US May Include Slave Descendant Query in Census

Image copyright: AP [via The Hill]

The Facts

  • The US Census Bureau is reportedly considering whether to ask Black Americans if they are descendants of slaves, as opposed to immigrants, as an update to race and ethnicity questions already asked by the survey.

  • The idea of expanding racial categories comes as some believe society too often conflates the experiences of descendants of slaves with those of Black immigrants, as well as amid a growing push to quantify who would be eligible to receive potential government reparations.


The Spin

Left narrative

As White Americans finally come to grips with the grievances of their Black neighbors, officials at every level of government are rightly considering ways to pay for the country's sinful past. While there is no agreed-upon solution, programs such as $300k cash payouts to student loan forgiveness and down payment grants are all possibilities. Though technically freed from slavery over a century ago, the free labor forced upon Blacks back then has never actually been paid back.

Right narrative

Behind their rhetorical tactics of helping the less fortunate and making up for America's sinful past, the Democrats and left-wing activists are actually trying to worsen race relations for political gain. Nothing good can come from telling White people — whose ancestors, let alone themselves, never owned slaves — that they have to pay Black Americans who were never slaves exorbitant amounts of money in reparations. The argument for reparations is as incoherent as it is unethical, and those being gaslighted are waking up to this fact slowly but surely.


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