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Proposal Details

Proposal ID	1221
Proposal	2024 Platform Submission - I Social Justice A Civil Rights and Equal Rights 3 Reparations for Un
Presenter	National Black Caucus
Floor Manager	Holly Hart
Phase	Closed
Discussion	07/02/2024 - 07/21/2024
Voting	07/22/2024 - 07/28/2024
Result	Adopted
Presens Quorum	30 0.6666
Consens Quorum	42 0.6666 of Yes and No Votes

Background

Amendment is proposed to the plank - II. Social Justice A. Civil Rights and Equal Rights (3. Reparations for United States Afrodescendants (i.e., Black Americans, African Americans)

The revised version with the new section break effectively separates the concept of reparations from the broader scope of the Black agenda, making it easier to navigate and understand the specific actions proposed.

Proposal

EXISTING:
3. Reparations for United States Afrodescendants (i.e., Black Americans, African Americans)

The development of the United States has been marked by conflict over questions of race. Our nation was formed only after Native Americans were displaced. The institution of slavery had as its underpinnings the belief in white supremacy, which we as Greens condemn. In slavery's aftermath, people of color have borne the brunt of violence and discrimination. The Green Party unequivocally condemns these evils, which continue to be a social problem of paramount significance.

The community of people of African ancestry whose family members were held in chattel slavery in what is now the United States of America have legitimate claims to reparations including monetary compensation for centuries of human rights violations, including the Transatlantic slave trade now recognized by the United Nations as a "crime against humanity." As our Nation has done in the past with respect to the Choctaw, the Lakota, the Lambuth, and more recently for Japanese Americans and the European Jewish community, reparations are now due to address the debt still owed to descendants of enslaved Africans.

We commit to full and complete reparations to the African American community of this nation for the past four hundred plus years of genocide, slavery, land-loss, destruction of original identity and the stark disparities which haunt the present evidenced in unemployment statistics, substandard and inadequate education, higher levels of mortality including infant and maternal mortality and the practice of mass incarceration. We recognize that reparations are a debt (not charity) that is owed by our own and other nations and by the corporate institutions chartered under our laws to a collective of people. We believe that the leadership on the question of what our nation owes to this process of right ought to come from the African American community, whose right to self-determination and autonomy to chart the path to healing we fully recognize.

We understand that until significant steps are taken to reverse the ongoing abuses; to end the criminalization of the Black and Brown communities, to eradicate poverty, to invest in education, health care and the restoration and protection of human rights, that it will be impossible to repair the continuing damage wrought by the ideology of white supremacy which permeates the governing institutions of our nation.

While consensus is still evolving on what would constitute full and complete reparations, we support the following initial steps:

We support the creation of a claim of action and a right to recover inherited wealth and other profits accumulated from the slave trade for the benefit of a reparations trust fund.

We will initiate the repeal of the slave clauses that survive today in the U.S. Constitution.

We will work to restore lands stolen through a variety of tactics including: violence, terrorism and the discriminatory access to operating capital that together has robbed black farmers and the broader community of their lands.

We support the release of all political prisoners held by the USA. It is time that the political frame-ups, the prosecutorial misconduct and the racist application of police power that pass for justice in our country be buried and those victimized by these abuses of state power be given their lives back.

We will support existing Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as well as new and existing Education and Development Funds.
We support efforts to overcome the effects of over 200 years of racial discrimination.

We call for an end to official support for any remaining symbols of slavery and specifically call for the removal of the Confederate battle flag from all government buildings.

We condemn the practice of racial profiling by law enforcement agencies, which are guilty of stopping motorists, harassing individuals, or using unwarranted violence against suspects with no other justification than race or ethnic background.

We favor strong measures to combat official racism in the forms of police brutality directed against people of color.

We support effective enforcement of the Voting Rights Act, including language access to voting.

We oppose discriminatory English-only pressure groups. We call for a national language policy that would encourage all citizens to be fluent in at least two languages. [See section K. Immigration / Emigration in this chapter]

We strongly support the vigorous enforcement of civil-rights laws, the aggressive prosecution of hate crimes, and the strengthening of legal services for the poor.

PROPOSED:

Reparations and a Black Agenda

The development of the United States was tainted by the displacement of Native Americans and the barbaric institution of slavery, built upon the belief in white supremacy, which we as Greens condemn. In slavery’s aftermath, people of color have borne the brunt of violence and discrimination. The Green Party unequivocally condemns these evils, which continue to be a social problem of paramount significance.

