Maybe we need to cut some reparation checks. Would that make you feeeeeeel better?
I was reading a few days ago about a letter from a former slave to his former owner. The former owner had learned where his educated and valuable slave was living and working and made an offer to him and his wife to return to where he had been a working slave for 11 years, because “no other man could treat him as fairly”. The slave wrote back, forgiving his former ‘master’ for the occasional corporal punishment and the indiscretion of shooting at him as he escaped. The former slave noted that he had his free papers now, and before he returned, he wanted to know what wages were offered, and offered an estimate of the wages due him and his wife for 11 years, less room and board that had been extended. It was a sizable sum, unlikely to be available on short notice in those days, over 10,000 dollars.
I don’t think any former slaves are still above ground to be compensated. If there were, they would be owed compensation by their former owners. I think over 600,000 US soldiers who paid with their lives to put down the rebellion would make any reparations drawn from one race to be paid to another grossly unfair. I think we would do with fewer decisions made by race in this country, not more. I also think that funneling money or services through the government tends to be grossly inefficient. Better would be to have the admitted beneficiaries of slavery, such as Brown University, (founded by a family that profited from slave trading) should do what they think is right to help the heirs of the people they wronged, for the good of their souls.
Your mileage may differ.