Can the issue of reparations to black people for slavery over 150 years ago get anymore sillier, well the answer is yes.

The Washington Times is reporting about a prominent Georgetown University professor and MSNBC contributor Michael Eric Dyson who believes white people should start and keep an “individual reparations account” in which they should then make withdraws from in order to make donations to black groups and atone for America’s history of slavery and racism.

I told you that it just became sillier.

Individuals should deposit their own money into special bank accounts in order to pay black groups for reparations.  He even went so far as to say, and was quoted in the article saying:

“the black person who cuts your grass double what you might ordinarily pay.  Look, if it doesn’t cost you anything, you’re not really engaging in change; you’re engaging in convenience.  You’re engaged in the overflow. I’m asking you to do stuff you wouldn’t ordinarily do. I’m asking you to think more seriously and strategically about why you possess what you possess. That is what I meant by an I.R.A.: an individual reparations account.  You ain’t got to ask the government, you don’t have to ask your local politician — this is what you, an individual, conscientious, ‘woke’ citizen can do.”

He went on to say that he is looking for white people who are “deeply empathetic to the struggles of minorities.”

I am “deeply empathetic to the struggles of minorities”, but do not believe it is up to me, as an individual, to pay money for the sins of our country’s forefathers and quite frankly a generation of people I am not related to or gained anything personally from.  I guess some might say as a white person I did gain something but I would disagree with them.

The entire idea of white people or our government paying reparations to the black community is a show stopper.  That will not move the ball one iota in the discussion of racism, bigotry or improving the life of the black community.  That I believe must come from within the black community with the white community continuing to help erase the scourge of bigotry the best they can.

In fact I believe the discussion of black reparations will only hurt the efforts to reduce racism and bigotry as much as we can.  By the way when I say racism and bigotry I mean from all sides, shapes and colors.

It is unfortunate that a man who is highly educated, highly paid with a great position at a prominent university and quasi news station would come up with such an idea.

We need to think of productive ideas to continue down the road of racial healing and we need to stop this identity politics movement in its tracks.

The Live with Renk Show airs Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to noon. To let me know your thoughts during the show please call (269) 441-9595

More From WBCKFM