Not wanting to fall behind California in the leftist race to the bottom (because things are going so amazingly well there), New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a racial reparations bill yesterday. Before anyone shows up with their hands out, be aware that this bill doesn’t authorize any actual reparations to be paid. It just establishes a task force that will set up a commission to study the question of reparations. Don’t expect any rapid action out of the task force either. California has been finding out the hard way that talking about reparations and actually writing checks are two very different things. Also, if you read her comments, Hochul is already aware that this could be political quicksand, noting that the word reparations “brings up a lot of conflicting ideas for people” when they hear it. (National Review)

Governor Kathy Hochul (D., N.Y.) on Tuesday signed a bill that empowers a statewide task force in New York to consider racial reparations for black New Yorkers whose ancestors were once enslaved in the U.S.

Following California’s lead, New York is now the second state to authorize a commission that will examine whether any reparations should be made for the nation’s history of slavery and racism. A nine-member task force appointed by Hochul and the state legislature will recommend ways New York can redress past discrimination, which can then be enacted by state lawmakers.

“I know the word ‘reparations’ brings up a lot of conflicting ideas for people,” Hochul said Tuesday before signing the bill. “A lot of people instinctively dig in when they hear it, without really thinking about what it means or why we need to talk about it.”

Hochul says she wants patriotic New Yorkers to “rebuke our role in benefitting from the institution of slavery.” Not for nothing, but we rebuked that role in 1827. There were a few slaves in New York in the very early days, but it was never officially a slave state and was solidly on the Union side during the Civil War. Most of the once-enslaved people who wound up in New York were escaped slaves who fled to the north seeking freedom.

Hochul’s commission should quickly realize that the state’s budget is already in bad shape and this could be a shockingly expensive project to embark upon. 21% of New York City’s massive population identifies as Black or African-American, non-Hispanic people. A large percentage of them may be able to come up with some sort of documentation suggesting their ancestors were enslaved. To give each of them any meaningful amount of money could end up being a massive check for the state to write.

Being a native New Yorker myself, this could put me in a very interesting position if they actually do find a way to move forward with such a plan. After all, I have an ancestor who was an escaped slave who married into my maternal grandmother’s family line in the 1800s. I even have the DNA evidence to back it up. So would I be eligible for a big payday? The idea is ludicrous because I’ve lived my entire life in a predominantly white society and never had the same life experiences as people in Black communities. I also have a significant amount of Native American DNA, but I similarly never lived on a reservation and would not attempt to make such a claim.

But then again, perhaps it could prove to be entertaining or at least provide fodder for another article. Maybe I should show up with my documentation and dare them to turn me down because “I’m not Black enough.” My example should be proof for the new commission that this project could be a lot more complicated than it first appears. Who gets to decide who is or isn’t “Black enough?”

Even if they sent me a check, I would feel guilty about it. I’d probably just send it as a donation to the NRA and tell the local reporters about it just to get under the Governor’s skin. That would almost make it worth the effort. We shall see.