The ownership of the n word is a metaphorical reparation for slavery. Its existence is a reminder that white people did something terribly wrong to black people. Much like Holocaust denial it's not just a logical construct but a blasphemous one.
... and the original sin of the Bible. One must always be ready to bend the knee to whatever orator can conjure it.
The entire topic is the age-old setup of distracting the the plebs by pitting them against each other. All "White people" didn't enslave Black people - the ruling class did, and got the less powerful in on the take to backstop it. Once that specific oppressive system became untenable, they just moved onto the next one.
People will cheer the takedown of this "powerful" guy, while they've just ruined the unlucky slob of the week. Their need for progress will have been fulfilled, keeping the ongoing lucrative oppressions safely out of their sights.
To me, if you want reparations, economic ones would be more helpful. As strict as the current cultural enforcement of the word is, I see it as only a way to divide and not a way for black culture to be part of all America.
The problem is that like “Black people” the phrase “White people” is meaningless. Plenty of people who Americans would lump together as “blacks” were never enslaved ( or had ancestors enslaved). Plenty of people Americans would lump together has “whites” had nothing to do with the slave trade. I’m of Russian descent for example, and no one in my admittedly very white family tree enslaved anyone of African descent.
The whole world doesn’t have to answer to the crimes of Americans, Western Europe, and West Africa. That’s (presumably) your baggage, not mine. By contrast my ancestors have a lot to answer for where Tatars are concerned, and yet you fellow “white” person, had nothing to do with it.
I agree with you, and this is the whole issue with identity politics. It is all about categorizing people and assuming everything about them based on their groups.
We should look at the individuals.
Fyi, two years ago I asked 'rayiner (who is active on this thread, and also in the top 10 of all time on this site) whether I should feel guilty about slavery given that I am from a similar situation as yours.
