The reparation discussions in San Francisco have become crazy. The latest discussion point of $5M per CA person who identifies as black is being described as “inadequate”. The whole thing is nuts.

I’m as liberal as anyone you might meet. I will be the first to agree that there is racial and social injustice in America. I look for and vote for justice, but this “remedy” isn’t right. Here’s my take.

Many of my ancestors and your ancestors did bad things. Horrible things. Many Germans are descended from Nazis. Many Americans are descended from slave owners. Many African natives are also descended from slave owners – slavery was normal hundreds of years ago, on multiple continents. The Spanish and Portugese committed mass genocides throughout the Americas. As you go back through history, almost every nation/tribe/ethnic group has some horrible transgression to regret in their past. Our histories are savage and cruel.

My take is that those of us alive today should acknowledge those sins and strive to do better (much better, hopefully) in our lives, but I cannot be liable for the sins of my predecessors. I am accountable for myself, for my actions, and that’s it. Same for you. Any attempt to place the blame for sins of the past on current populations is illogical, unjust, and a ridiculously slippery slope. Where does it end?

Be aware of the sins of the past, learn from them, and be the best person you can be while you’re here. That’s all that makes sense to me.