Old Abe Canon, Volcano, CA. (Photo: Library of Congress)
California Reparations Plan is Rooted in Stupidity and Historical Lies
California was part of the Union, not the Confederate, and wasn’t a slave owning state
By Katy Grimes, December 21, 2022 9:38 am
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Reparations Task Force is considering an estimated $569 Billion to be paid by the state for reparations (that’s two and a half times California’s current state budget which already is running a deficit), to give to black-Americans living in California for past discriminatory practices and slavery, despite that California was never a slave state, the Globe has reported.
Some of the recent proposals are cash payouts of $350,000 to every African American, and $250,000 for every black-owned business to help close the “racial wealth gap,” which is actually a social justice grievance, and not slavery.
Perhaps even more egregious than this pay-out proposal is the big lie about California’s history; California was part of the Union, not the Confederate, and wasn’t a slave owning state.
As History.com reports:
As one of only two states in the entire Western United States, California could scarcely have been more isolated at the start of the Civil War. No transcontinental railroad or telegraph yet connected it to the rest of the country, and no battles would be fought there. Nonetheless, California proved pivotal to the Union war effort, propping up the economy with its vast gold reserves, raising huge sums for military medical assistance, and providing a high number of troops per capita.
A friend reminded me that a nearby town in Amador County, Northern California played a part in helping defeat the Confederate.
The Old Abe Cannon in Volcano, California has been there since the Civil War. It was smuggled there to protect Volcano because the gold from Volcano was a large funding source for the North in the War, he said.
He noted that is is incredibly frustrating that California, and Amador County, helped fund the fight against slavery but somehow we are now going to pay reparations?
Here is what Western Mining History says about the Old Abe Canon:
During the Civil War, Volcano’s gold served the Union – the Volcano Blues smuggled the cannon “Old Abe” to intimidate rebel sympathizers. The cannon was cast by Cyrus Alger & Co. in Boston in 1837 and is the first of two 6-pounders made on the same day to be stamped with serial number 4. The cannon was never fired. The other cannon still survives at Shiloh Battlefield and is called “Shiloh Sam.” Abe is the only cannon of that age in the U.S. still on a nineteenth century wooden carriage, and has had an interesting history all on its own.
History.com reports some California white residents continued to illegally enslave Black people there, even as a movement arose to ban African Americans from the state altogether.
“Pro-slavery Democrats, known locally as the Chivalry, or “Chivs,” were particularly prominent in Southern California and were led by Senator William M. Gwin, who owned hundreds of slaves back in his former home state of Mississippi. In 1859, the Chiv-dominated state legislature even passed a bill that would have split California in two, with the southern half open to slavery. (The U.S. Congress never entertained the plan, thereby killing it.)”
California state residents responded with aplomb to a federal call for troops in the summer of 1861, immediately forming two cavalry and five infantry regiments. By the end of the Civil War, some 17,000 Californians, many of them veterans of the Gold Rush, would serve as Union soldiers out of a total population of less than 400,000.
Wikipedia also has an historical account of the Old Abe Canon under the Volcano, California page:
During the Civil War, Volcano’s gold served the Union. The “Volcano Blues” smuggled the 800 lb cannon “Old Abe,” into the town by hearse, to intimidate rebel sympathizers. “Old Abe” was only fired once during the Civil War. The Confederate faction known as Knights of the Golden Circle owned many of the Main Street businesses. “Old Abe” was fired down Main Street causing windows to break in all the shops that had not been warned – the ones sympathetic to the South.
The Library of Congress has the photo of the Old Abe Canon.
Interestingly, the already low black population of 5.5% in California has actually declined – blacks are also fleeing the state, and in particular, fleeing California’s hellish big cities.
According to California history, Southern California Democrats should be responsible for any reparations, if indeed any payout is authorized.
History matters, and California’s history is quite rich.
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As a tax paying Californian, how do we stop this abuse on our tax dollars? Can’t believe we are so stupid or should I say our elected officials
Definitely speak up about it! Contact the governor and other elected officials and register your opposition to this ridiculous, illogical waste of taxpayer money.
AMEN
This governor was not elected William, he was installed! Just like the moron currently occupying the WH! Like Katy writes…CA was never a slave state, so this is just another Newsom tax swindle!
