City Councilmember Goldie Wells has asked that Greensboro look into offering reparations like the City of Asheville has done.
At the end of the City Council meeting on Tuesday, June 21, Wells said that she was interested in finding out what Asheville had done and having Greensboro do something similar.
Wells said, “I’ve been talking about the things that go along with Juneteenth and concerns for African Americans. I saw in the paper that Asheville had some reparations and I want to know what kinds of things we can do. It was suggested by someone to me that we do our apology that we are working on and that we consider some kind of thing for some of the children of those folks that were involved in that massacre that we do some reparations for them, maybe something like scholarships or something.”
She added, “Maybe we could talk about how we could add something, I guess maybe we could talk about it at a work session or something. Some way we could do some reparations and look at what Asheville did.”
Asheville called the action it took reparations, but it did not involve any direct payments, which is what is usually thought of as reparations.
What the Asheville City Council passed unanimously was to provide funding for homeownership and business and career opportunities for black residents.
It was described as part of a reparations initiative and the goal was to provide assistance in creating generational wealth for black people in Asheville that have been harmed by income, educational and healthcare disparities.
Greensboro has a first time home ownership program, which provides forgivable loans of up to $15,000 to help first time home buyers who meet the income standards afford to purchase homes. The program, however, is based on income level and not on the race of the recipient.
How about reparations to the Marcus Smith family? Someone killed by city employees recently?
Well it was just a matter of time…
Never mind all the other races that were ‘massacred’ by other races all over the world since the beginning of time.
Never mind the fact that for all of it’s flaws and failures, the United States has done more than any nation before to end slavery on a worldwide scale and bring about equal rights and opportunities for ALL races and both genders.
Never mind that some of the highest-paid people in America are black males…they’re called Professional Athletes.
Never mind that you can’t even be in the running for a gov. contract unless you’re a MWOB.
Never mind the fact that the MAJORITY of black AMERICANS know absolutely nothing about AFRICA and it’s own sordid history of mass enslavement, genocide and rape that STILL EXISTS TODAY. Nor do they CARE.
Never mind that racism is not an exclusively white privilege. By it’s basic definition it’s animosity towards another solely based on some preconceived belief/notion and not facts or personal experience. So basically we are ALL racist towards each other in some way.
One cannot learn from the past by erasing it, but you can’t move forward by only focusing on the sins of that past. The blood shed by racism PALES in comparison to the blood shed in the name of some god, or for money.
My genetics are Scotch/Irish, Hispanic and yes African too…
Do I write the check to myself?
Or must one be ‘pureblooded’ to qualify for ‘reparations’?
Da, my great grandparents fled from Tyrole, now Italy and Switzerland, during WW1. They escaped to Argentina and were eventually resettled to Pennsylvania as they were miners by trade. My grandfather died building the Verezzano Narrows bridge. Not once did they own other people, nor did they capture and sell other people as so many black Africans did. Why should I be required to pony up more free benefits or monies for people that don’t want equality, rather demand they be recognized as victims that deserve better benefits than the average person.
We could see this coming, now we must stand up and respond NO! We are not systematically racist, the election of BHO as President throws water on this STUPID argument. We are a diverse society that has many members that have experienced far worse than slavery for hundreds of years. Accept your role in society, as an individual that gives more than they receive, and move on.
What it was was foot-‘stortion. Or, vote yourself another freebie.
King Kong Koop
Our city government needs to be removed
It is called vote them out.
Had a lot of respect over the years for Ms Wells but this is we’re it ends. Greensboro is in a lot of trouble with this liberal Mayor and City council. To ask for reparations for something the happen along time ago that the tax paying citizens of Greensboro had nothing do with it from start is terrible and a waste of time. First it was the riot down town then it was blocking roads and business then this. What’s next?
Is a recall possible?
