Don’t dare call it reparations.

Ooh! What a scary word. But here is what I’ve been thinking about:

Imagine that you steal a TV set from your neighbor. It’s illegal now, but when you stole it, it wasn’t really stealing; more like permanently borrowing. And it’s an expensive flat screen.

So you take your stolen TV and get $1,000 on the black market for it. You take that $1K and invest it, strike it rich, and instantly become a millionaire. You are loaded.

You take that money and save it, giving the lion’s share to your descendents. They invest it and become ridiculously wealthy: so wealthy that they never run out of money, generation to generation.

In this scenario, we think that the original owner deserves something, right? At least the cost of the TV, but some damages as well, right?

Now imagine that the government encourages millions of us to steal TVs from our neighbors and makes it so that each of us gets that thousand dollars, regardless of the type: flat screen or tube. Then imagine that Wall Street is set up to turn TV earnings into “strong” investments that lead to wall-to-wall wealth creation. Then add laws that consider this money untouchable and a permanent fixture within households, generation to generation, making the loss of this money impossible.

Now imagine that these millionaire families continue to gain legal privileges that will only support them and their wealth, because they are essential to the economy.

If your grandfather had his TV stolen, how would you react?

And what of those families that still benefit from that TV money? The money that has grown with each generation and continues to serve the needs of that family?

Wouldn’t these people have a right to outrage? And shouldn’t those that have benefited feel some regret and deal with some repercussion; some leveling of the hands of justice?

So what is our response going to be? If we don’t have some return TV sets or repay them (with or without interest) damages, isn’t there another solution? Can’t we tear down those regulations that benefit the thieves? Can’t we eliminate/diminish inheritance? Can’t we raise the quality of life for every victim? Aren’t these the least we can do?