Reparations redux

When the topic of reparations comes up, as it seems to when Democrats get frisky, I wonder how that will work.

Approximately, 300,000 Africans were imported to what became the United States by Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch and English slavers, who purchased them from Arab slavers who got them from African tribal leaders whose cultures had used slaves as currency for centuries. Sort of messy to know who owes what.

But on top of that, about 1,000,000 Africans come to the USA as eager, hopeful immigrants in a decade, far more than ever came unwillingly in the 18th century. To add to the complexity, a considerable number of slaves either earned or were given freedom and they themselves used and owned slaves. Dr. Gates of PBS and Obama fame estimated the rate of slave ownership was higher among freed blacks than whites in the south, since so few whites were wealthy enough to own even one slave.

Where is the tribunal that is going to sort all that out? It would mean former President Obama would not be eligible since his only American family were white, and his African father and his family were Moslems, perhaps descendants of slavers. But his daughters would be eligible. Kamala Harris the daughter of two immigrants, a Jamaican and an Asian Indian would not be eligible. What about the descendants of the black slave owners. Would they be eligible? 

And how far back do you want to go? The Vikings were cruel slave masters, stealing women and workers both, leaving their culture and seed on every culture they took over. It was a slave economy, just as many areas of Africa and the Middle East. Just look how they got around (based on a cruise map).