As we move into the 20th century it is important that we work toward racial equality. While this bill means well, it completely shifts "power" from one group of people to another. If we have learned anything from our mistakes, it is that racial equality cannot be achieved by favoring one group of people to the detriment of another. The bill proposes that plantation land owned by confederates be confiscated and redistributed to the former slaves who once worked it. This kind of extreme action would only anger confederates and further strain race relations. Instead of simply taking land from the confederates and giving it to free slaves I would like to propose that land be split among both groups. Splitting the land among the two groups would be a good way to rebuild a new America after the devastating effects of the Civil War.

Giving land to former slaves just for the purpose of punishing rebel confederates would only further augment tension between the North and South and between whites and blacks. Also, taking such extreme measures could escalate violence. If rebel groups in the south feel they have been mistreated and that they have nothing to lose this could invite potential riots. Mostly likely, these people would take their anger out on the slaves who gained control of their land. White supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan are already doing everything they can to prevent racial equality and African American political gains. Samuel Thomas, a freed slave said in a testimony before Congress, "they still have an ingrained feeling that the blacks at large belong to the whites at large." Race relations in the south are still tense. That is why we must be very careful in choosing a proper course of action.

I do realize that things in the south cannot go back to the way they were before the Civil War. The Union needs to take some sort of action to ensure the stability of the south and the country. By splitting the land between confederates and former slaves the Union can take steps to ensure the end of slavery without completely disregarding the rights of confederate land owners. Also, stability can be regained in the south by uniting all races. After all, the stability of the south was loss because of the institution of slavery. Thaddeus Stevens reminds us that "the cause of the war was slavery. We have liberated the slaves. It is our duty to protect them, and provide for them while they are unable to provide for themselves." If we split the land among blacks and whites, Southern aristocrats would no longer have the power to deny the rights of freed slaves and also the Union could establish a strong economic basis for African American citizenship.

Slaves could excel at farming their own land because they have been working on plantations for years. Slaves have earned the right to own land because of their hard work and dedication to the Union army during the war. Melton Linton was a freed slave who was forced to give up the land that was awarded to him after the Civil War. He says that "they have no reason to say that we will not work, for we raised them and sent them to school and bought their land. Now it is as little as they can do to give us some of their land--be it little or much." Ownership of land is far overdue considering African Americans have already experienced increases in political power over the past few years due to elected African American officials at the Federal, State, and local levels. In order to achieve some form of political power, it is imperative for African American's to be able to own land. George Clemenceau stresses this point in his book when he says, "there cannot be real emancipation for men who do not possess at least a small portion of the soil."

Therefore, while I applaud the intentions of this bill I will not vote on it. But, I will not let confederate aristocrats continue to deny African Americans their rights. That is why I propose a compromise; joint ownership of plantation land among blacks and whites in the south.