Why Conservatives Should Support Reparations

Almost every major presidential candidate for the DNC has leaned in favor of reparations for African Americans affected by slavery and civil prejudice. Conservatives’ staunch opposition to this idea is summed up as thus: people who were not slave owners do not owe anything to people who were not slaves. In other words, too much time has elapsed since the end of slavery. There are no slave owners alive to pay any former living slaves. Perhaps their descendants should shoulder the burden of payment and the receiving of it. Despite the immense complexity of this feat, such an idea is unjust.

Yet Democrat presidential hopefuls continue to entertain this idea and conservatives dig in their heels in opposition. There may indeed be a compromise. While there are no living slave owners, there are a few remaining organizations that created, condoned, and contributed to slavery. Perhaps these organizations should shoulder the bill of reparations. After all, these institutions played a hand in it and are still around today. The organization I am referring to is none other than the Democratic party. It is without question that their party participated in oppression, stole rights, and segregated African Americans. If these factors are the major causes for the current inequality of African Americans compared to other Americans, as they shamelessly argue, then reparations could be necessary.

Any African American who can prove their direct lineage to a slave will be entitled reparation. The Democratic party can right the wrong of their past and simultaneously close the wealth gap created by their doing. Democrats should back this compromise because reparations will be paid, and conservatives should back this compromise because the payment will not be unjustly shouldered by citizens who did not contribute to slavery. Reparations should be payed, and the Democratic party should foot the bill.