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This was too far, even for them!
By Nia Tipton — Written on Sep 14, 2021
Larry Elder, a conservative radio host and politician, appeared on "The Candace Owens Show," and made comments about reparations that are raising eyebrows.
The comments were made back in July of this year, but have recently made headlines following Elder’s decision to run against Governor Gavin Newsom in the recall election as Gov. Newsom tries to fight his removal from his seat of power.
Larry Elder argued former slave owners are owed reparations on Candace Owens' podcast.
Elder said compensation should be given to the slave owners whose “property was taken from them after the Civil War.”
During the show, Elder voiced his thoughts on the idea of reparations, claiming, “like it or not, slavery was legal. Their legal property was taken away from them after the Civil War, so you could make an argument that the people that are owed reparations are not only just Black people but also the people whose ‘property’ was taken away after the end of the Civil War.”
Of course, conversations like that happen quite often on Candance Owens’ podcast as she is known for bringing on conservative guests, especially Black conservatives.
The topic of reparations came up as Owens made a comment that the United States was “one of the first countries that banned the slave trade.”
In actuality, the U.S. was one of the last nations to do so, according to PolitiFact.
Reparations are long overdue for Black Americans.
America’s foundation being built on slavery, the years of institutionalized racism that followed which have led to the racial wealth divide, and police brutality, among other systemic issues have followed Black Americans since the end of the Civil War–and have neve been addressed.
Even suggesting that former slave owners deserve repayments is ludacris and deeply troubling.
The United States government finally acknowledging the pain and suffering Black Americans have faced since slavery in the form of reparartions is very much needed and also very much overdue.
Funds being put into Black communities, programs and social services being created in predominantly Black neighborhoods is something that can propel Black people into a future of possible generational wealth.
Slave owners in the South were predominately white, and even though they lost their property after the Civil War, white Americans in today’s society still hold more wealth over Black Americans.
The wealth gap between white and Black Americans proves that reparations are necessary.
The average white family possesses approximately 10 times the amount of wealth as the average Black family, and white college graduates have more than seven times the wealth of Black college graduates, according to the Brookings Institute.
The repercussions of slavery have trickled down almost four hundred years later and is still affecting Black Americans to this day, moreso than the white slave owners of that time.
For Larry Elder to say that Black Americans don’t deserve reparations consequently means that we can never achieve a step in the direction of equality.
Nia Tipton is a writer living in Brooklyn. She covers pop culture, social justice issues, and trending topics. Follow her on Instagram.