The "U.S.
AFRICAN AMERICAN RESTORATION ACT"
Open Letter to President, Donald J. Trump:
Dear Mr. President,
The Devastating generational byproducts of Slavery in America, are well documented and have resulted in crippling emotional and psychological damage to subsequent generations of African Americans. Slavery in America has also manifested itself into sustained racial polarization and profound damage to the overall psychological and ideological state of the nation. Among other effects, the malignant horrors of slavery and Jim Crow, have metastasized into the five-to-one ratio of Black men incarcerated in America, over that of Caucasian men, according the US Bureau of Justice Statistics.
In 2009, six months following the election of President Barack Obama, Iowa Senator, Tom Harkin successfully sponsored a bill , which apologized on behalf of America, for slavery. (S.Con, Res. 26)
In presenting this bill to the Senate, Senator Harkin stated the following:
“While the reconstruction amendments, the 13th amendment banning slavery, the 14th amendment granting full citizenship to all slaves, and the 15th amendment guaranteeing the right to vote supposedly signaled equality for all, widespread oppression continued. Jim Crow laws, African-Americans were denied voting rights, denied employment opportunities, denied access to public accommodations, denied entry into military service, denied criminal justice protections, denied housing, denied education, denied police protection, denied due process. In short, denied their very humanity.
“Not until the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and other federal protections did legal -- legal -- segregation effectively cease in this country. The destructive effects of both slavery and Jim Crow remain, however. As President Bush noted, 'the racial bigotry did not end with slavery.' President Clinton stated that the racial divide is 'America’s constant curse.' Today many African-Americans remained mired in poverty. Average incomes remain below that of white Americans. There remains an achievement gap in education and, for many, health conditions. African-Americans bear a disproportionate burden of disease and injury and death and disability. African-Americans are more over disproportionately involved with the criminal justice system in our prisons."
Mr. President, as a meaningful gesture of contrition and atonement by America for the atrocities of slavery, once passed, the "U.S. AFRICAN AMERICAN RESTORATION ACT" will provide full college and vocational scholarship vouchers to African Americans as opposed to direct cash disbursements. How much will this cost? Consider that according to a recent College Board report, the average overall cost to attend an in-state public college in America for the 2012-13 academic year is $22,261. By comparison, according to the US Bureau of Justice Statistics, the average annual cost of housing a prisoner is $30,600 per inmate. In other words, this historic legislation will, among other things, actually save US taxpayers billions of dollars by furnishing African Americans with the educational resources they need to truly OVERCOME. Resources that have been historically and legally denied to them and are necessary to "restore" all African Americans to their pre-slavery place of cultural relevance, generational productivity, prosperity and self-sustainability. -Something that was systematically stripped from them through slavery and the legalized hatred, racism and discrimination of Jim Crow Laws.
To be certain, this historic act will by no means constitute a "free lunch". It will mandate a full and sustained scholastic commitment from each recipient in order to redeem scholarship benefits.
Respectfully speaking, Mr. President; this is a no-brainer and we need your support to rally a bi-partisan congressional coalition and sign this historic act into law. In doing so, We Shall indeed Overcome. We MUST make the "U.S. AFRICAN AMERICAN RESTORATION ACT" a reality and in doing so, once and for all, help close this dark chapter in American history!
America continues to spend billions of military dollars purporting to defend the moral rights of others, far away from its own shores. If, however, the U.S. is to maintain its moral credibility and influence in the world, it must now demonstrate its sincerity by meaningfully atoning for the atrocities it has admitted to committing against African Americans.
Respectfully,
Isaias Gamboa
Founder /We Shall Overcome Foundation
