Thousands Rally for Black Reparations
Today on the National Mall, thousands of African-Americans and others of African
descent, as well as those in solidarity with their cause rallied for reparations.
Referencing history, they tied the issue of American slavery to the plight of
inner-city and rural minorities, primarily blacks, and to the global issue of
third world debt. Filling one end of the Mall with cries of "Black Power", "No
Peace, No Justice", and prayer, these Africans (few used the nationalized suffix)
brought their children and and picnic lunches for a peaceful demonstration to
demand meaningful suffrage. What was supposed to be a Million person march, with
Al Sharpton's organization rumored to claim 50,000 bus riders, turned out to be
much less than that. By late morning many reported hundreds and went home, by
early afternoon at least several thousand filled a fifth of the Mall. Whatever
their numbers, they were loud. Comments In Prev. Feature On The Rally
Legal Case for Reparations
Notes From The Mall
Images from the Rally Comment
Here
CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY
Aug 16 2002
The Case For Reparations
A year ago, the historicWorld Conference Against
Racism in Durban, (boycotted by the US), issued this statement re Trans-Atlantic
Slave Trade and Reparations for African People in the Diaspora: "The designation
of African people's historical suffering as a 'Crime against Humanity' is an indisputable
fact. It is an affirmation of one's recognition of African humanity. Only pure
and simple racism can explain the reasoning of anyone who has the gall to question
whether the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, Slavery and Colonialism (T,S,C) are crimes
against humanity. We need not look for any other 'historical precedents,' such
as the victims of the Nazi Holocaust, to defend our claim. The cold-blooded brutality,
cynicism, mass homicide, rape, kidnapping and genocide which were at the heart
of the T,S,C are unprecedented in human history. And this trade, this slavery,
this colonization, this "noble venture" were carried out to bring "civilization"
to the heathens and untold riches to Europe and its settler-colonists. The demand
for reparations for African people is a just one and a simple one. It is simply
the attempt to 'repair,' to 'make whole' the descendants of the victims of a crime
against humanity. Crimes against humanity have no statute of limitations." Full Text
Since this declaration, lawsuits have been filed in New York and New Jersey targeting
corporations that profited from the slave trade. One lawsuit estimates that the
wealth in the United States created by the unpaid wages of slave labor is today
worth $1.5 trillion. On August 17, Reparations
advocates will be gathering on the Mall in Washington DC, on the symbolic 115
birthday of Marcus Garvey. wbix.org Radio
and C-SPAN
TV will have LIVE broadcasts. CommentSt.Louis IMC
on NCOBRA From
Mumia
Chronology of Slavery in N. America