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Why should America give me, a descendant of slaves, monetary restitution for something I did not experience? I was not a slave. That restitution should have been given to those who were actually slaves. But as we all know, that didn't happen. Instead, even after our ancestors were freed, they continued to fight and struggle to gain equal footing in the nation. What the United States government should do is use that restitution and improve the value of schools in inner-city and rural areas of America, in order for African-Americans and other minority groups can receive an equal and fair education. Education and opportunity is the only real restitution that any of us can benefit.

Poverty makes man do the strangest things. It also makes man perceive that any little slight, entitles them to some monetary reward. The American Indian, if anyone, should be the ones demanding the shirt off the United States governments back. They were killed, starved, and moved out of their lands for the benefit of creating this nation. If anyone should be angry and screaming for restitution it should be them.

But what was done to slaves in this country cannot be mended by the Ole' Mighty Dollar. Our ancestors were taken from their native lands, sold like cattle. They were denied the right to education, rights, basic freedoms established in the U.S. Constitution. How do you put a dollar amount on that? How do you tell someone how much their pain and suffering was worth; especially when they are not longer with us? You can't. The problem in this country is we want to throw money at any problem that arises. But money cannot heal the wounds that were caused by slavery.

True improvement in the areas of economic equality (investment in businesses and commerce in impoverished areas), education, and housing are more empowering to a people than just simply handing out a handful of money. When you invest in educating people, you provide them with the tools to be successful. You provide them with opportunities that will allow for a better car, neighborhood, house, business. Education is key to economic growth and success.

In this country, education has fallen behind. As a whole, we can't compete with the rest of the world. But if we took the time to invest in the education of our children; we would provide for them a better way to become economically stable and competitive.

Restitution is not the answer, because it does not address what is really wrong with our community. There are other ways for our government to pay our ancestors back, and that is taking care of fixing the problems of today, insuring stability for our children's future.

Learn more about this author, Tanilan Prescott.
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