(Re)Call Coop
I do not need to apologize to anyone for something I did not do. I certainly do not condone racial disparity by providing funding to one race for any reason. This is racial discrimination pure and simple. Anyone who needs assistance can certainly get it. Look at the City’s affordable (low-income) housing – how many Whites or non-black people live in these developments? Very few. Ask GHA the percentage of non-black rent voucher holders – try 2.1%! Look at fair housing marketing – it must advertise more to Whites and non-blacks due to the nearly 98% of all housing being occupied by blacks. Racial discrimination exists – against Whites, Hispanics, Asians, but not blacks. The reason this race does not succeed is because they do not have to – it all gets handed to them on a silver platter with an apology. Sickening.
Sigh. A forgivable loan is not a loan, it is a gift extorted from the taxpayer. Wanna help your constituents? Live with your means, like we all should do. Stop floating bonds to buy stuff you want now, but can’t pay for. And of course, reduce the tax rate.
Goldie Wells is speaking beyond her capacity. I’m not paying reparations for something I didn’t do…period FULL STOP. This kind of thinking will push our society into a full fledged civil war and we all know how that ends,because people like Wells promote and live for racism.
John Hammer
Got a question why are my comments on articles being taken down. Comments on this article was posted about 2 hrs ago now there gone. Makes 3rd time this happen! What happen to truth,justice and the Rhino way
liberal policies are ruining greensboro! Our so called leadership needs to focus on the rising crime rate in greensboro its out of control. Murders are happening at an alarming rate now. NO ONE living today is responsible for slavery!!! NO ONE living has ever been a slave in America!!! EVERY ONE in America is free today and has been since 1865!!! Poor decisions, unwise lifestyle choices , the blame game mentality, idolizing gangstas , the apathetic attitude towards education are the real problems that need to be addressed in African America communities. Taxpayer’s will not stand for this for very long. They mayor and everyone on the city council needs to be voted for OUT!!!
If the council seat were seated with a more diverse group, I could see a conversation being brought to the table, as an objective conversation. But, this seems to be all one sided. There are thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of other races/ groups who have suffered and need help. There are Native Americans, Hispanics, Jewish ( who have certainly suffered horrific lives), single white females, who have gone through abuse since childhood, and now our police officers, because of the color of their skin! Come on, Really! It’s called get a job! Do you think every white person has been given a golden ticket? Well, where is my golden ticket of privilege, I must have been absent from that line!
Wanna get in that line? Join the National Socialist Party. The only acceptable opinion is what the Party says it is. A job, food, clothing, & shelter is the payoff. What you think, no matter what it, is of no consequence, and may be dangerous to the Party. So get in line with the program.
Guess we all better get out and vote both this year for the nationals, and next year when council is up for election. Someone will need to step up to replace these buffoons.
This is what happens when our leaders feel no restraints about spending our money. They did not want to mar the consideration of the recently voted in Juneteenth holiday, as a “nickel or dime issue”. This is what people say when spending others’ money. Now they are considering pulling the same stunt with reparations. They did not protect the downtown area from riots and we paid for that. They are trying to destroy police services. Now they want to pay out our taxes to some as yet unidentified part of the Greensboro population. It seems so kind and generous of them to give OUR tax money away to some select group of their choosing. These people have to be voted out of office.
Every comment here except the first one will fall on deaf ears with this bunch at city hall.
John do you know how they are going to pay the debt service on the Tanger PAC with no revenues? They specifically said “no taxpayer dollars” would be used to pay for TPAC, that they would use user fees, parking revenues and hotel tax. There were about $5 million in expenses for 2020 post-March shutdown and an estimated $3 million in debt payments for FY 2020/2021.
How will the city pay this debt?
That’s a good question and I’ve asked it several times, but I think it’s time to ask again. With no events they don’t have to pay to operate the building, but they still have to pay for the building itself.
Push reparations hard enough, and even the now unpopular Donald Trump will be re-elected! AND what about the roughly 20 TRILLION in welfare over the past 50-60 years? That worked well, didn’t it?! Destroyed the black family, among other accomplishments. WHAT BLACK AND WHITE AMERICANS NEED ARE JOBS, NOT WELFARE OR REPARATIONS!!!
