Reparations anyone?
Reparations have not been on my mind lately, but I'm blogging on the subject now because the day fast approaches (October 10 th ) when an artist named Damali Ayo launches her National Day of Panhandling for Reparations. Whatever the arguments for or against reparations—and I'm of the belief that throwing money at a problem doesn't necessarily solve it—the woman has taken the rancor out of the debate by turning it into performance art. Her Web site describes the one-day event: "People of all races across the United States will sit outside of businesses, libraries, museums, art galleries, or on busy street corners. We will collect reparations from white Americans for the enslavement of Africans and African Americans. This money will be immediately paid out to black passersby. Both parties will be offered a receipt." I watched a video of her one-woman effort, and I laughed—it's really comical in its own way. I have thought about the idea of reparatio...