An African-American author quietly took down his combative black challenger this weekend in a debate over whether the American government owes the black community reparations because of slavery.
Author Shelby Steele argues in his book, “Shame: How America’s Past Sins Have Polarized Our Country,” that liberal notions of reparations and affirmative action have “damaged the black family more profoundly than segregation ever did” by creating a dependent society.
He met writer Ta-Nahisi Coates of The Atlantic in a debate on reparations, on “ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos” Sunday.
Stephanopoulos began by playing a portion of a speech by President Obama in which Obama claimed income disparity between the races “can be traced directly … to the brutal legacy of slavery.”
Coates wholeheartedly endorsed the president’s comments.
“Well, because history matters. It’s pretty clear to us that George Washington matters. We all get together and celebrate on July Fourth, independence,” he said. “We have a problem talking about history when it disadvantages us. And I think any sort of full consideration of patriotism in this country can’t just talk about history when it favors us. We have to talk about it when it disfavors us, too.”
Steele argued that reparations create “a problem of dependency.” He went on to explain that it’s “the efforts of white America to do well by us” that have created a dependent black American society.
When Stephanopoulos cut in and asked Steele how best to close the income gap between black and white America, he said, “You don’t. You don’t close it. You don’t do anything. You leave it alone.”
He added that if there’s an American struggle, it’s one for individual freedom, not income and wealth equality.
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
- ‘Act like a grownup’: Drunk driver sobs when she loses plea deal by coming 4 hours late to court - July 23, 2017
- ‘I would’ve fired her the day I met her’: Glenn Beck reveals more about Tomi Lahren mess - July 23, 2017
- Canadian thug beats 74-year-old cyclist bloody with a club in road rage fit– and they say US is more violent? - July 23, 2017
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.