In 1974 Joe Biden said he was not responsible for the sins of his grandparents. He is right! My father’s bloodline stepped foot on this continent in the late 1600s and he nor any of his progeny owned any slaves. They were poor and John Johnson, who fought in the Revolution with Francis Marion’s guerilla band and his three sons were illiterate. As they moved to the 40 acres in Southern Illinois given to him for a war pension, he married a Cherokee woman who taught him and his family to read and write.

My maternal side came over after the Civil War and never had a slave although they had the German prejudice. My grandfather’s third wife was a central Illinois Cherokee.

At the end of the Civil War the ex-slaves were given an opportunity to go west with a mule and a grant of 40 acres. Some took the opportunity as reparations, so further reparations aren’t needed. Many of the laws which were passed to equalize the races have given the poor of all races a chance to succeed. Our country still has many poor and if current administration doesn’t eliminate subsidies to build a fence, they will continue to be helped. Nothing special is needed from the vast majority of us who never had slaves.

Feeling that something is owed is counter-productive and holds people back from succeeding and having the life they want.