• Review of the Structural 245 YEAR Racism In America Problem 

• Followed by Reparations and Structural Reforms Proposed 

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THE AWARENESS PROBLEM PERSISTS

Like many white Americans troubled by what they saw, for a couple of decades the question of reparations for slavery has come up and it was a big question mark. What? Why? What to do? How? When? What would be enough? After reading 300 books for this project, reinventing an America overnight to live up its ideal immediately by developing the RTDNOW PLAN to make it happen, it became MUCH clearer to me what to do and how to make it happen: not just propose it. And now that all of us can see, AND FEEL, the ongoing, non stop horror of blatant racism in video deaths, we all are waking up...and feel the urgency to deal with the issue. Truly right the wrongs, the sins of our fathers. I speak to many white people all the time and maybe 25% still don't think there is 'that much' racism. It makes you wince, it hurts the soul. It's absurd after George Floyd's murder, but it persists.

 

That's why I will review SYSTEMIC racism in America here for us all 

In bold broad strokes, and first comment on why many white Americans over 'the last generation' never saw much of it until now, until the YouTube phone videos and cell phone news. Many may not like what they will read below, it hurts, its shocking, do your own homework after to check me, but you have to read it to come to grips with 'who we were the last 200 years, then the last 50 years' to make decisions about 'who we want to be today and tomorrow.' It's why we need reparations now and structural reforms Immediately.

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WHY WHITE AMERICA DIDN'T REALLY GET IT UNTIL NOW

America has been under the veil of fake news ever since TV went national and in most homes in 1955! Today 90% of the news is controlled by 6 Mega corporations. IT'S ALL FAKE NEWS. The ah ha moment we're all having? It's been fake news forever. Our whole lives. I was born in 1958. To make it hate news, President Reagan removed the Fairness In Broadcasting rules in 1987. That meant BOTH SIDES OF AN ISSUE did not have TO BE DISCUSSED, or SHOWN. So if you have a racist news station after 1987...they just don't show the side of the people being terrorized and falsely imprisoned. Couple that with the STATE OF FEAR that was laid down nationwide. IGNORANCE, COMES FROM IGNORING, and for the people who were not scared, most just stayed silent closing their eyes since Civil Rights ended. Because of all this, THINGS GOT MUCH WORSE since then. But the sea change is video phones and youtube, now we all can see how bad racism really is and how often it takes place...all the time, everywhere in America. It's almost become impossible for white America to say systemic racism doesn't exist. But some do. So read on.

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1776 AMERICA'S 2 ORIGINAL SINS-Money in Politics, Which Enables and Powers Corporate Rule

You can read my eBook telling the real story of the American dream, and how half our citizens of today were sold down the river at its very start! Old John Adams (who became President after Washington) took 'abolish slavery' out of the Declaration of Independence, for money, because his English Bankers did not want that. That was the very first major example of MONEY IN POLITICS, and 'CORPORATE RULE', the Wall St. of its day controlling OUR Social and Economic policy. It's why America fights its people, because money in politics tells it to! And nothings changed, today it's money in politics...a lot from Wall St. These ORIGINAL SINS of a new 7/4/1776 America, continuing to oppress people of color after our nation's birth, and letting money in politics make our democracy and republic false, persist to this day, oppressing people of color significantly. Ruining lives, ending lives, causing terrible suffering, and creating a state of fear. 

 

1970-2020 THE 50 YEAR 'PRESIDENTIAL' REIGN OF TERROR

Read my OPED where after the Civil Rights Movement was crushed by the FBI, I discuss the last 50 year reign of terror (1970-2020) of American Presidents that followed. Yeah, unbelievable but true, on people of color. The start of the Presidential Reign of Terror was called Law and Order by President Nixon (there was lots of rioting in 1968 ish) to the public to disguise what he secretly called, (yes its on tape, he was good at that, so we can all hear it), 'The Southern Strategy', to criminalize people of color (for their color not necessarily real crimes) and incarcerate them to end Civil Rights movement. It was a Civil War between government police waged on people of color. But then it continued with a new name under President Reagan called, War on Drugs, then it INTENSIFIED called Community Policing under Clinton with 100,000 more police and militarization of police with war equipment. Then it was called Broken Windows, and Stop and Frisk. Now its under new Presidential management telling police to 'rough them up, send them home on stretchers' and the original name called Law and Order again 50 years later. A full circle but all the same criminalizing and dehumanizing (as we finally all saw with George Floyd and too many others on video) people of color staying on the dark path of Apartheid in America adding up to jailing 1 MILLION people of color today. Its 50 years of bad top down policies dividing our nation. We jail the most in the world and 75% over what it should be. Understand the real horror for people of color and their families, THE REAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE OF COLOR JAILED OVER 50 YEARS IS CLOSER TO 10 MILLION! And probably more than half on trumped up charges they had no money to fight. That is social and economic APARTHEID. Yes, just like South Africa but on the edges and slowly and unseen by all until internet cellphone news. Nobody adds it up to see HOW BAD it really is. But I am attempting to here.

