Many high school students today studied the Opium War, a battle that is fought between China and Britain. The end result concludes that China lost, so Britain demands reparations from China because they cut off the opium trade with Britain. The British also colonized Hong Kong and restructured the Chinese government, leaving the Chinese powerless. The concept of reparations is used worldwide, whether it be used for justice or for power.
In a more modern context, an article, “The Case for Reparations” by Ta-Nehisi Coates brings up an argument for reparations. Throughout the article, Coates repeatedly insist the reader to consider the history of Black slaves to illustrate white American’s work of robbery. The white plundered blacks for over 400 …show more content…
Clyde Ross an on-contract house buyer requested restitution from their contract home seller revealing that the bank was in support of the on-contract sales (Coates 19). The deeply rooted schemes planned by whites were used to plunder blacks through sales of on-contract homes. Coates supports reparations because through the countless historical reference he provides it all have a common theme; white people stole from blacks. Coates strongly believes that reparations are needed before the healing process begins for America.
As brilliant as the article Coates wrote was, there were still objections to the case for reparations. One in particular was David Frum, he wrote a response in order to argue against Coates claims. Frum began his objection to the case for reparations by including other races that were victims of white supremacy. Frum’s purpose of doing so was to bring light to a larger situation, one that gives reason to believe that blacks were not the only ones that whites …show more content…
(Frum 2). The purpose of these questions is done in order to illustrate the vagueness in Coates’s argument for reparations. An example that Frum brought up is, “ Young black Americans spend on average 4.5 hours more per day with electronic media than do their white counterparts” (5). Frum connects this quote to the concept of reparations by saying, “ Money won’t change unhealthy dietary patterns, or enhance language skills, or teach the habits on which thriving communities are built” (Frum 5). This statement refutes Coates’s argument for reparations by simply stating, money is not the issue, but the habits that are developed. Compensations are not needed for the rehabilitation of the Black community.
Coates argues that reparations are needed and Frum insists it is not. I believe they are both right and give very important points. Although, I wish to sympathize with Coates arguments for reparations, Frum’s point on reparations for all oppressed groups made much more sense to me. Coates can argue that African-Americans have been oppressed for a much longer time, but the fact does not change that others have been hurt along the development of
In a more modern context, an article, “The Case for Reparations” by Ta-Nehisi Coates brings up an argument for reparations. Throughout the article, Coates repeatedly insist the reader to consider the history of Black slaves to illustrate white American’s work of robbery. The white plundered blacks for over 400 …show more content…
Clyde Ross an on-contract house buyer requested restitution from their contract home seller revealing that the bank was in support of the on-contract sales (Coates 19). The deeply rooted schemes planned by whites were used to plunder blacks through sales of on-contract homes. Coates supports reparations because through the countless historical reference he provides it all have a common theme; white people stole from blacks. Coates strongly believes that reparations are needed before the healing process begins for America.
As brilliant as the article Coates wrote was, there were still objections to the case for reparations. One in particular was David Frum, he wrote a response in order to argue against Coates claims. Frum began his objection to the case for reparations by including other races that were victims of white supremacy. Frum’s purpose of doing so was to bring light to a larger situation, one that gives reason to believe that blacks were not the only ones that whites …show more content…
(Frum 2). The purpose of these questions is done in order to illustrate the vagueness in Coates’s argument for reparations. An example that Frum brought up is, “ Young black Americans spend on average 4.5 hours more per day with electronic media than do their white counterparts” (5). Frum connects this quote to the concept of reparations by saying, “ Money won’t change unhealthy dietary patterns, or enhance language skills, or teach the habits on which thriving communities are built” (Frum 5). This statement refutes Coates’s argument for reparations by simply stating, money is not the issue, but the habits that are developed. Compensations are not needed for the rehabilitation of the Black community.
Coates argues that reparations are needed and Frum insists it is not. I believe they are both right and give very important points. Although, I wish to sympathize with Coates arguments for reparations, Frum’s point on reparations for all oppressed groups made much more sense to me. Coates can argue that African-Americans have been oppressed for a much longer time, but the fact does not change that others have been hurt along the development of