First of all to all the ignorant stupid commenter on the reparations acts should know that, just because California was not a slave state there was a lot of systemic racism, discrimination, segregation and a lot of just trying too make sure blacks did not thrive and be in success at life in California! It’s not being said in general or as is literally about slavery it’s about all the injustices in a whole that went along with all the brutalities such as one “SLAVERY”. So in a nut shell people who only seen just slavery as reparations, need to go back and do ur research and understand that slavery meant way more than your grandparents owning my ancestors! It is all the repression and hatred and slavery that make up the reparations.
for starters my ancestors came from foreign countries and never owned slaves so my creed should be exempt don’t mull me in with those responsible. I vote no on reperations. I feel sorry for your ancestors, but my race was not responsible.
Vote these idiots out! Reparations imply “repair” as to restore something that is broken to a prior state that was “unbroken.” Soooo how about buying property in Africa (the place where everything was magical and “unbroken”), then sending all black people back; hence returning them to their “unbroken” state, and, hence repaired? Certainly would be cheaper and the most efficient remedy. The mythical magic kingdom for black folk. And a TRUE REMEDY. One way ticket. Won’t even charge for the denge fever. Good deal, eh?
What point is there in being a Free State if you’re going to pay reparations anyway?
Fascinating article. Really puts the lie to any false assertions that have been or will be made about this topic. Glad to know it is now on the record.
Now that you mention it, it seems the MORE a political agenda item is “rooted in stupidity and historical lies” the more our sociopathic Gov Gav and his Ghastly Gang love to push it and embrace it.
Stupidity and lies are two factors but the real root is GREED. You can bet your bottom dollar that the elitists that are pushing this farce plan on fleecing the recipients of everything they have!
Good and informative article. Once again showing the words “woke” and stupid are synonymous.
I identify as black, I’m non binary, my pronouns are yo/mama.
I’ve been writing my family history so it fits in with the narrative, and if you don’t accept it you are a racist.
When should I expect my van loaded with $20s mr Newsom? Mr. T is going to get you if don’t follow through.
Ignorance in White Hoodies are on the move! Yes, slavery existed in California, yes land was taken by state officials from numerous Black families here in California, yes redlining played a role in these disvriminatry practices as well. Make it right, restitution is not reparations and the parties responsibile are the state and local governments.
I will be damned if I or my children ever pay a dime to this race based extortion. Neither I or any of my ancestors ever had slaves. Extort money from liberal idiots if you can but you will find that they won’t be sympathetic to fictional grievances.
Oh and BTW. Where are my millions for my ancestors who fought against slavery?
Marie, illegal slavery exists in the state today too. There was no sanctioned slavery in the state. Ones ancestors being wronged does not constitute a need for reparation for those who didn’t experience that from those that didn’t cause that.
Show me you don’t understand where state and local governments get their money without saying so…
There’s so much anger in the headline. Not to mention it’s factually inaccurate. I suggest reading The Color of Law. It’s a book that details how Californian ( Los Angeles/ Palto Alto, etc.) participated in creating laws to suppress black people. California government wrongfully took land from Black land owners and some of the land the state still owns and profits from to this day. Here’s a link, I hope it’s helpful to expand your knowledge. https://californiahistoricalsociety.org/blog/california-a-free-state-sanctioned-slavery/
Yes, actually part of that was addressed in the article. Nevertheless, slavery was not practiced officially in this state ever. Whether state and local government took land from black land owners is a different issue and does not involve reparations due to slavery. The state recently did agree to give back land to a black family in Orange County I believe. Wherever those thefts occurred and can be identified, the state and/or local government should restore the property to the owners. That is a far cry from undeserved reparations to people who were not legally enslaved in the State of California.
As a victim of a kidnap/rape by a serial black rapist, do you suppose that I will receive reparations for the heart stopping crime that cast a shadow of fear over every aspect these many decades? My husband’s great grand father served as a volunteer for the Union. My great grandfather, a Methodist minister from New England worked to end slavery. All our family, some came as indentured servants, landed in America in the late 1600’s and early 1700’s. Many of our great great great grandparents served in the new republic’s fight for freedom. I will plan to leave the state if any of these plans are implemented. Gavin is such a transparent provocateur.
There’s so much anger in the headline. Not to mention it’s factually inaccurate. I suggest reading The Color of Law. It’s a book that details how Californian ( Los Angeles/ Palto Alto, etc.) participated in creating laws to suppress black people. California government wrongfully took land from Black land owners and some of the land the state still owns and profits from to this day. For example, Allensworth, California was a black owned town that the state of California stole from its rightful land owner and the government currently owns as a “historical landmark” and profits from.
Here’s a few links, I hope they’re helpful to expand your knowledge. https://californiahistoricalsociety.org/blog/california-a-free-state-sanctioned-slavery/
That’s all intolerable. But all that went down in the 20th Century.
