American is not racist, but that Americans are woefully uninformed and uneducated about race in America." (I think that statement gets right to the root of the problem) and (2) "When we respect people’s capacity for an enlightened response, they’re more likely to respond in an enlightened way." This last statement is a testament to the power of your words Marianne, and how they are spoken (with respect). Kudos to you and your light
That was a great read and reminder..Praying that happens for them.
Indeed, Marianne, right on!
Adding to your revealing history lesson, others may wish to read Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States" (1492- mostly now). His book opened my eyes when I lived in North Carolina from 2008-14--it helped me realize the truths of our country--it made it easy for me to accept your ideas Marianne when you ran for President.
Also, people may be interested to know Evanston, IL, passed reparations for its Black residents this year! A good start. Here's a news those interested:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/evanston-illinois-becomes-first-u-s-city-pay-reparations-blacks-n1261791
Glad to help keep moving these important ideas and endeavors forward! Wishing all a great evening as our autumnal season arrives.
Inspiring and encouraging! Thanks for sharing, Joan.
Your thoughtful words and perspective on this matter are greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Interesting. My doctoral work is in Transformative Learning and Change....yes it's past time. As we engage we grow. We learn and become.
Thank you. I am beyond grateful for your intelligence and insight into these very important issues. You have such a talent at articulating ideas that help inform us and teach us what is true. I am so very thankful for your voice and presence in this world. Keep being 100% you!!!!
No one explains this as succinctly as you. Thank you for your continued efforts to bring this to fruition .🙏💜
I could not disagree with you more. I cringe at the idea that some elitist somehow owes me something that I can not obtain for myself. I am an immigrant who arrived with parents who had nothing. Not even the ability to speak proper Spanish, let alone English. While I do not disagree that there are prejudiced people in America as in other parts of the world, this fact does not make me a victim. I am the only one who can give consent to have someone else's estimate of me become my own (for good or evil). My worth is given to me by God. My supply and my opportunities come to me DIRECTLY from God and He will bless me no matter who hates or judges me. The condescension of those who think their money (their God) is also my God, and therefore I have been or am deprived of some sort of 'good' because they feel they have taken something of value from me is beyond contempt. I wish all the liberals who feel they know better than I do what is necessary for my good would shut up AND LET ME TELL YOU what I VALUE. My thoughts are NOT your thoughts. My VALUES are not, never have been, will never be YOUR values. I actually DO respect America and its history. I love this country. I am profoundly grateful to the USA for all I have been able to learn here despite the handful of haters who I have met along the way. The majority of people here are kind, generous, and ethical. Yes, there is a lot of ignorance in many parts of this country -as there is all over the world. But to condemn America and berate her failures is to chose to ignore her kindnesses and true history. People have a right to their feelings about others. We can not force people to like everybody. I don't. Do you? I am so sick of hearing that some White liberal knows better than I do what I want. Do you know what I think was really taken from some people? It was not their money. They didn't have any. It was their independence. It was their sense of autonomy and freedom to chose their own paths. It was their culture. It was their sense of agency and personal empowerment to chart their own course. AND today, this ridiculous focus on 'reparations' and 'equity' and ' critical race theory' CONTINUES the oppression. STOP CALLING US VICTIMS!!! Why don't you shut up and let us speak for ourselves? The nerve of you and others to tell us that we need what you think we want and what you think is of value, is the greatest MOST demeaning position you could take. I do not need things given to me that I can not earn for myself because what is really valuable is not the thing itself, it is the profound sense of worth and accomplishment to know that we have done a job well done and have been successful on our own merits - not that some White Liberal thinks they had to 'give' it to me. You can not give me what I have not earned. Just like Biden and this current administration, the underlying belief seems to be that we are all whores who are just in it for the money. Keep your money and try to really respect us.
I’m a black American born in the USA & a descendant of slaves. Iris you don’t speak for us. You are an immigrant to America & NOT in our position & do not have our history. Your family is here by choice & doesn’t have the same traumatic shared history of other blacks in America. Your comment comes across as extremely harsh, negative & uninformed. Also, reparations do not apply to you, so no one is telling YOU how to feel or think when referring to reparations. You have no right to speak for actual descendants of slaves. Iris please take your own advice & don’t speak for a group of people you don’t belong to.
To quote you Iris.... “Why don't you shut up and let us speak for ourselves? ”
I understand, and I fully support you. A majority of Asians, Arabs, Hispanics, Indians, Africans, and Caucasian people don't understand the struggles that you have experienced for more than 400 years and accounting. Some of them do get it and support you. I fully support cash reparations for your people.
Hi Mary
I wrote a reply and it seems to have gone missing.
I am not speaking for you.
I am speaking for myself as an immigrant who had only two categories to choose when self identifying: black or white. I'm both and neither.
I was nether because I was both plus.
My comments were not intended to speak for you but only for myself. Isn't that how we read everyone's post?
You have a right to your opinions as do I.
I was speaking for myself because the race focus on America is so manipulated as to pretend to exclude immigrants who are just as affected by the conversation but not invited to the table to offer solutions. The racial divide is artificial. In my country most people are all of the above all in one family. I'm very tired of the artificial hatred and war flames that are fanned to manipulate people.
I never thought of myself as black or white or brown. Even when I lived in Europe. In America, forces of division use the issue to manipulate the political landscape keeping people focused on race.
In my country most people are multi racial.
The fact that you seem to have taken offense at my comments which were directed at the divisive nature of the issue tells me this issue is not being handled in good faith by those presenting it for our consideration. Conversations should invite us to unity, not to more conflict and punitive measures, in my opinion.
Marianne, please also cover the issue of the death penalty which is so stacked against poor, working class black people. My husband has been supporting Tim on death row in Ohio who is fighting for a fair retrial. We've just heard that a date has been set for his execution. The system is so broken and now our hearts are breaking too.
The leading gop candidate to replace the governor should he be ousted in California's bizarre recall election is a conservative African American talk show host, Larry Elder. He actually made the public declaration two days ago that it can be argued that former slave owners are owed reparations for having their slaves taken away. While I understand that both major parties have issues, one is strikingly more progressive than the other. It is not helpful to discuss them as though they are both equally bad. There are areas where they both impede the steps necessary to get where we need to go. But one, much more then the other, is profoundly committed to making things worse. That just cannot be ommitted from an honest conversation about how we move forward.
Thanks Marianne, this is an important message whose time is way past due. Can you put together a similar enlightening message to encourage folks to step up and get vaccinated? Or at the very least, put their masks back on for the foreseeable future?
Biden has instituted his stick, you can appeal to their consciousness. Thanks again.
👏💯💥