 

THE PRIOR 1865-1965 JIM CROW '100 YEAR' Inequality  REIGN OF TERROR

Now this 10 DECADE Reign of Terror was after the 13th Amendment passed 1/31/1865 right before the end of the civil war 4/9/1865, was then exploited under Jim Crow Laws (segregation etc.) for 100 years, which forcefully dismantled much progress in the aftermath of the Civil War called Reconstruction. Many blacks were in government after the Civil War until the KKK supported by the police terrorized them with lynchings (50,000 known!) and beatings and false arrests to flee to Detroit, Oakland, Texarkana, etc.. The 13th Amendment had a racist loophole of being able to imprison without true due process forcing mostly pleas deals (denial of equality and civil rights) put people of color into prison on trumped up charges to make them modern slaves. Many fine Corporate Citizens, clothing manufacturers, potato farms, use this free slave labor TODAY. So slavery took a new form after the Civil War. The 13th Amendment will be updated in ACT 2 of the THE RTDNOW ALL CITIZENS PLAN WITH THE RTDNOW CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

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1990-2020 AMERICA BECAME A GIANT PRISON COAST TO COAST

This mass incarceration nation state called America imprisons over 1 million people of color today. Combine that with 50,000 known lynchings or cop killings like in Minnesota recently, and probably 500,000 more serious injuries or deaths not reported or before cell videos, America has terrorized close to 2 million people of color that affected their families and community with fear and oppression by demonizing people of color ON A MASS INCARCERATION ACCELERATING for 3 decades. 2 million killed or attacked and 10 million or more lives directly affected by losing a father in the home causing generational distress and poverty, this level of oppression against race is an American Holocaust, but not labeled as such because it played out slowly, over 250 years, under new names each decade (and was not in most of this generations direct awareness or life experience) happened mostly off camera, until now. And now we have protested for BLM for two straight months. Now its time to fix structural racism in America at its core to end it.

 

And now, going back to the 1st ORIGINAL SIN of America, we all know how Thomas Jefferson felt. He put 'abolish slavery' in our founding document, the other side, John Adams, takes it out, for money. Ben Franklin didn't argue it either way as the three reviewed Jeffersons draft. So now we are all Thomas Jefferson 250 years later. Are you gonna take reparations out, or you going to finally fix what Jefferson couldn't do alone. You see it takes all of us, at least 100 million to get such things done. That's why I made RTDNOW for all of us to act together. 300 million as 1, add your name, subscribe and share.

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NOW ITS TIME TO DEAL WITH JUST SOLUTIONS TO MOVE FORWARD AS ONE NATION

I am no expert in black history that is for sure. This is the cliff notes, spark notes version of why we must all deal with this inequity, this tragedy, this injustice, this abomination, that all our leaders have been complicit in for 245 years, and for the last 50 made it much worse and stayed being silent as it went on and on. But add the cumulative affect of people of color killed and wounded IT IS ALMOST EQUAL TO ALL AMERICANS KILLED AND WOUNDED IN THE VIETNAM WAR. It was a silent DOMESTIC war (over 50,000 lynched/dead, at least 500,000 injured, yes a war) that raged hot (if you are the one's without equal rights under the law as we see in video after video) over the last 50 years.

