Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the writer's opinion — based on factual support — and do not directly reflect the views of Blasting News.
Reportedly, Mitch McConnell is at it again. His latest comments might be some of his most controversial yet. As you know, McConnell made his intentions explicitly known during the Obama era. For Mitch, one of his priorities was to block whatever came down the pipe from former President Barack Obama, attempting to ensure a one-term presidency. Now, "reparations" is a huge topic for Election 2020.
So, he's hopping on the bandwagon and making comments about whether the topic should be a consideration at all.
According to a USA Today report on Mitch McConnell, reparations isn't something he wants to pursue and thinks everyone else should ditch the idea as well. Mitch was asked about slavery reparations prior to the House hearing where Senator Cory Booker made his case. Reportedly, McConnell states that today's Americans aren't responsible for "something that happened 150 years ago." For that reason, Mitch concludes that reparations aren't a "good idea."
But let me say this, Mitch McConnell, slavery wasn't 150 years ago. That was the abolition of slavery in the United States — 1865 to be exact, according to Juneteenth.
Until that point, slavery had existed in America. Historical record states that the first African slaves were brought to a Virginia port in 1619, exceeding a whole "150 years" before America's official foundation.
This country was literally built on the backs of African slaves
Concerning Mitch McConnell, reparations are the furthest things from his agenda.
And, he has the audacity to fix his lips and suggest that — by having elected Barack Obama as president — it could be considered compensation? "We tried to deal with our original sin of slavery by fighting a Civil War, by passing landmark civil rights legislation, elected an African American president," McConnell says, as reports USA Today.
Likewise, Mitch mentions that legislation shouldn't put its energies toward attempting to compensate African slave descendants via reparations. "First of all," Mitch notes, "it would be hard to figure out whom to compensate."
But just to keep this on your frontal lobe, McConnell is the guy who — upon former President Obama's exit — decided to block his Supreme Court nomination of Judge Merrick Garland. Now, after the aforementioned comments were made by McConnell, "reparations" is more topical than ever. Backlash has sparked online via social media and various forums regarding Mitch's insensitive and blatantly disregarded words. Kentucky Representative Charles Booker (D-43rd District) tweeted that McConnell's disgraceful remarks show that he just doesn't care about Black Americans.
Moreover, Booker says that Kentucky needs to stand against Mitch in the voting polls once he's up for re-election.
Reparations is about so much more than money. You think the history is too far removed? Tell that to my grandad. You’ll hear from him soon....
— Charles Booker (@Charles4LouKY) June 19, 2019
Folks, this man just called President Obama “reparations”. https://t.co/rRwHuyyY9j
Also, president of Simmons College in Louisville Kevin Cosby called McConnell's comments "the most ignorant, historically inaccurate statement ever uttered by a ranking senator." I would say that I wholeheartedly agree. They seem to be the words of someone who doesn't know or care about this subject matter.
This is the most ignorant, historically inaccurate statement ever uttered by a ranking Senator. Reparations is 4 crimes that began n slavery and continued over 100 yrs beyond. My father because of race, was legally kept out of the University of Louisville that Mitch had access 2 https://t.co/IzXUXqrsVz
— Kevin W Cosby (@KWCosby) June 19, 2019
Mitch McConnell, reparations are important for Black America because, like Senator Booker mentions, it'll put an end to the racial wealth gap in this country.
Dictionary.com defines "reparations" as: "the making of amends for a wrong one has done, by paying money to or otherwise helping those who have been wronged."
In what way has America helped Black Americans it wronged during the 350-plus years of slavery, or the 100 years of oppression that followed, or now amid all the unarmed killings by police officers? We've been here before. You can't possibly forget the Jim Crow era, or all the hangings, bombings, shootings, and other senseless killings which took place against the Black community — and only far back as 60 years ago. So, honestly, what is Mitch McConnell talking about?