Opinion

Opinion: Worthy of Justice (Part 2)

Published

7 years ago

August 24, 2019

Columnist Leo Bazile began a series of articles examining morality and other aspects of the Reparations topic during this 2019 political climate. Reginald W. Lyles’ column is a theological response to Bazile’s work.

Last week, Lyles’ column (part 1) closed with a historical examination of the mind set before the Civil War, concluding that Africans were of such an inferior stock that they had no rights that the white man was bound to respect.

Out of this erroneous and racist thinking, hundreds of years of indoctrination and oppression were and still are forced upon the psyche and thinking of African Americans.

To counteract and repair this oppressive thinking. Liberation Theology emerged.

Liberation Theology emphasizes social concern for the poor and political liberation for oppressed peoples. In the 1950s and 1960s, liberation theology was the political praxis (the process by which a theory’, lesson, or skill is enacted, embodied, or realized), of Latin American theologians, such as Gustavo Gutierrez of Peru, Leonardo Boff of Brazil, Juan Luis Segundo of Uruguay, and Jon Sobrino of Spain, who popularized the phrase “preferential option for the poor.”

Liberation Theology also found the voice of James Cone in his books, “A Black Theology of Liberation” and “The Cross and the Lynching Tree,” which attempts to help people of African descent overcome oppression. He especially focused on injustices committed against African Americans and Black South Africans during the periods of U.S. segregation and South Africa’s apartheid, respectively.

Katie G. Cannon and Jacquelyn Grant’s book, “Womanist Theology,” emphasizes interrogating the social construction of Black womanhood in the Black community and assuming a liberation perspective so African American women can live emboldened lives within the African American community and within the larger society’.

These liberation theologies shed the light of justice.

We are experiencing dark days all over the world and especially here in the United States, where fascism and bigotry are emerging and thriving.

oligarchs are flourishing everywhere: Donald Trump of the United States, Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines, Marine Le Pen of France, Vladimor Putin of Russia, Bashar al-Assad of Syria, Matteo Salvini of Italy, Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, Boris Johnson of England, King Salman of Saudi Arabia, and many more.

The last time forces like these emerged so fully on a worldwide scale, we literally fought wars to quell the evil: WWII, two atomic bombs, the casualties of 20 million military personnel, 40 million civilians, and many who died because of deliberate genocide, massacres, mass-bombings, disease, and starvation. Six million Jew’s in the Holocaust and 300,000 Chinese in the Rape of Nanjing died under mass oppression.

The Bible says in Micah 6:8: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Everyone is deserving and must do justice, but we must also demand it from and for ourselves, and all those around us. We must apply justice to everyone. And, we must be mindful in the struggle that power concedes nothing without a demand.

The demand for reparations is gaining traction in the United States. We must boldly embrace this political issue because African Americans built this country with free slave labor. Yet we have been “red-lined” from benefiting from the wealth we built – by segregationist alliances of immoral government legislation, unethical banking policies, and an unscrupulous real estate industry.

African Americans deserve reparations. African Americans deserve to be made whole.

African Americans must understand and believe that they deserve justice in the forms of reparations, economic justice, environmental justice, housing justice, food justice, water justice, and equal treatment in the justice system.

African Americans’ demand for justice is not radical, or communist, or socialist, or any other imagined label designed to demean, intimidate and shame them. On the contrary, all children of God are wonderfully made and deserving of justice.

Reginald W. Lyles

Posts by Reginald W. Lyles

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

Published

2 weeks ago

March 22, 2026

Oakland Post

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of March 11 -17, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 11 – 17, 2026

Published

3 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

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Advice

Women & Wealth: Tips for Navigating Your Lifelong Financial Journey

Published

3 weeks ago

March 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by J.P. Morgan Wealth Management

We are in the midst of a seismic shift in wealth. This phenomenon, often referred to as the “Great Wealth Transfer,” describes the unprecedented movement of assets from the Baby Boomer generation to their heirs – an estimated $105 trillion by 2048. And women are poised to inherit most of this.

J.P. Morgan Wealth Management’s 2025 Investor Study found that women are not only set to receive significant wealth – they’re actively working to build it on their own. Ninety-three percent of women surveyed who are expecting an inheritance aren’t relying on it to reach their goals.

Here are a few tips for women to consider in their wealth-building journey:

Create a financial roadmap

A detailed, well thought out plan is important. J.P. Morgan’s study found that 90% of those surveyed with a plan feel confident about reaching their financial goals, compared to 49% without one.

Your plan should reflect your unique goals, priorities and circumstances. Consider your investment horizon and risk tolerance, and remember to revisit your plan regularly as life evolves.

Are you saving up for goals like buying a house, sending your kids off to college or retiring early? Where do you want to be in the next five, ten or twenty years? Everyone’s financial situation is unique, so it’s important to think about these questions and build a plan that is unique to your life.

Women tend to live longer than men on average. Many take career breaks or care for family members, which can influence long-term planning. It’s important to adjust your strategy with these factors in mind.

Where to start with investing

Don’t let misconceptions hold you back. Starting to invest doesn’t require a large sum, and beginning early can be beneficial. The earlier you start, the more time your money has to potentially grow over the years. Understand your overall financial situation, set clear goals and develop a long-term plan.

It’s important to also make sure you’re covered for unexpected expenses that come up before you start to invest. Build up a cash emergency fund, typically enough to cover three to six months of expenses, and pay down any high-interest debt.

Taking charge of your finances

The good news is that women are taking charge of their finances. J.P. Morgan’s research found that 75% of women respondents make financial decisions with their partner or take the lead themselves. For those who have a spouse or partner, it’s important for each person in the relationship to play an active role in the process.

Building wealth can be empowering for many women. The same survey found that 73% of women respondents said money gives them “security,” while 64% of Gen Z and Millennial women associated it with “freedom.”

The power of having a team

Some people find it helpful to work with a financial advisor, so you don’t have to tackle things alone. An advisor can help you craft a plan tailored to your needs and keep you on track throughout your lifelong financial journey. If you expect to receive an inheritance, you should also consult with estate planning and tax professionals.

No matter where you are on your wealth-building path, education is key. It’s so important to be an informed investor, and there are plenty of resources out there to help. You can find a library of free educational resources at chase.com/theknow.

As the landscape of wealth continues to evolve, women have a unique opportunity to shape their financial futures and those of generations to come. By staying informed and planning ahead, women have the tools to help them confidently navigate the Great Wealth Transfer and set themselves up for financial freedom.

The views, opinions, estimates and strategies expressed herein constitutes the author’s judgment based on current market conditions and are subject to change without notice, and may differ from those expressed by other areas of J.P. Morgan. This information in no way constitutes J.P. Morgan Research and should not be treated as such. You should carefully consider your needs and objectives before making any decisions. For additional guidance on how this information should be applied to your situation, you should consult your advisor.  

JPMorgan Chase & Co., its affiliates, and employees do not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any financial transaction.  