# Reparations are never going to happen so why do some democrats come out in favor of them... **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 25, 2019, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186 "2019-02-25T17:22:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/101 "2019-02-28T15:50:59Z")
I’ll note that Germany only paid reparations to living labor camp survivors, not to make up for the millions and millions they murdered. And when the Israeli parliament approved receiving this money, there were huge riots – people wanted nothing to do with the Germans. And yet, for all that, they’ve done far more than the US has to make up for their crimes. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/102 "2019-02-28T15:55:21Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > There have been efforts, but I’m unaware of any comprehensive, large-scale and detailed study that puts dollar figures to how various discriminatory policies and practices have harmed living Americans. I think that should occur. [You really don’t think anyone has ever bothered?](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=effects+slavery+%22affirmative+action%22+economic&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart) :dubious: > [@](#): > > Because you keep saying that you’re against reparations. No, that isn’t quite it. I’m \*for \*the goals you state, but I’m also pointing out that there is an existing method that addresses those goals, and in a more comprehensive and fair way. I can’t be \*against \*something you consistently refuse to even define, now can I? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/103 "2019-02-28T16:06:37Z")
> [@](#): > > How To Tell Who Hasn’t Read The New ‘Atlantic’ Cover Story > > 1. They talk a lot about slavery. > > \ > > 1. They talk about the logistics of reparations. > > \ > > 1. They talk about affirmative action or welfare. “We should think about reparations”. “How will that work?” “Stop asking so many questions!” 😃 Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/104 "2019-02-28T16:12:32Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > [You really don’t think anyone has ever bothered?](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=effects+slavery+%22affirmative+action%22+economic&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart) :dubious: > > No, that isn’t quite it. I’m \*for \*the goals you state, but I’m also pointing out that there is an existing method that addresses those goals, and in a more comprehensive and fair way. I can’t be \*against \*something you consistently refuse to even define, now can I? This is going in circles, and mostly not addressing what I’ve actually been proposing, so I’m not sure what else to say. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/105 "2019-02-28T16:14:03Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > But the ultimate goal should be a truly fair and equal society in which there would be no need to give such preferences at all. I think the process of reparations may be absolutely necessary to achieving such a society – I’m not sure how it could be possible without it. It’s probably not the only step needed, but IMO it’s necessary to at least start the process, which would begin with investigation and fact-finding, if we’re ever going to achieve that society. And that’s because of those reasons I reiterated in the post from myself I quoted a few posts above. Catholics have a long history of being discriminated against in this country, as do Irish people, Italians, Asians, and Jews. Should each of these groups get reparations too? None of these groups had anything close to what your advocating and yet they all have been integrated into society and in most cases are doing so well AA advocates say that in order to make things fair these groups must be discriminated against. The way this happened was that the discrimination stopped and these groups found their own level with varying degrees of success. This process for black americans has been ongoing for 55 years. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/106 "2019-02-28T16:25:01Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > The idea that redlining’s negative impacts on black people was “unplanned” is about as plausible as the idea that it was “unplanned” that Jim Crow laws might harm black people. What do you think was meant by “lower grade population” in the _government policy_ documentation that guided redlining and similar housing/lending discrimination policies? [The Racist Housing Policy That Made Your Neighborhood - The Atlantic](https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/05/the-racist-housing-policy-that-made-your-neighborhood/371439/) > > If you think this had nothing to do with race, then you’re being profoundly gullible. If the reparations are for redlining, what about the places like Boston, Portland, Minneapolis, and Denver where houses in formerly redlined districts are worth more than in districts that were not redlined. Since the government should pay for housing loans that were not made what about all the black people who were [hurt](https://files.stlouisfed.org/files/htdocs/publications/review/2017-02-15/the-homeownership-experience-of-minorities-during-the-great-recession.pdf)during the real estate bubble when the government pressured banks to lend to the underqualified? ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/107 "2019-02-28T16:25:12Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > Catholics have a long history of being discriminated against in this country, as do Irish people, Italians, Asians, and Jews. Should each of these groups get reparations too? None of these groups had anything close to what your advocating and yet they all have been integrated into society and in most cases are doing so well AA advocates say that in order to make things fair these groups must be discriminated against. The way this happened was that the discrimination stopped and these groups found their own level with varying degrees of success. This process for black americans has been ongoing for 55 years. As someone who often points out instances of antisemitism in the US when people incorrectly argue that Jews shouldn’t be regarded as a minority because they aren’t discriminated against – you’re deluded if you think that the discrimination faced by any of those groups rises to the levels faced by blacks in this country. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/108 "2019-02-28T16:33:35Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > I’ll note that Germany only paid reparations to living labor camp survivors, not to make up for the millions and millions they murdered. And when the Israeli parliament approved receiving this money, there were huge riots – people wanted nothing to do with the Germans. And yet, for all that, they’ve done far more than the US has to make up for their crimes. Did Germany fight a war to end the holocaust that cost 180 billion dollars and the lives of 335,000 people and 275,000 people wounded, like America did to end slavery? No, Germany paid the equivalent of around 15 billion dollars. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/109 "2019-02-28T16:36:17Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > they all have been integrated into society and in most cases are doing so well AA advocates say that in order to make things fair these groups must be discriminated against. Absolutely _not_. The removal of an advantage is _not_ the imposition of a _dis_advantage. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/110 "2019-02-28T16:37:18Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > This is going in circles, and mostly not addressing what I’ve actually been proposing, so I’m not sure what else to say. When you can figure out \*what \*you’re proposing, we can continue. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/111 "2019-02-28T16:38:04Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > Did Germany fight a war to end the holocaust that cost 180 billion dollars and the lives of 335,000 people and 275,000 people wounded, like America did to end slavery? No, Germany paid the equivalent of around 15 billion dollars. Only half of America did that. The other half fought an expensive and brutal war against their fellow Americans to defend slavery to the death. If you want to argue that only that half of America should pay reparations, I agree in theory – the problem is that we’ve had over a hundred years to move around and mix populations since then. And politically, making only the Southern states pay reparations is even more unfeasible than sharing the burden. The best solution would have been to punish the South HARD in the immediate aftermath of the war, just like we punished Germany or Japan. Keep them under military occupation for 50 years, institute a program of “de-confederation” like Germany’s de-nazification programs, and dismantle the old ruling class that got us into a civil war in the first place, using that money to provide former slaves with 40 acres and a mule. Essentially – reconstruction with teeth. That way the South would shoulder the burden of fixing the damage it caused. But its a little late for that now. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/112 "2019-02-28T16:57:39Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > When you can figure out \*what \*you’re proposing, we can continue. I’ve already said it – the big research and investigation project (and much more in depth than your googling, or anything else I’ve seen). After that, my suggestion is a long-term experiment on a single community. And based on the results of that experiment, a possible expansion. But there’s no fixed plan, because we don’t know enough without that big research project that it would start it. I’m in favor of starting the reparations process, as TNC has suggested. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/113 "2019-02-28T17:13:50Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > Catholics have a long history of being discriminated against in this country, as do Irish people, Italians, Asians, and Jews. Should each of these groups get reparations too? None of these groups had anything close to what your advocating and yet they all have been integrated into society and in most cases are doing so well AA advocates say that in order to make things fair these groups must be discriminated against. The way this happened was that the discrimination stopped and these groups found their own level with varying degrees of success. This process for black americans has been ongoing for 55 years. We already know the difference in our opinions – you believe (or appear to believe) that the “discrimination stopped” against African Americans. I don’t believe this – in fact, I don’t believe we’ve even come close to this, even as the progress we’ve made has been very significant. As far as comparing the discrimination those groups faced in America, in my understanding it doesn’t come close to that faced by African Americans (and Native Americans, for