[aardvark1]

The fact that someone has black skin means that at some point, someone in the ancestral line lived in Africa. This has as much relationship to a person's current life as the fact that my name reveals European ancestry. But because I was the youngest child in the family and my father married late and my mother's parents died early, I didn't even know my grandparents let alone European ancestors from 300 years ago. I don't see how those ancestors define who I am in 21st Century America.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I don't see how those ancestors define who I am in 21st Century America.

You can't see what isn't there. Unless you are delusional like Mr. Dennis Smith, et al.

[Lil'freeper]

I don't see how those ancestors define who I am in 21st Century America.

Other than geneology is a ton of fun you're right on. A friend of mine is a lovely black woman, a chemical engineer and a talented artist. She considers herself a "northern" black woman and has quite a bit of scorn for the people milking the reparations scam.

Recently she was quite excited to learn that some of her ancestors came from Ireland of all places and just got back from a visit of the town that shares her unusual name. She found roots there, records, graves and stories. So now, this beautiful, brilliant black woman completely rejects the label "African-American" and describes her heritage as "Irish-American" instead. Last I heard, she was looking into Step Dancing lessons. :)

[Chancellor Palpatine]

But according to those who venerate their ancestors down south (the ancestors that established and fought for the Confederacy), maintenance of monuments, place names, and recollections of honor and derring-do are part of their culture and heritage. They bristle at any talk that the rebellion was in any way treason, and are quite emotional and vehement as to their honor. As long as that mindset continues, we will continue to see calls for reparations - because honoring the one necessarily implies disparagement of the other, and keeps the wounds of the following century of legal segregation (which only ended 40 years ago - in the lifetimes of many Americans of African descent) open.