Use education to respond to the enslavement of past

Once again there is talk about compensating the African-Americans in this country for their ancestors having been enslaved in the past by this country. If this were approved, it would prove to be extremely complicated. Would you do this for all African-Americans or just those who could prove that an ancestor was actually a slave? Many came after the Civil War.

What about those who were enslaved before Africans arrived? In 1619, 100 Irish slaves arrived in Virginia four days before 20 Africans arrived. Technically the Irish were called indentured servants. However, they were beaten (severely, for small infractions), abused, raped and even killed. Not many of them survived to the end of their indentured service. This was because they were hated as Catholics. If someone is treated as a slave, then he is a slave. The African slaves were viewed as being inferior; the Irish were hated because they were papists. Should not the Irish also be compensated for the cruelty that they endured? How about Catholics? Not all of the Catholics in this country at that time were Irish, but all, because they were the hated papists, were discriminated against and denied their civil rights.

What about the Indians? We took their land from them. Should we not reimburse them for that?

I have a better suggestion as far as compensation goes for the African-Americans in this country. When the slaves were put off of the plantations (some by force), they were without any kind of an education. They almost had to fend for themselves. They did receive some assistance from the federal government, but no educational benefits. For those who can prove an ancestor was actually a slave, offer to them a free university education for those who graduated from high school, and the government should pay it directly to the university. This would provide incentive for them to graduate from high school, which is already paid for by the taxpayer.

If we’re going to be compensating people in this country for what happened to their ancestors, then let’s at least be reasonable about it.

RON HAGEN Fayetteville