If Barack Obama is able to preside over a U.S. government that, in his words, pays "reparations" in "deeds" and not just "words," would he receive or make payment? Obama, after all, is the descendant of an African father and a white, Kansas-born mother. His paternal line experienced no slavery in America and his maternal line owned no slaves.

Our genealogies, like Senator Obama's, are complex. One can neither assume that the ancestors of blacks were slaves nor the ancestors of whites were slavers. My ancestors came to Massachusetts long after slavery had been abolished here. Should I, a northerner and a descendant of non-slaveholding immigrants, have to pay reparations? Should Obama, a descendant of a non-slave African, benefit from reparations payments?

More to the point, should people who weren't slaveholders pay reparations to people who weren't slaves? The Bible answers this question in Ezechiel: "the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, and the father shall not bear the iniquity of the son." Americans would not suffer a caste system, where the distant progeny of great men are considered great. Why should we suffer a reverse caste system, where the distant progeny of slaveholders suffer because of their ancestors' misdeeds and the distant progeny of slaves reap rewards because of the ancestors' ordeals? Bloodlines don't transmit virtue or vice. The people who owe reparations are as long dead as the people who are owed them.

There is a statute of limitations on theft, but no such time-limit on reparations. Indeed, should this generation of African Americans receive reparations, would it not follow that every sucessive generation get paid as well? After all, their forbears were slaves too. History is permanent, and so are its ugly tribal grudges.

There is, aside from all this, a much more controversial question. By virtue of living in America and not Africa, do not the descendants of slaves enjoy a reparation of sorts? Blacks in America live longer, freer, better lives than blacks in Africa. The annual per-capita income in Guinea, whence many abducted Africans were sent into New World slavery, stands at about $1,100. The annual per-capita income of African Americans is about 20 times that amount. Life expectancy in Guinea is about 50 years. In the United States, African Americans can expect to live an average of 73 years. In other words, people who did not endure slavery's hardships but experience residual benefits from their ancestors' suffering want additional benefits through massive government checks.

Should that happen, will it do anything to right an historical wrong? Will recipients no longer harbor grievances against the payers? Will it eradicate the irrational skin guilt so many whites suffer from? If so, I'd gladly pay.

Well put. My family was in Canada most of the 19th century, so I know what you mean.

Go claim that castle of yours in Galway, Dan.

My new Hail to the Chief:

I'm back on it like I just signed my record deal
Yeah the best is here, the Bentley Coup paint is dripping wet, it got sex appeal
Never should have hated
You never should've doubted him
With a slot in the president's iPod Obama shattered 'em

Said I handled his buss and I'm one of his favorite rappers
Well give Luda a special pardon if I'm ever in the slammer
Better yet put him in office, make me your vice president
Hillary hated on you, so that bitch is irrelevant

Jesse talking slick and apologizing for what?
If you said it then you meant it how you want it have a gut!
And all you other politicians trying to hate on my man,
watch us win a majority vote in every state on my man

You can't stop what's bout to happen, we bout to make history
The first black president is destined and it's meant to be
The threats ain't fazing us, the nooses or the jokes
So get off your ass, black people, it's time to get out and vote!

Paint the White House black and I'm sure that's got 'em terrified
McCain don't belong in any chair unless he's paralyzed
Yeah I said it cause Bush is mentally handicapped
Ball up all of his speeches and I throw 'em like candy wrap
'cause what you talking I hear nothing even relevant
and you the worst of all 43 presidents

Get out and vote or the end will be near
The world is ready for change because Obama is here!
'cause Obama is here
The world is ready for change because Obama is here!