As the conversation around social justice and racism continue to be an ongoing topic, many people are vocal about reparations. We’ve heard political figures talk about it time after time again. Now, former president Barack Obama is speaking out about it and seems to have a change of heart compared to how he first viewed the topic back in 2008 while campaigning. During the “Renegades: Born In The USA” podcast with #BruceSpringsteen, President Obama spoke about several things. He talked lightly about having a relationship with activists and giving them very practical advice on their journey. Then in the discussion, he and Bruce spoke on heavier topics.
Bruce got serious when he asked him, “How do you hold the same country which sent a man to the moon, with being the same country of being Jim Crow? How do you sort of hold that as being the same America?” President Obama was quick to reply, “ I think it is partly because we never went through a true reckoning, and so we just buried one huge part of our experience and our citizenry in our minds.” When it comes to the Black experience in America, it’s no secret that Black folks have gone through hell and back to build the country without much acknowledgment or equal rights.
Bruce brought up the subject of reparations, and Barack said he believes reparations are “justified” and that “there’s not much question that the wealth… the power of this country was built in significant part — not exclusively, maybe not even the majority of it, but a large portion of it — was built on the backs of slaves.” According to @FoxNews, Obama said in 2008, “I have said in the past, and I’ll repeat that the best reparations we can provide are good schools in the inner city and jobs for people who are unemployed.” Roommates, what do ya’ll think about this?
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