The California Reparations Plan addresses exactly NONE of it though, because their cut-off date for any kind of reparation benefits is the end of the 19th Century.
I suggest reading the California Reparations Plan.
Lol. This “White Woman” Editor Katy Grimes or whatever her name is wrote this Unaccurate Article while obviously Angry! ???? ???????? African-Americans in California (as well as the entire U.S.A.) reading this Article are all laughing at howAngry you are about US getting reparations Karen…I mean Katy! Lol. Do not quit your Racially Biased Rants on non factual rhetoric!
J D can’t make a coherent argument so he attacks Katy Grimes on the basis of her race. It’s what angry racist Democrats always do.
Exactly, TJ.
Race baiting is all ya got? Pathetic!
If a specific case of land grabbing can be proved legally then take it to court. Penalizing everyone is unconstitutional and immoral.
The California government took land from Black people and used the law to hold Black people down in society stopping them from achieving the American Dream, now the government will have to make it right. It should be referred to as indemnification – not reparations.
Since no descendants of slaves are 100% African,only %.. would seem reasonable
However slavery has been abolished longer than it was legal..In historical context
One in five in ancient Rome
Was a slave..my viking forbearers we’re slavers and slaves themselves..American Indians?? The same
The compound stupidity of the California politicians AND the morons that vote for them will forever amaze honest, free Americans. How can these people continue to be so stupid? It almost makes you want to pray for the “Big Earthquake” to make the state fall into the sea!
Each generation has to answer for itself. If newsome and his ilk wish to give currency away for something that happened in a previous generation then give from your stash of ill gotten gains. The “public purse” has been and continues to be abused which is why the “debt” , on all levels of “government”, is so huge and growing larger every day the charade continues. Under the current calendar in use, the year 1913 was the beginning of the end for america.
Assemblywoman Shirley Weber and the rest of the Democrats on Gov. Newsom’s race-baiting Reparations Task Force aren’t interested in the fact that California was never a slave state or in the fact that Democrats were the party of slavery, segregation, Jim Crow laws, and the KKK.
So Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Reparations Task Force is considering an estimated $569 Billion for reparations to be paid by California taxpayers (even though California was never a slave state) which is two and a half times California’s current state budget which already is running a deficit? Why not make it a few trillions instead? Democrats are determined to completely destroy California in every way they can?
State-sanctioned cultural Marxism
We got next!
signed, the Miwoks, the Yukis, themaidus and the Yokuts!
Indians have a legitimate case when treaties were broken not that I would ever take a dime from my fellow citizens but at least some American Indians have a legitimate case as opposed to people who were never slaves or in all likelihood never descended from slaves held in this state.
Best article headline I’ve seen in a long time!! Wish more headlines were that direct and honest!
Completely agree!
Thank you. That’s a pretty sneeky method for getting us to read history. I guess the point being, if the Democrats want to pay Reparations they need to pony up the money
This is a total scam and done by people who are on the greed and nothing else including those people on the panel that are Black Lives Matter are thugs extortions and terrorists and live in mansions instead of helping the Black communities. This issue will destroy race relations for ever. I will not pay a dime to this group.
I’d be in favor of reparations IF AND ONLY IF the elected officials paid for it from their personal bank accounts first. Only after EVERY legislator has filed for bankruptcy should the taxpayers be responsible for the remainder of the cost of the reparations.
It’s ok for the legislature to bankrupt the citizens as long as they suffer first if they really think they have such great ideas for legislation. But the truth is they will continue to spend other people’s money as long as they are in office and dont suffer from their bad laws.
For example, if the tax increases by 1 percent, make the rate increase be 2 percent if they are assembly members….
this is totally ridiculous. My descendents came from Mexico and India and have nothing to do with slavery will I get a tax exempt from the reparations cost
I’m also curious will the Southern States who were actually responsible for slavery and atrocities foot the bill, also the continent of Africa which during their tribal disputes more than 200 years ago would take the losing surviving tribal members and put them in cages on the beaches and sold them into slavery
Once you actually fully recognize that a mafia network of manipulating PSYCHOPATHS are, and always have been, governing big businesses (eg official medicine, big tech, big banks), nations and the world (therefore Newsom is a psychopath, of course) (see https://www.rolf-hefti.com/covid-19-coronavirus.html) you will fully understand and not be surprised at all why “California Reparations Plan is Rooted in Stupidity and Historical Lies.”
You’ll also understand that this has zero to do with “do-gooding” but serves agendas of the criminal psychopaths in power.
