(Molly Bruns, Headline USA) Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, claimed that if reparations for U.S. slavery had been implemented before the COVID pandemic, the virus may have been contained.
Jackson Lee made the speech on the House floor in an attempt to garner support for H.R. 40, which would establish a congressional commission to calculate the potential cost of reparations, the Daily Wire reported.
The congresswoman noted that COVID infection rates among minorities were higher than in majority-white areas.
Lee also claimed that the work environments of the African–American community had a greater threat of contact with the virus.
“There is no doubt we have been impacted, that DNA in the trajectory of slavery to today. For example, COVID,” Jackson Lee said.
“Black African Americans have gotten COVID at a rate of nearly 1.5 times higher than that of white people, or hospitalized at a rate of nearly four times higher and three times likely to die,” she added. “COVID hit us very desperately.”
Her claim concerning reparations had much to do with quality of life.
If granted reparations, black people would increase in wealth and allow for better opportunities and living conditions.
“Reparations for African Americans could have cut COVID-19 transmission and infection rates both among blacks and the population at large,” the congresswoman continued.
“Reparations are curative, they’re not punishment,” she continued. “The analysis continued to look at data throughout the nation.”
African Americans were only disproportionately affected by COVID in the earliest months of the pandemic, seeing more infections, hospitalizations and death rates than any other race.
Many noted that lifestyle variations may have had something to do with the spread—including the tendency of large minority families to congregate without social distancing, as well as to gather in large groups during the 2020 race riots.
More recent demographics show that this disparity in infaction and mortality rates is no longer the case, with white Americans outpacing other races.
California is in the midst of drafting a reparations program, with hopes to establish one in the coming year.
Twitter users offered several counter’s to Jackson Lee’s plea for money.
Every child in America & family that was affected by lockdowns is owed reparations. We can show direct harm, & cause.
— Rich Long (@RichlongUSA) November 17, 2022
Did not realize that cash flow could have the same impact as therapeutics and/or masks.🧐
— Neal (@donthavetime4bs) November 17, 2022
They sent those payments to Zelensky and Ukraine.
— Doriano Paisano Carta (@Paisano) November 17, 2022
REALITY:
“Diet and exercise for African-Americans could have cut COVID-19 transmission and infection rates both among blacks and the population at large."— ImJustHeretoWatch (@ISherrilynn) November 18, 2022
