# Has Ta-Nehesi Coates outlined any concrete plan for reparations?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-ta-nehesi-coates-outlined-any-concrete-plan-for-reparations/842038>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 20, 2019, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-ta-nehesi-coates-outlined-any-concrete-plan-for-reparations/842038 "2019-10-20T14:40:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2019, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-ta-nehesi-coates-outlined-any-concrete-plan-for-reparations/842038/1 "2019-10-20T14:40:54Z")

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I know he’s written quite a lot about reparations and was wondering if he’s ever made specific prescriptions regarding $ amounts, social programs, etc… Thanks in advance.

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**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-ta-nehesi-coates-outlined-any-concrete-plan-for-reparations/842038/2 "2019-10-21T16:10:32Z")

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Heard him on Fresh Air (NPR) a few weeks ago. He specifically said, when asked, that he considered that to be a task to be undertaken by specialists trained in the economics, logistics, and political science ramifications that any such plan would necessarily involve.

Short answer: no.

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**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-ta-nehesi-coates-outlined-any-concrete-plan-for-reparations/842038/3 "2019-10-21T18:44:12Z")

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Right. Coates has supported HR40 which requires the creation of a commission to study the issue and generate proposals. His arguments have centered on the moral and historical reasons why reparations are necessary.

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**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-ta-nehesi-coates-outlined-any-concrete-plan-for-reparations/842038/4 "2019-10-21T19:06:07Z")

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Does anybody have a specific plan?

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**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-ta-nehesi-coates-outlined-any-concrete-plan-for-reparations/842038/5 "2019-10-21T20:28:32Z")

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I think Coates has specifically said or written that it’s very deliberate that he doesn’t have a plan for reparations. He doesn’t have the specific knowledge necessary to figure out not what would be the best way to repair injury not to specific individuals, but to communities. I can’t recall if I’m getting this from _Between the World and Me_ or from the Atlantic cover story about the case for reparations.