Reparations

The descendants of enslaved Africans, whose ancestors endured centuries of human rights violations, including the Transatlantic slave trade now recognized by the United Nations as a “crime against humanity”, have legitimate claims to reparations including monetary compensation. As our Nation has done in the past with respect to the Choctaw, the Lakota, the Lambuth, and more recently for Japanese Americans and the European Jewish community, reparations are now due to address the debt still owed to descendants of enslaved Africans.

We recognize that reparations are a debt (not charity) that is due from the government, corporations, and institutions that profited from slavery and racial exploitation. We believe in elevating the voices of Black activists and leaders in policy development and decision-making processes within the African American community, whose right to self-determination and autonomy to chart the path to healing we fully recognize as part of the Black Agenda.

Black Agenda

While the specific elements of full and complete reparations are still evolving, the Green Party’s existing platform positions already align with many other aspects of the Black agenda. These alignments focus on environmental justice, economic equity, and community health, to empower Black communities and address systemic inequalities. We support the following initial steps, aligning with the Black agenda:

Establish a reparations’ trust fund financed by recovered wealth and other profits accumulated from the slave trade. Funds will be sourced from recovered wealth amassed by slave trade beneficiaries, corporations that profited from racial exploitation, and potential taxes on wealth accumulated through historical systemic disparities. Descendants of enslaved Africans, through their chosen representatives and organizations, will have a central role in shaping the calculation, distribution, and use of the reparations trust fund.

We recognize that money is the governing factor and that our privately owned debt-based financial system is rooted in the exploitation of people and the planet. It has perpetuated the legacy of colonialism, slavery, and systemic discrimination. To achieve true equity and sustainability, we must fundamentally transform our nation’s current monetary system to a public asset-based system. This will enable our elected representatives to address all the economic injustices, including nurturing Black businesses, closing the racial wealth gap, providing crucial financial resources and support services directly to Black entrepreneurs and cooperatives, empowering us to thrive and contribute to the economic well-being of our communities.

We recognize that full employment and a national minimum wage are essential to achieving both economic justice and environmental sustainability. We support prioritizing green jobs and investment in historically disadvantaged communities, alongside policies like worker cooperatives and a guaranteed minimum income funded by progressive taxation, to finally break the cycle of poverty and end environmental racism.

Initiate the repeal of the slave clauses within the U.S. Constitution. They contribute to ongoing racial disparities, mass incarceration, and other injustices.

Work to restore lands stolen from Black communities through various discriminatory practices like the Sharecropping system and land ownership restrictions that continue to impact Black farmers’ opportunities and success. We also demand access to safe, secure, and affordable housing – free from discriminatory practices like redlining and forced evictions. We support policies that empower us to plan and preserve our land or neighborhoods, prioritize community needs over large-scale displacement, and invest in culturally sensitive revitalization efforts.

Support the release of all political prisoners held by the USA. We reject the authority of the U.S. State to imprison Black individuals whose imprisonment stems from their defense of Black people’s democratic and self-determination rights, regardless of the specific location or movement associated with their activities.

Support existing Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Education and Development Funds.

Take action to overcome the effects of over 200 years of racial discrimination, including ending official support for any remaining symbols of slavery, specifically call for the removal of the Confederate battle flag from all government buildings, and addressing issues like racial profiling, police brutality, voting rights, and access to language resources.

We oppose discriminatory English-only pressure groups. We call for a national language policy that would encourage all citizens to be fluent in at least two languages.

We strongly support the vigorous enforcement of civil-rights laws, the aggressive prosecution of hate crimes, and the strengthening of legal services for the poor, including:

Black Women: We pledge full partnership with Black women as architects of our liberation, wielding power equally to build a world free from oppression.
Self-Defense: When facing violence, the right to defend ourselves is intrinsic. While advocating peaceful solutions, we affirm self-defense as a tool for justice.
Voting Rights: Winner-take-all denies true representation. We demand proportional voting systems that amplify Black voices, reflecting our diverse aspirations.

Resources

None

References

Co-chairs
Darryl! Moch, nubianphoenix1@gmail.com
Philena Farley pifbits@ohiogreens.org 614-859-9147

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