New Jersey, it’s time to tell the truth | Opinion
Updated Mar 16, 2021;
Posted Mar 07, 2021
From left to right: David Z. Vaisberg, senior rabbi at Temple B nai Abraham, Livingston; The Right Reverend William H. Stokes of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey; Rev. Anya Sammler-Michael, senior co-minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Montclair; Imam Wahy-ud Deen Shareef: Imam and Convenor, Council of Imams in NJ and Rev. Charles Boyer: Pastor, Bethel AME Church, Woodbury
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By William H. Stokes
W.E.B. Du Bois once wrote, “Nations reel and stagger on their way; they make hideous mistakes; they commit frightful wrongs; they do great and beautiful things. And shall we not best guide humanity by telling the truth about all this, so far as the truth is ascertainable?”
Proposal to create slavery reparations task force in NJ
An online news conference in support of creating a New Jersey Reparations Task Force. (Townsquare Media NJ)
TRENTON – The New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus and an eight-group coalition called the United Black Agenda want legislative leaders to hold hearings in March on a bill creating a New Jersey Reparations Task Force.
The legislation, S322/A711, was first introduced in November 2019 but hasn’t gotten a hearing. It seeks to have the state take responsibility for its role in American slavery and adopt policy changes to repair the resulting harm.
“We have to make this right,” said Assemblywoman Angela McKnight, D-Hudson. “There’s not enough money that can be given to us that will make us whole. However, with this reparation, it’s a start to look at everything that has been done to our ancestors.”