Lately, I have been having conversations about a topic of profound significance to me. Essentially, I believe that if (probably when) Obama becomes president, as the masterful communicator that he is, he will be able to bring the issue of reparations for slavery into the national consciousness. For too long the issue of reparations has been dismissed as black panther extremist view or an "angry black man" perspective... instead of being considered a legitimate topic. How does this nation address the legacy of racism that has severely limited the economic, political and cultural potential of African-Americans?

Too often I have heard the pseudo-arguments that African-Americans should just "get over it" or "move on" or that "all slaves are dead, no compensation can be given" without addressing the historical impact of slavery... a policy that extended exclusion and discrimination to those of darker complexion. Do we simply ignore the fact that one group was allowed to amass wealth while another was denied basic humanity (3/5's of a man)? Does America owe some measure of compensation for the generations that were denied opportunities?

Some say that since we have been given opportunities today, that we should count our blessings and get on with our lives. All while the physical/historical scars that have contributed to drug problems, crime, and the destruction of the black family continue to plague the black community. I could go on, but my belief is that Obama will finally address reparations. Maybe not in the form of monetary compensation, but some other form that satisfies the entire nation while helping heal this open sore that has festered for far too long. I seldom hear about this in MSM.... has indifference become the new form of racism?