OPINION:
Only in the land of Oz known as California would you hear about the San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ African American Reparations Advisory Committee (“‘Cut the check’: San Francisco board urged to adopt reparations report with $5M payouts,” web, March 15).
Who cares about inflation, crime, homelessness, excessive drug use and general decline in the quality of life? While slavery ended in America in 1865, it never existed in California. Nevertheless, elected officials are giving serious consideration to reparations for every African American resident, along with waiving personal debt and delinquent taxes.
But wait — there are even more goodies: a guaranteed annual income of $97,000 for 250 years. A home for only $1 for each family. No wonder so many people are leaving town before it is too late.
Coming soon may be New York’s version of this insanity. State Sen. Jabari Brisport of Brooklyn wants the Empire State to reverse the damage of slavery via compensation. He sponsored a bill that would form a reparations commission to study the harm slavery perpetrated on our state and look at various options for restitution to African American New Yorkers. His bill would require that a reparations commission be given a full year to research the harmful effects of slavery. The commission would share their findings with the Legislature. Will the Legislature oppose this insanity? Will Gov. Kathy Hochul veto the bill if it passes both houses? Let’s hope sanity will prevail.
It is time to move on, not go back over 158 years to relitigate the Civil War. We have all grown to look beyond the color of a person’s skin, ethnic origin, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, and/or age and accept each person for who they are today.
LARRY PENNER
Great Neck, New York
Please read our comment policy before commenting.