By Michael Phillips
In a June 20, 2025 piece for Maryland Matters, the argument was made that Maryland must go beyond representation and form a formal reparations commission to address historical injustices. The article laments that despite electing Black officials to high-ranking positions, the “system” remains broken for Black Marylanders. But the proposed solution—state-sponsored reparations—asks the wrong question and risks promoting division instead of opportunity.
Let’s be clear: acknowledging America’s past sins, including slavery and institutional racism, is essential. But we must also acknowledge how far we’ve come—and how we can go further through policies that empower individuals, not bureaucracy. Maryland should focus on expanding access to education, public safety, job training, school choice, and entrepreneurship opportunities that help all underserved communities—not carve out taxpayer-funded compensation packages based on historical lineage.
The Flawed Logic of Collective Guilt
Calls for a state reparations commission rely on a dangerous premise: that today’s Marylanders—many of whom arrived long after the abolition of slavery or come from families who never owned slaves—are collectively guilty and should pay restitution. This is not justice. It’s the politicization of guilt.
Taxpayers of all races and backgrounds, including working-class immigrants and minorities themselves, would foot the bill for a vague, open-ended experiment in wealth redistribution. Meanwhile, no serious metrics exist for measuring success. Would reparations close the “wealth gap”? Would they resolve trauma? Or are they simply a feel-good political gesture at the expense of real progress?
Black Leadership Is a Form of Progress
The Maryland Matters article minimizes the achievements of Black leaders who have risen to the highest levels of state power—from Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller’s historic election, to numerous Black judges, delegates, and county executives. This is not tokenism. It’s evidence that barriers have been broken and opportunity exists. To dismiss these milestones as “not enough” is to undermine the very work of Black communities, activists, and voters.
These leaders were not “installed” to pacify critics—they were elected by Marylanders of all backgrounds. Their success should be celebrated, not used as a cynical talking point to push a radical economic agenda.
The Real Path Forward: Universal Empowerment
Instead of reparations, Maryland should focus on:
- School Choice: Let parents decide how their children are educated. Give them access to charter schools, vocational training, and scholarships—especially in low-income communities.
- Safe Neighborhoods: Rebuild trust in law enforcement while supporting community policing efforts that reduce crime. Safety is a prerequisite to prosperity.
- Economic Opportunity Zones: Lower taxes and cut red tape to encourage small business growth in historically underserved areas—Black, Latino, white, or immigrant.
- Family and Faith-Based Initiatives: Strengthen family structures, promote fatherhood involvement, and support local churches and nonprofits doing real work on the ground.
These policies lift people today, regardless of race or ancestry. That’s a much better investment than symbolic checks or commissions chasing the ghosts of the past.
A Politicized Commission Isn’t the Answer
Let’s also be honest about what a Maryland reparations commission would likely become: a taxpayer-funded political project used to funnel money into activist groups, consultants, and ideologically driven programs. California’s commission—one of the most high-profile examples—spent years producing a report, but no clear plan emerged for implementation. Meanwhile, tensions between groups grew, and questions of eligibility and fairness only deepened racial divides.
Do we want Maryland to follow that path—spending years in bureaucratic infighting, lawsuits, and political posturing—when we could be addressing the real needs of struggling families right now?
In Conclusion
We don’t need more commissions. We need more common sense. Real change doesn’t come from demanding reparations for the sins of our ancestors. It comes from ensuring every Marylander has the freedom, safety, and opportunity to build a better future. That’s how we honor history—by moving forward, not by fixating on grievances we can never fully resolve.
Discover more from RIPTIDE
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
