Thanks for coverage at crabgrass level

Brother Malonson: Thanks for your coverage of the work on the struggle at the crabgrass level. All too often, the authentic voice is an embarrassment to our media and some of our leadership too! At times, there seems to be an almost unspoken rule - maybe if we ignore the genocidal criminal injustice system (with its malevolent focus on Afrikan Americans) it will go away or improve by itself. The work of NBUF and NBPP in bringing together SHAPE, Brother Deloyd, Rev. Ray and Minister Robert Muhammad to flesh out the plan of Brother Quanell was electric. I want to extend my belated thanks for your coverage. As we work on the housing issue, we find we have touched a deep and very painful need for exposure as reflected in the letter you published from a resident a while back - as noted by correspondence is backed up. Community advocated can feel like moles in a deep tunnel. We are working with hurting people in our community. Your paper helps bring light and voice though we have a long way to go. More of us are reading because of relevant efforts like yours.
    Jean Wilkins Dember
Afrikans United For Sanity Now!
Houston, TX

Reparationsfor a nightmare?
Can America pay reparations equal to the pain of murder, rape, bondage and kidnapping? I don’t think so. There is no way what so ever that this country can do anything to satisfy or make up for the pain that my ancestors felt when as husbands and wives, man and woman they were treated as animals. Husbands beaten or killed. Wives and mothers raped, forced to conceive babies by those that consider us as subhumans - three fifths as I recall. Jesse Jackson says show him the money. I say Jesse - GET A JOB.
Min. Kenneth R. Thomas Sr.        
Houston, Texas

Reparations issue has several practical difficulties
I am writing regarding the issue of slave reparations which was recently put on the agenda for the Houston City Council to discuss. As we have seen recently, the issue is a volatile one with several practical difficulties. As slavery has ended approximately 135 years ago, there is difficulty in accurately determining exactly what damages occurred, who should be liable for payment of damages, how to accurately determine the amount of damages, and to whom damages should be paid.
The recent discussion before the Houston City Council did not address those issues with specific details. In fact, almost all discussions I have heard recently start with the assumption of liability on the part of all current American citizens with no mention of exemption from liability for those descendants of slaves, recent immigrants, or many thousands of people who died in a war to free slaves. Should the descendants of people who paid the ultimate price be an exempt class of citizens also exempt from liability? How does one accurately trace ancestry for purposes of this proposed class-action lawsuit or do we sue society in general and pay anyone looking to cash in?
Is there an issue regarding any statute of limitations or do we plan to legislate all past historical wrongs? There are many historical examples of civil wars, revolutions, and genocide in which a general amnesty was issued due to numerous practical limitations as well as the practical realization that not all earthly issues will be resolved fairly.
Sometimes we just have to do like Nelson Mandela and get on with life.Is there any specific information regarding what damages occurred or do we use a general knowledge created by watching b-grade movies to create a blanket indictment of all Americans?At the end of the Civil War, should all foreign-born slaves have been deported rather than granted automatic citizenship? While that may seem a preposterous idea, if you’re going to deal with the issue seriously from a legal standpoint rather than from an emotional standpoint based on sympathy or racial hostility, then all issues need to be considered.
While anybody with a sense of justice realizes slaves were due legal damages and compensation, the tens of thousands of people who paid a higher price as well as the nation in general considered the issue resolved over 100 years ago. Hopefully this brief response demonstrates the practical as well as legal limitations in trying to right all the worlds past wrongs in addition to the possibility of committing another wrong in the process.
        John Thomas
via-email

Hopefully new appointees are not Clarence Thomases
I greatly enjoy reading your newspaper every week. I read an article concerning the Governor’s race with interest. First of all we have Mr. Sanchez and Mr. Rainwater, an investor to thank for George Dubya, seems they pretty much bankrolled George Bush, Governor races. Now as we all know he is serving (I hope) one term as President of the U.S.A. Mr. Perry the present Governor of Texas has made, some key appointments. Two African-Americans were appointed to the State Supreme Court, the first in the history of the Republic. For the first time, Texas Southern University, and Prairie View A&M University are receiving oil money from the State that traditionally went to the University of Texas and Texas A&M University. The chief legal counsel to the Governor is also an African-American. He hails from the great Teals Prairie community that also produced this writer. We can only pray that the two able men appointed to the Supreme Court do not turn out to be Clarence Thomases.
Thanks and keep up the good work.
Wilton Jones
Missouri, Texas