Greetings: I have a question and would like to know your opinion. I work on a job which involves mostly hard manual labor which is mostly performed by black men. I started out working with the laborers and was later promoted to foreman, I feel sure because I am white. In the interest of making restitution/reparations, my wife strongly feels that I should (1) step down from my position (2) rejoin the laborers (3) insist that the foreman position be given to one of the black laborers and (4) I should reimburse the new black foreman the extra wages which I earned as foreman versus the amount paid to the laborers plus interest (5) I should push for a change in company policy which would dictate that all promotions be first offered to blacks and (6) that black workers be paid a higher hourly rate than white workers, beginning with myself. I believe she is very correct in this matter but I just would like to know your opinion. I would appreciate your prompt reply. ANDY
Reparations Education & Advocacy
Comments
In my view, we would enjoy heaven on earth (by that I mean a peaceful and rewarding relationship with all peoples of the earth) if we could find within ourselves a capacity to act as sisters and brothers toward all. Just imagine that you were receiving an ongoing unjust, unearned, and painful advantage over your beloved brother, your twin in fact. Imagine that your twin is a person you have always loved and wanted to protect as much as you do yourself. Even though he works harder than you do, for some reason you have been unjustly and consistently favored over him. You have been allowing this wrong to be done, but you simply can’t stand to see it done anymore. He has suffered many financial and psychological blows and you can see the effect on him. Other members of your family are upset about this and they are looking at you. What would you, presumably a man with heart, do to change the way things are, make things right with your brother and make up for the past disadvantage that he has experienced? So, my prompt reply is – with regard to the Black man, do whatever you would do for your brother.