Real reparations, not imperialist crumbs!

by MC35

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley supported a recent City Council resolution calling 
for Congressional hearings on reparations for descendants of Amerika's slaves. 
Of course, Congress is not talking concretely about how much money is owed the 
Black nation or how it would be paid, just that it should "discuss" the 
question. As part of the overthrow of imperialism, MIM supports reparations paid 
for slavery as well as imperialist exploitation in the 20th and 21st centuries. 
But Daley's (and the Congressional Representatives supporting this resolution) 
political move to gain Black national and liberal support is not a genuine 
contribution to end oppression. Such political maneuvers within imperialism are 
self-serving and help to further disguise the need for a revolutionary solution. 
Those hanging in for trickles from the Amerikan government must realize that 
complete reparations -- including land -- can only be achieved when the masses 
seize it from the pigs.

In his political charade, Daley stated his love of history and the importance of 
dialogue on the effects of slavery. He forgot to mention his infamous love for 
police brutality and massive incarceration of oppressed nationals from Chicago. 
Slavery and continued national oppression still exist in Amerikkka today. And 
apologizing for past oppression is a well-worn strategy for distracting from the 
present crime.

Five years ago, Clinton apologized for the notorious Tuskegee syphilis 
experiments, in which the United Snakes government deliberately withheld 
treatment from and lied to Black men, their wives and children about their 
disease. He did not simultaneously acknowledge or apologize for the same evil as 
it is perpetrated in the present-day prison system, where a disproportionately 
oppressed nation population is routinely denied critically needed medical care.

Slavery, First Nation genocide and world colonialism made Amerikkka the 
superpower that it is today. Though apparently willing to talk about 
reparations, Daley and the rest of the white nation are unwilling to go further. 
Not only is the resolution merely calling for discussion of reparations, but 
this certainly does not include the right to self-determination of all nations. 
MIM struggles for self-determination of oppressed nations, including the power 
to ITAL take END reparations. The power to take reparations comes from the 
masses forging revolutionary struggle to overthrow the Amerikkkan government and 
replace it with genuinely independent states serving oppressed nation interests.

Without the seizure of state power by the oppressed, reparations will not 
account for centuries of exploitation, terror and imprisonment by the United 
Snakes. The white nation will still control the state and will continue to use 
that power to herd oppressed nationals into prisons. However, if the 
government's investigation and debate does result in some form of payment to 
oppressed nationals, the people can use the money to build a stronger movement 
against imperialism. Political education and revolutionary organizing are 
essential to ensure that such government crumbs are used in a proletarian 
internationalist manner to move us closer to a revolutionary overthrow of 
imperialism.

Note: http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/rep10.html