Reply #13: But, but [View All]

Most of my ancestors were persecuted by the Tsar, but some of them exterminated Native Americans. So maybe Native Americans could receive checks (czechs?) directly from the Russian government?

Actually, this is all a spurious misinterpretation of what is being discussed.

Reparations for African Americans or any other persecuted group (Native Americans, Filipinos, etc.) wouldn't come from whites, but from the United State Government. The Government lives forever and it was responsible for slavery, not anyone alive today. So all Americans would contribute in their capacity as taxpayers, not because their ancestors owned or didn't own slaves.

Likewise, the German government should fully compensate victims of Nazi terror, despite the fact that there aren't any Nazis in the German government anymore, and are scant few in the public at large.

Now I actually don't think slavery reperations would be smart public policy - I think they'd serve to accentuate differences rather than help to bridge the divide - but there are still compelling arguments in their favor.