that matter). But I certainly wouldn’t object to anyone advocating for studying how those forms of discrimination affected people financially. > [@puddleglum](#): > > If the reparations are for redlining, what about the places like Boston, Portland, Minneapolis, and Denver where houses in formerly redlined districts are worth more than in districts that were not redlined. > > Since the government should pay for housing loans that were not made what about all the black people who were [hurt](https://files.stlouisfed.org/files/htdocs/publications/review/2017-02-15/the-homeownership-experience-of-minorities-during-the-great-recession.pdf)during the real estate bubble when the government pressured banks to lend to the underqualified? These appear to me to be reasonable questions that could be investigated in detail in the type of large-scale and in-depth research and investigation project that TNC advocates. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/114 "2019-02-28T17:14:00Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Personally, and off the top of my head, I’d advocate for a controlled, long-term experiment – take a single small town or community of African Americans, give those that have been financially impacted by the policies studied reparations based on the level of harm, and study that community for the next 10 years or so to see what the impact is. But this isn’t the end state - that wasn’t my question. You want to see what the impact is, sure. I’m trying to understand what you see as the desired outcome. It’s a thought exercise. Because if the only outcome you are willing to argue for is information gathering then I’d say what’s the point. You kind of allude to more here: > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Reparations, as TNC argues (and he’s the modern architect, or popularizer, of any significant popular movement for reparations today) would be a process that would start with such a study, and would not necessarily end in monetary payments to black Americans. In my mind, reparations is money. Calling things that aren’t money or their equivalents “reparations” is misleading. For you, is reparations something other than money or money equivalents? The way I’m interpreting what you are saying is that you are in favor of reparations, which starts with studies of some kind to gather information, involves money transfers, and has no limit. The people in the US today, regardless if they participated or even benefited from the historical atrocities committed, would be on the hook to pay. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/115 "2019-02-28T17:28:21Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > But this isn’t the end state - that wasn’t my question. You want to see what the impact is, sure. I’m trying to understand what you see as the desired outcome. It’s a thought exercise. Because if the only outcome you are willing to argue for is information gathering then I’d say what’s the point. You kind of allude to more here: > > In my mind, reparations is money. Calling things that aren’t money or their equivalents “reparations” is misleading. For you, is reparations something other than money or money equivalents? The way I’m interpreting what you are saying is that you are in favor of reparations, which starts with studies of some kind to gather information, involves money transfers, and has no limit. The people in the US today, regardless if they participated or even benefited from the historical atrocities committed, would be on the hook to pay. I’m in favor of a process that results in an equal chance at a successful life with dignity and justice for all. Based on my reading, and my conversations with black Americans, I think some sort of reparations or reparations-like process would be necessary to achieve this (or make significant progress in what is certainly an incredibly amibitious, albeit vital, IMO, goal). I’ll fully admit to taking my cue from TNC – and in my understanding, reparations as he describes it would not necessarily end up with cash payments to individual black Americans. Maybe it would, or maybe there would be some sort of community investment in black neighborhoods. Or maybe something else. The most important thing, IMO, is for American society, as a whole (as much as possible, anyway) to come to terms with the incredibly discriminatory and often brutally violent ways in which black people (and other groups!) have been treated in America, from the beginning up until the present. I think this would require some sort of very significant gesture – not an apology, but something that requires actual resources – by society as a whole. Something that makes a genuine effort to deliver some significant level of justice for the wealth stolen from (or prevented from earning/saving by) African Americans. And other groups – particularly Native Americans. Though I think it would probably be best to address each group’s history on their own. If you want to call that something other than reparations, feel free. Politically that would probably be wise. But at this point I’m just trying to urge open-minded folks to consider that maybe this is a reasonable thing to discuss, rather than a wackadoodle ludicrous idea. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/116 "2019-02-28T17:31:14Z")
So your proposal is that somebody should do something? Okay then. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/117 "2019-02-28T17:37:03Z")
