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A Rebuttal to Mike Reagan’s Response to Coates’ Essay
Mike Reagan on the website FrontPageMag.Com attacks the issue of reparations as
suggested by Coates' essay. From Reagan's article, three aspects invalidate his argument against
the issue of reparation. First, Reagan argues that it is wrong for the advocates of reparation to
indicate that Americans should pay for historical injustices that their ancestors committed.
According to Reagan, it seems that he is insinuating that Americans should accept, forget and
move on. The significant part of his assertion is that he accepts that there were mistakes and
there is the need for life to continue. However, what he fails to consider is that forgetting is
associated with some truth, justice, and reconciliation (Coates n. p). When the African American
community is compelled to forget, they will still hold grudges, and as such, there will be a united
America.
The second point that demonstrates the misconception in Reagan’s perspective towards
reparations is that the debt was catered for by the Union soldiers who fought for the American
liberation (Reagan n.p). For this argument, it is far-fetched because it means that since there was
some liberation war, then atrocities cannot be compensated. Liberation is a positive activity, but
disrespect of people's rights is negative. As such, it is wrong for Regan to suggest that the
soldiers' initiative is a replacement of reparations. When soldiers were fighting, they were doing
so for a different course, and it is, therefore, inappropriate to try and find a relationship between
the two (Franklin12).