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That's why 300 million as 1, we, all the people, must deal with it now. While we may still need truth and reconciliation panels like in South Africa, yes we have had apartheid here, we just called it law and order, war on drugs, and community policing, we must fess up like they did so we can all move on in peace and a new fresh start in America. You think this isn't doable? Nobody thought the whole world would protest racism and hypocrisy in America two months ago. But the cats out of the bag, the toothpaste is out of the tube. The racism jig is finally up. The lie is over. The whole world is really watching. We have to right our ship to save ourselves. We have to take this bold step forward, all together, and very soon. The faster we do it, the easier and more rewarding for all it will be.

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4 RTDNOW SLAVERY AND SYSTEMIC RACISM REPARATIONS PROPOSED

 

To start the conversation on Equality Reparations to any person of color descended from slavery in America, and to societally make reparations for systemic racism and its oppression in a mass incarceration prison system that unjustly existed for at least the last 50 years, these proposals are structural solutions to create lasting equality for all. 245 years is never. It's time right now.

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1. HOUSING

All slave descendants, meaning adults now and those who become adults over the next 30 years over 18 years of age, to get .25% (75% discount over other citizens at 1%) zero down home loans. This enables good housing now, and for the next generation, and saves the person receiving the reparation about $500,000 in interest and payment savings. A big gesture to make up of two centuries of racism will hopefully communicate to our brothers and sisters of color we truly care and will take action for equality now. This program would expire (no new loans made but existing ones continue until maturity) in 30 years. FYI we have done similar things in the past, we just called them things like the GI BILL. Veterans got under market rates on home loans. Understand, all our banks which rip us off now borrow at zero percent from the Federal reserve. Yes, we can do this if we want to. Getting it done isn't rocket science. It's will.

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2. SENTENCING REVIEWS

While policing reforms, reinventing policing, is being considered, see the RTDNOW PLAN for policing reforms suggested, we need to CAREFULLY examine in a new light EVERY SINGLE PERSON OF COLOR'S PRISON CONVICTION/PLEA AND SENTENCING by a True Panel of THEIR Peers. Of the 1 million behind bars I'd estimate half will be let out on parole or totally freed. As this occurs we must give them the tools and necessary rehabilitation to successfully re enter society. The other half will probably have their sentence reduced by half. All will get any rehabilitation they require for 60 months, after release, to help them succeed re-entering society which includes paying for their college or trade school, an apartment, etc. Further, those improperly imprisoned and released, will receive compensation equal to the minimum wage for all hours served for starters. Their Attorney can challenge the courts based upon their unique cases for damage compensation.

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3. SKILLS AND EDUCATION

I have heard arguments by people of color that affirmative action did not help. Personally I think there had to be some mechanism to help people disadvantaged by society for two centuries to acquire skills to have a society of equals, of equal access to be more precise, not ruler and ruled which is what America after a brief flirtation moving toward equality after WW2,  has mostly become. Skills and education are what fuel the level of advancement part of the American dream. You need them to advance. The more you can get, the more you advance. If you came from a broken home due to racism, they were much harder to come by if at all. Skills, education, and entrepreneurship, owning your own business, has to be EQUALLY APPLIED in the roll out of the RTDNOW economic equality plan. All that 1% business money needs to flow to all communities EQUALLY. Please note, if the Full RTDNOW Plan is adopted, student debt will be erased and all regular four year college will be free. But in case it is not adopted quickly and we adopt reparations first, I propose the following. Any descendant of slavery will get 80% of their college education paid for at the college of their choice. Like white people like myself who started poor, worked before and in college and after to pay for it and student loans, they will be required to have a part time job on campus to cover their living expenses other than education and room and board, dorms, and do their part. For their 20% contribution (at Junior College like my son went to it cost almost nothing for a normal 4 year degree, so there may be no 20% most of the time) at a major college, or medical schools and the like, there will be gofundme and scholarships for people to help support their advancement. Like RTDNOW non profit Equality Home Loans above, this program will expire in 30 years with any in process before the maturity date continuing through their completion: so we can break the generational cycle of poverty.

