A racist in a tablecloth suit named Dr. Umar Johnson decreed on The Breakfast Club radio show recently that the American government must carve out a full quarter of all economic activity — in perpetuity. “We get a 25% cut… every time America makes a dollar.” That would amount to approximately six trillion dollars annually. He makes sure to emphasize this is a forever arrangement.
This guy is nuts pic.twitter.com/lNaujo1Feq
— Clown World ™ 🤡 (@ClownWorld_) January 27, 2023
Specifically, he wants cash for the “psychological damages” wrought by slavery. Nearly everything, apparently, counts as “psychological damage” to Dr. Johnson. “When you see a black man take the life of another black man, that’s psychological damage [caused by white supremacy],” he explains.
I have previously elaborated on the logistical difficulties of administering such a program of reparations, such as determining who qualifies as sufficiently genetically black and the disproportionate historical impact of racism based on skin tone (called “colorism”).
Another important consideration here is: what is the endpoint? Does anyone seriously believe Dr. Johnson would be satisfied with a mere 25% cut of the pie? What would stop him from demanding 50%, 75%, or 100% at some point in the future, on a whim? He and his ideological allies would certainly have more financial resources at that point to use on lobbying efforts. And if we know anything about American politicians and politicians in general, nothing’s off the table if there’s enough cash passing hands under the table.
The reparations idea would be a lot easier to entertain (although it would still be a non-starter for fundamental moral reasons) if there were some point at which the debt owed by the guilty party (white people) could ever be considered paid.
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