Well here's how i see it: My ancestors did not own, manage, or know any slaves, nor did they benefit in any way from those who may have. I do not own stock in any pre-civil war company nor do i benefit from one nor can i buy *anything* at a lower price than anybody else can. I do not have any $$ coming from any company who even existed before the Civil War but i do have some ancestors who fought and either died or were wounded grossly fighting for the North, and got exactly diddly for their efforts and wounds, limping through the rest of their painful lives trying to make a living for their families. I don't owe anybody anything nor do i owe any of thier ancestors anything, period. I work my a$$ off everyday, come home with sweat-rivulets washing little ditches down the dirt on my face, and i don't ask anybody to pay me for what my ancestors lost fighting for the cause of freedom for this country in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, WWI, WW2, and my own loss of civilian time and personal education and progress during Viet Nam. If my Congressmen or Senators vote any of my tax money for "reparations" past what they already spend on social programs for the disadvantaged of every possible description, he's gonna know he ain't got my vote next time around, and he can take my name off his mailing list. That's the way I see it, Bubba.