# Who does \*not\* deserve reparations?   (a separate discussion)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-does-not-deserve-reparations-a-separate-discussion/835972>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [June 24, 2019, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-does-not-deserve-reparations-a-separate-discussion/835972 "2019-06-24T15:45:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\
**Post date:** [June 30, 2019, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-does-not-deserve-reparations-a-separate-discussion/835972/81 "2019-06-30T03:39:44Z")

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> [@Sam\_Stone](#):
>
> Apparently, no one. If the answer to ‘reparations’ is universal, free stuff for everyone, then I guess we all get reparations.
> 
> And it will be paid for by the reparations fairy.
> 
> Or, we’re not talking about reparations at all, but rather just another tedious back-door argument for socialism.

That was my objection in the other thread. A poster was suggesting that only those people who would be a part of a “permanent aggrieved underclass” should get reparations and perhaps not be given direct checks, but we invest in those communities.

To me, that is no different than social spending, and if that is what we should do (which I don’t think we should) then let’s have that debate now and not pretend that we are talking about reparations.

My contribution is that if we should have reparations, West Virginia coal miners have as good a claim as most people. But your point is correct. If everyone gets reparations then nobody does unless we undertake the pointless task of just passing money back and forth.

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