The history of slavery in California began with the enslavement of Indigenous Californians under Spanish colonial rule. The arrival of the Spanish colonists introduced chattel slavery and involuntary servitude to the area. Over 90,000 Indigenous peoples were forced to stay at the Spanish missions in California between 1770 and 1834, being kept in well-guarded mission compounds. This has been described as de facto slavery,[1] as they were forced to work on the mission’s grounds amid abuse, malnourishment, overworking,[2] and a high death rate.[3] Indigenous girls were taken from their parents to be housed in guarded dormitories known as monjeríos for conversion to Catholicism and control over their sexuality.[4][5]
White colonists from the Southern and Eastern United States brought their systems of organized slavery to California. Several thousand[6] free and enslaved people of African ancestry were part of the California Gold Rush (1848–1855). Some were able to buy their freedom and freedom for their families, primarily in the South, with the gold they found.[7][8][9] This included enslaved African American Edmond Edward Wysinger (1816–1891). After arriving in the Northern mine area of the California Mother Lode with his owner in 1849, Wysinger and a group of 100 or more African American miners surface mined in and around Mormon, Mokelumne Hill at Placerville, and Grass Valley.[10] Cited from wikipedia.com There is so much more information that is not only mindboggling, but horrific! How do you all live in the world of the vast wide web of internet knowledge and be unaware of the entire countries involvement in slavery?! Its ludicrous and way overdue for America to pay her dues.
Monjeríos were gendered quarters within a colonial Spanish mission for overseeing, regulating, and disciplining unmarried Indigenous girls and single women.[1][2] Girls were taken away from their parents to the monjeríos at around the age of seven until marriage.[1][3] The quarters functioned as a form of social control at the missions for conversion to Catholicism, regulation of the sexuality of girls and women, and for the rearing of Indigenous children as a labor source.[1][4]
Monjeríos were spaces of social monitoring between mission padres and Indigenous girls. Image: 19th century engraving of Narciso Duran with a young neophyte girl (pictured).
The monjeríos instituted family separation on Indigenous peoples, with reports of sexual abuse.[5] Resistance and rebellions toward the monjeríos occurred.[5] There were monjeríos at all of the Spanish missions in California, often multiple at a single site.[1] There were similar quarters for Indigenous boys and single men known as jayuntes.[1] The monjeríos were not disbanded until the secularization of the missions by the First Mexican Republic in 1834.[5] EscapeEdit
At the time of Cupeño trail of tears (the removal of the Cupeños from Agua Caliente to Pala) circa 1903, two very old women known as Bearfoot and Ysabel refused to return to San Antonio de Pala asistencia. According to a history of the removal, Bearfoot had fled into the mountains when she was young and planned to do so again if she was taken back to the mission.[10]
Ysabel, who evidently shared some of the same experiences as Bearfoot, confirmed, ‘It is the memory of that [place] which drove Bearfoot into the chaparral…what we suffered there, how many years ago I cannot say, fifty, sixty, maybe more…See these scars! We had to keep fresh our memories of Pala Mission. Does the white man think it strange that we do not want to come? [We] and others, when young girls, had been held prisoners at Pala.'[10]
Rebellion
The miserable conditions at monjeríos and throughout the missions often led to rebellions.[11] In a rebellion at Mission Santa Cruz in 1812, a group of Indigenous people managed to gain control of mission operations after killing the head priest Andrés Quintana, which involved crushing and removing his testicles.[5] Ohlone Lorenzo Asisara reported that his father, who participated in the rebellion, and the others, unlocked the monjeríos as soon as the priest was dead, and then: “The single men left and without a sound gathered in the orchard at the same place where the Father was assassinated… After a short time the young unmarried women arrived in order to spend the night there. The young people of both sexes got together and had their pleasure.”[5]
Search Californian enslavement and find out the glory of its actions along with the over 1100+ documented people of color killed at the hands of police annually. The actual number is much higher they hide the true count so as not to face accountability.
All they have to do is cut the defense fund in half for the next two years. They spend nearly 700Bn annually on funding there war devices. How much money does it take to kill potential enemies? There biggest monetary gain in this country is garnered in the annihilation of all others. How do we point our finger at anyone else when your own backyard is in great need of repair. Until America honors this debt it will remain the biggest joke of all modern history because at the end of the day you only have yourselves to blame for whats about to take place. “I believe that there will ultimately be a clash between the oppressed and those that do the oppressing.
I believe that there will be a clash between those who want freedom, justice and equality for everyone and those who want to continue the systems of exploitation.”
— Malcolm X