as long as people in the present can take some meaning in their lives from history - whether that history be pleasant and uplifting or otherwise, then they are bound to reconsider their futures in order to be 'true' to that history.

the jews might decide to form a nation and beat up palestinians as they were beat up. the chinese might decide to sell nuclear secrets. the africans might try to turn a constitution based on individual rights on its head. there are all kinds of simplistic ways to interpret what people see as their duty. in any case, it is the will of those people which must be heeded until such time as they feel that the history they adopt is no longer compelling. what happens in this world depends on what people are convinced is their role in history.

the way i see african americans at this particular monent in our history is that we are capable of being politically united over the issue of reparations, but that depends entirely on the credibility of the case put before the people of this nation. it has been done many times before and, if this latest effort fails, will be made again. such a case will be by ogletree and company and african americans, more critically than anyone else, will evaluate that case on the merits. just like the decision to call oneself 'black' and refuse to answer to 'negro', millions of families across this nation will decide which side they are on.

i think they should ask for about 1.6 trillion.