Rakira Urquhart

7th hour

12/30/16

Mrs. Williams

America is not Old America

The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but building

on the new.-(unknown). Ta-Nehisi Coates says that reparations will require changing our public

discourse and public institutions.The very relationships and conversations between people will

be affected. I chose to include that quote because reparations will help America move forward Commented [1]: Needs improvement

and focus on rebuilding society. Currently reparations are being ignored by the government. In Commented [2]: Despite those who are pushing for
reparations, they are simply being ignored by the government

The Case for Reparations it reads That HR 40 has never-under either Democrats or

Republicans- made it to the House floor(said page 62). If reparations were granted to

African-Americans this issue would no longer exist. In addition, many people do not realize that Commented [3]: Improve

whites and blacks have a lot in common. In the article it even shows in history;One hundred

years later, the idea of slaves and poor whites joining forces would shock the senses, but in early

days of the English colonies, the two groups had much in common.(said page 62). Today lower

class whites and blacks are in the same economic boat. The public discourse would be affected

and more people will see the commonalities. Reparations are not an anecdote for everything

African-Americans suffered throughout history however they are a small step in changing the

country for the better.