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Editorials/Columns
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Reparations
T o hear Senatator Mitch McConnell talk about it, reparations, -- especially as it deals with the issues of African American slavery – is a moot, if not mundane, subject. In McConnell’s mind, reparation (which simply means “repayment in equal measure and benefit”), has been in effect since the end of the Civil War, which brought about the defeat of the pro-slavery confederacy; the establishment of Reconstruction; the installa- tion of numerous Civil Right Amendments, all leading toward the election of Barack Obama, America’s first Black President. In essence, says McConnell and others, the Bill of Reparations has
already been paid in full.
Given the centuries that saw no less than 80
million human beings rooted from their African motherland then replaced against their will in a foreign hostile soil, plus the credit-debit catastro- phe of dollars and cents unpaid for back-breaking labor that built a nation and transformed a world without so much as a “thank you,” when trans- ferred to bank-notes, one can well understand the critics of African American reparations who fear such an idea might end not only in African Ameri- can reparations, but in American bankruptcy by the trillions of dollars. Yet, America has paid repa- rations before without going bankrupt; as to cer- tain Indian tribes in the State of Florida.
So, when Republicans rail against reparations and certain Democrats catch their breath, how should we Black folks feel?
And we simply answer, “Reparations should begin with an honest apology. Then repay us with equality and opportunity.” If you do these things, no doubt, everything else which is good and hon- est will follow.
Double The Trouble
Last week the U. S. Supreme Court gave the green light to state and federal courts to continue playing the game, "Pass The Dutchie," with criminal defendants. In a highly controversial decision the high court used the Dual Sovereignty Doctrine in Gam- ble v. The United States to rule that it wasn't double jeopardy to convict a person twice for the same crime as long as the offense was committed against two different sovereigns.
In laymen's terms this basi- cally means that if a person is found guilty and sentenced to five years in prison for a gun charge in state court, nothing prevents the feds from indict- ing that individual on the exact same charge and giving him or her 15 additional years, or vice versa.
In essence the Supreme Court has now given the state and the feds an opportunity to take huge bites out of the same money-making apple.
What makes this clarifica- tion of what constitutes double
jeopardy so detrimental to de- fendants is that a person could go through the entire legal process in one court and not be aware that another jurisdic- tional entity is looking into pursuing charges as well. And, in a scenario where that indi- vidual takes a plea or loses trial, it would make it virtually impossible for that person to effectively defend him or her- self in a second or successive court setting when guilt was ei- ther admitted to or proven in front of a jury previously.
Depending on which Sover- eign (or jurisdiction) has first dibs, this could translate to someone potentially doing double or even triple the amount of time they were ini- tially given. Since the state is more inclined to run their sen- tences concurrently with the feds than the feds are with them, the only way a defen- dant could potentially avoid being sent away for decades is by hoping that the feds are first to the table.
Of course, none of this is actually new. The states and
federal government has been splitting sentences for years. With its decision, the Supreme Court just removed the grey area concerning the legality of the practice.
Going forward it will be in- teresting to see how this dy- namic plays itself out in courtrooms across the country. You have to imagine that state and federal prosecutors will want to manipulate this new paradigm to their advantage.
I don't think it's a stretch to imagine state prosecutors of- fering seemingly sweet plea deals to defendants, just to se- cure convictions, knowing that it will allow their colleagues in the next building slam dunk victories and chances to apply even stiffer punishments. The prosecutorial version of the alley-oop play so often used on basketball courts.
There once was a popular saying that went "if you do the crime you should be prepared to do the time." I imagine that, with this ruling, those who choose to live the lives of out- laws will have to figure out how much time that would be - -- multiplied by two.
Reality On Ice is © by the Florida Sentinel Bul- letin Publishing Com- pany. You can contact Mr. Barr at: cbar- ronice@gmail.com.
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“When I was a child, my mother said to me: ‘If you become a soldier, you’ll be a General. If you become a monk, you’ll end up as the Pope.’ Instead I be- came a painter, and wound up as Picasso.”
–Pablo Picasso
Empowered Greetings. From a child, Picasso’s mother instilled in him the un- derlying thought that he was a leader. No matter what he was to become in life – he was to lead. As a parent, I, too, have worked to instill this same
principle in my children. Today, I want to talk to you
as if you were my children.
As a momma, I would say... No matter what you do in life, there is a place that has been set aside for you. There is a place that has been prepared
for you.
There is a place that has your name and your name alone on it. When God created you, He created you for a des- ignated position --- A position of leadership.
Don’t refuse to fulfill your destiny by selling yourself short. Stop thinking less of yourself than you were created to be. You were born to lead in the particular area or domain where you are gifted. Like Pi- casso, you must discover your domain and lead.
In life, there is a price that you will have to pay to obtain your position. Although you were born to lead, there are some sacrifices that will need to be made. There is a refine- ment process that has to take place.
In the words of Dr. Myles Monroe, “The position is pre- pared for you, but you have to prepare yourself for that posi-
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