With the NYC Health Department supporting the cause, the fight for reparations in New York City is gaining traction.
The DOH published a report titled “Analyzing the Racial Wealth Gap and Implications for Health Equity” in cooperation with the Federal Reserve Bank.
Concerns Over Federal Financing for Reparations
In order to rectify historical injustices and disparities that prevent black Americans from accessing money and opportunities for wealth-building, this paper supports reparations.
In order to close the economic disparity between Blacks and Whites, the research suggests a reparations program that would include the federal government paying cash to the descendants of enslaved Black people.
The overarching aim is to obtain recognition, redress, and closure for America’s participation in national and municipal policies that have prolonged racial disparities in wealth and resources.
Ashwin Vasan, the city’s health czar, has said that he is open to considering the proposal, but it is yet unclear how it would specifically address health inequality.
Although the City Council proposed a law to establish a commission to look into reparations, it is a close copy of a bill that the state Legislature approved.
The fact that this approach is dependent on federal financing, however, raises concerns given the federal government’s unwillingness to allocate adequate funds for other urgent issues, such as the migrant situation in New York.
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Seeking Strong Financial Backing
The DOH/Fed initiative is criticized for appearing more like a virtue-signaling gesture than a specific policy recommendation.
They argue that this push for reparations could not have the desired effect and could possibly exacerbate racial tension without strong financial support.
In addition, others disagree that reparations should be taken into account in New York, given that the state ended slavery in 1827, decades before the Civil War.
The city’s specific involvement in slavery and whether it is directly responsible for reparations may come up for discussion in light of this historical context.
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