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4. DISMANTLING THE MASS INCARCERATION STATE

As a nation with new eyes, and hopefully a fully reformed policing system that helps not hurts half its citizens soon, we must address the structural causes of mass incarceration and systematically over five years or less dismantle them, and reimagine them as new fluid (you shouldn't stay long unless for terrible crimes)  REHABILITATION systems. This starts with a re-examination of ANY LAW THAT WAS FUNDED OR SUGGESTED BY LOBBYISTS THAT CREATED THE MASS INCARCERATION STATE such as 3 Strikes. If we, meaning 100 million to 300 million who added their names in the RTDNOW movement (a platform to discuss such issues as a nation will be developed as people subscribe for $1.00/month) decide to leave such racist hurtful to society crazy laws in place, I would want a Wall St. 1 strike law. We all know most of the criminals are on Wall St. that's why nobody there went to jail in the 2010 economic melt down when there was total fraud. They 'donate' to politicians which is their get out of jail free card. But if we all pass the RTDNOW PLAN that gets money out of politics, we end a major cause of systemic racism. As the RTDNOW Movement gets rolling (add your name, please subscribe, share rtdnow.com daily) I am sure many will come forward with review of a list of laws not really written by or benefitting we the people that need review, updating or repeal, that caused the nationwide tragedy of mass incarceration. In short, a full judicial review by WE THE PEOPLE, and reform, of laws that caused mass incarceration.

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CONCLUSIONS

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In talking to everyone I could about American issues for the last 30 years, I'll venture to guess over 75% of white America is good hearted, isn't racist, and didn't consciously vote for the presidential reign of terror 'law and order' that racist leaders delivered. I'll also venture to guess 75% of our policing force, trained under para military rules, or more, are non racists doing a great job under bad top down rules, unions that make the accountability of the bad apples almost impossible, and they labor under unimaginable stress. You will remember President Reagan defunded (see how it works) Mental Health in 1981 and put millions of psychotic people on the streets of America jumpstarting our modern day homeless problem, a chronic problem the police shouldn't be dealing with, but do as a result of that type of 'leadership'. Which followed President Nixon's 'leadership' changing HEALTHCARE including mental health, to FOR PROFIT, it was NON PROFIT BEFORE THAT which creates more people on the streets to the point 30 million are food and shelter insecure in America today. And until we pass the RTDNOW Plan, to end poverty and homelessness, our police, or 'New Police', will be overburdened with tasks they shouldn't be handling. If you remove 50% of the problem, homelessness and addiction that to many as a result of it, with the RTDNOW Jobs and Economic and Healthcare policy...wait for it...you only need 50% of the police, or 'New Police' we invent. And the police cost goes down by 50%. It ain't magic, never has been, jobs and rising incomes (see the RTDNOW Plan) creates futures for all. And together with new People Services (prisons as rehab centers, drug addiction care funded) it will reduce crime by over 50%.

 

You might say I'm crazy as many did for 10 years, until everything I was writing about and singing about just came true. As I've started to show, we can afford to make these type of reparations happen. While this page above will be a shock to most, think it through, and as we come together we will end SYSTEMIC racism in America. And these 4 proposals are a bold start. If I were President, write in my name, draft me, I'd push these proposals through quickly. We can't afford not to do it now. We must remove the stench of 245 years of living a lie, of anguished silence. We must remove the blood stain across this nation of letting oppressive racism go on and come from our government in a big way. While not perfect, my suggestions above directly and significantly help the current generation of slavery descendants, those unjustly imprisoned, and helps the next generation. To fix the problem forever, by breaking generational cycles of poverty. Slaves and their descendants built much of America. I don't think we are 'giving' them anything: they were never paid. Would you work for free? For a week? For centuries? I've made the point that America inflicted as much death and injuries almost as much as America, A WHOLE COUNTRY, suffered in the Vietnam War. Let that sink in. And in June 2020, it hasn't ended yet.

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Moving forward as a nation swiftly our task is to create a more perfect union. To stop dreaming for a moment and live our American values. To create a society where we all have equal access (that's my version of equality) to skills and education and the basic elements of life in peace, to ALL pursue our American dreams to their fullest, with a decent standard of living, and in an environment of protected human rights, decency to all as the norm, and personal security in the streets, in our homes, under the law, and in our lives, for all. To move forward as a nation we must make good decisions, just decisions, overdue decision, equality decisions. If we enact the RTDNOW Plan, again, education and home loans are paid for under new policies. So again, 'these reparations' won't cost that much, with the RTDNOW PLAN we can afford this, we can't afford not to. Let's end SYSTEMIC racism and make a new UNITED states of America right now:

 

300 million as 1, add your name, subscribe and share. With RTDNOW we all win. End systemic racism with me now.

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