Most of the locations that have brought up reparation and defunding the police has been a minority on a city council.In addition to the fact they are a minority,they are always a Democrat.Now isn’t gthat a coincidence.I have suggested several times to get rid of these Democrat led boards and get some all boards of Republicans.All this crap in the Democratic led cities with burning and looting is done by mostly minority and some children from wealthy families that do not have good judgment. Stand strong America!!! Vote for Republicans in Nov.
This is why I’m glad I moved out of Greensboro and encourage others to do the same if possible.
This is also why we as Conservative/Republicans need to quit playing nice and start using their tactics.
Get vans and busses, load people up, take them to a breakfast rally, then to the polls to vote. Put groups of people at the polling places to counter the intimidation tactics of the (Nationalist Socialist) Democrats, the Marxists/Communists, the anarchists, the brainwashed SJWs, and other leftist mobs.
GET OUT AND VOTE!!!
The only reparations that need to be made are to the shop owners that were vandalized when the mayor told the police to stand down and let the vandals win. I still haven’t heard of any of the thugs being put in jail for that violence.
Goldie, I would love to hear more. Please post details of what the city should provide AND how it will be paid for.
I will not pay for nothing that happened 300 or 200 years ago and Ms Wills you were not even born during that time what are you asking for a hand out will I say NO .NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO..
The people who were harmed by slavery directly, cannot be recompensed. The most that can be done on their behalf is to try with the help of almighty God to not repeat the mistakes of the past. The Holy Scriptures state, that for a man to have friends, he must be friendly. We are all God’s created handiwork, created in his image; whether we be of African, Asian, or European descent, or any other tribe of people’s. Continuing to resurrect old hurts and past sins and improprieties will not make the situation better, but rather fans the flames of this ancient division of people’s. It is high time that we all treat each other the way we ourselves would want to be treated. If we believe as we should, that Jesus Christ shall judge the living, and the dead, we should endeavor to lead humble and decent lives before the eyes of almighty God, and put to death the evil in our hearts toward each other. Prejudice and hatred exists in all areas where the love of God does not rule in the heart.
I do not understand what massacre she is speaking of. The massacre of Native American Indians or the massacre of black peoples in Chicago? I don’t understand why people who never owned slaves should pay for people who have never been slaves? Will the Portuguese slave traders descendants be asked to pay reparations? And lastly will the African chiefs who made so much money from selling their own race be asked to pay reparations? Why is that never mentioned..the African chiefs who made so much money from selling their own race? I don’t owe anyone anything.
Bravo to Ms. Wells for being brave enough to tackle such a divisive issue as reformation. Clearly she and other members of the council have been in direct contact with their constituents across Greensboro about this important issue. There is nothing wrong with having an open and transparent discussion on important matters relevant to all citizens.Reparations are not without precedent in the US. Taxpayers on two different occasions have paid to recompense both American indians and Japanese-Americans interned during WWII . But in both of these instances the US government was complicit in these injustices.
Going forward council members should certainly be prepared to provide fair and impartial information about past legal cases that have been filed on behalf of descendants of 19th century slaves. As for the taxpayers it would require a legal finding well above the local or state level to levy any tax.
“[B]lack people in Asheville that have been harmed by income, educational and healthcare disparities.”
These “educational” and “healthcare” disparities are caused by PERSONAL CHOICES – there is a reason Blacks lead all races in fetal alcohol syndrome, and that reason is not ‘systemic’ racism.
And when you have a bad attitude about your health and education, of course its going to spill over into your professional life.
Some of these comments are so one-sided and just plain hateful. We pay taxes as well. If you make a lot of money you should pay a lot of taxes. We have not had equal pay nor equal education. God created all of us in His image and in His likeness. We all will have to stand before Him and give an account of our stewardship. I can’t throw mud without it getting on me. In Ephesians 4: verse 32- And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you. City Council members continue to do the work you were voted to do. For the people by the people! E Pluribus Unum (out of many, one)