The four places that Coates mentions the HR-40 Bill are in 11th paragraph, 13th paragraph, 8th paragraph , and 17th paragraph.
When Coates says the justice of reparations may be the issue, not the money he means that he dose’t believe the reparation are happening. He think that it is not the issue of money but because this country has the racist ideas and is still continuing. These ideas are what has carried America throughout its lifetime and some even believes that past is past so it has nothing to do with them. If it happened in the past and it was their ancestors who have done the terrible things why would they have to pay the price for it? Also because we have these closed minded people running our country there is no way that reparations are going to be able to happen is what Coates states.
In the second paragraph that Coates talks about how reparation might have to do with our country’s existence. Our country is based on racists beliefs and ideas.We have our own way of governing the country which have pros and cons. America’s entire existence has been perceived through racists views, and still currently is. This is what Coates means when he talks about existence. But if we start to make a difference and a change in the way our society and government is run then there can be a chance that someday in the future. Coates talks about how the existence of America is the problem, so if we start to change America for the better there will be a greater chance of reparations in the future.
In the third paragraph that Coates talks about maybe reparations may never be fully repaid and that reparations are being seen as a threat. The threat of reparations is that people challenge the ideas that this country was founded upon. They challenge the racist ideals and viewpoints of our founding fathers. And this is seen as a threat too many people and people in power. They think that America is perfect and that there is nothing that needs to be changed, which is very false. But when these ideas are questioned people get very defensive and make reparations look like the bad guy. Coates is worried about the push back of the citizens and the false ideas of reparations.
In the last paragraph that Coates mentions the myth that comes with reparations. He believes that if you actually think about reparations and what it can do for people, you see the good. But people are also beer fixed minded and set in their ways that they don’t give it a second thought. Reparations are something that can be good for many people and their families and also a equal society. Coates believes that truly understanding reparations is what is going to help people become more aware about what they truly are and what they truly mean.