Fundamental to this discussion is this – do most African Americans feel like they really, truly, and fully, are American citizens, with a reasonable chance at success in life? If they do not (as the polling indicates, in my understanding, along with my anecdotal conversations with black Americans), and if they truly are as discriminated against as the polling indicates most of them believe they are, then something big needs to change. If this is indeed the circumstances of America today (broadly speaking), as I believe it is, then I refuse to accept this as a permanent state of affairs, rather than something that society could actually do something about. I can’t conceive of what might change this other than the type of process that TNC has described (that he calls reparations). ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/118 "2019-02-28T17:38:10Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > So your proposal is that somebody should do something? Okay then. Continue to have a simplistic, kindergarten-esque level of discussion about this, if you wish, but I’m going to actually try and talk about it seriously and with nuance. It’s a complicated and difficult issue, and it’s very easy to be silly and flippant about it, but perhaps you’d find it rewarding to take it seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/119 "2019-02-28T17:51:56Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I’m in favor of a process that results in an equal chance at a successful life with dignity and justice for all. Based on my reading, and my conversations with black Americans, I think some sort of reparations or reparations-like process would be necessary to achieve this. I’ll fully admit to taking my cue from TNC – and in my understanding, reparations as he describes it would not necessarily end up with cash payments to individual black Americans. Maybe it would, or maybe there would be some sort of community investment in black neighborhoods. Or maybe something else. The most important thing, IMO, is for American society, as a whole (as much as possible, anyway) to come to terms with the incredibly discriminatory and often brutally violent ways in which black people (and other groups!) have been treated in America, from the beginning up until the present. I think this would require some sort of very significant gesture – not an apology, but something that requires actual resources – by society as a whole. Something that makes a genuine effort to deliver some significant level of justice for the wealth stolen from (or prevented from earning/saving by) African Americans. And other groups – particularly Native Americans. Though I think it would probably be best to address each group’s history on their own. > > If you want to call that something other than reparations, feel free. Politically that would probably be wise. But at this point I’m just trying to urge open-minded folks to consider that maybe this is a reasonable thing to discuss, rather than a wackadoodle ludicrous idea. You’re suggesting a very significant gesture, but you seem to shy away from that being merely money. An apology is ruled out. Would a giant monument like Mt. Rushmore work? That’s sarcastic, but I’m not clear on why you are hesitant to simply call it money transfers. Right now I don’t know what to call your idea because I don’t know what your idea is. Let’s flesh this out a bit more. By way of hypothetical, say the US has race relations on par with a country where racism is very low. I don’t know which would qualify, but feel free to take your pick, or even make up one. Let’s say that at some point in the future, that is the status quo in the US. Would a very significant gesture still be desired or is that enough? The phrase “come to terms” is pretty nebulous. Have we as a nation come to terms with the atrocities committed against Native Americans? Because it seems like that group of folks would have a pretty strong claim to whatever effort that would be undertaken as well, reparations or otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/120 "2019-02-28T17:54:10Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > You’re suggesting a very significant gesture, but you seem to shy away from that being merely money. An apology is ruled out. Would a giant monument like Mt. Rushmore work? That’s sarcastic, but I’m not clear on why you are hesitant to simply call it money transfers. Right now I don’t know what to call your idea because I don’t know what your idea is. Let’s flesh this out a bit more. By way of hypothetical, say the US has race relations on par with a country where racism is very low. I don’t know which would qualify, but feel free to take your pick, or even make up one. Let’s say that at some point in the future, that is the status quo in the US. Would a very significant gesture still be desired or is that enough? That’s the goal (or most of the way to the goal, if the goal is to eliminate racism as a significant force in society), so at least for the reasons I’m pushing this process, it wouldn’t be necessary under your hypothetical. > [@](#): > > The phrase “come to terms” is pretty nebulous. Have we as a nation come to terms with the atrocities committed against Native Americans? Because it seems like that group of folks would have a pretty strong claim to whatever effort that would be undertaken as well, reparations or otherwise. No, we definitely haven’t come to terms with this. And I’m absolutely in favor of a very similar process for the incredible moral crimes that have harmed living Native Americans. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186.md?page=7)