In his March 3 letter to the editor, Jeff Kerley said giving Black Americans reparations for slavery could set 'dangerous legal precedent.' He says the danger in reparations, is the fact America would also have to consider giving some sort of financial compensation to 'other groups (that) have been discriminated against.'

Americans of Jewish, Native American and Japanese ancestry are just a few of the 'groups' he lists.

Over my five years here at UD, I have never read an article so disturbing, and so discouraging as Mr. Kerley's. I'm sure he has no idea of the implications his words carry, but to call reparations 'dangerous,' is to say that admitting guilt and taking responsibility is dangerous. To me, that idea is more destructive to a country than money ever could be.

Mr. Kerley said that 'reparations lack merit, rational methods of implementation.' He is obviously ignorant of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which not only apologized to the Japanese Americans Mr. Kerley mentioned, but also established a $1.25 billion public education fund as monetary reparations; $20,000 of which, went to the surviving internees tax free. Mr. Kerley then asks, 'How can whites be forced to accept punishment for crimes committed by ancestors they never met,'and later calls his own lifestyle 'comfortable.'

Let me ask you sir, with your comfortable lifestyle, how 'punished' do you feel for the crimes our parents and our parents' parents committed against those 60,000 internees and their families?

Most of the 'groups' Mr. Kerley lists, have actually received some sort of compensation, in one form or another. For some it's been tax-free business. For others, help building their holy land. Taxpayers, past and present, have already given financial reward as penance for America's sins.

As you can see, there are more ways to give reparations than just 'checks in the mail.' Education funds; tax-breaks on business or housing; all of these 'dangerous legal precedents' would suffice. Personally, I would be shocked and ecstatic over a letter of apology.

So far in this publication, the argument for blacks to receive reparations has been based on the disadvantages black Americans have suffered as a result of slavery. I declare a new argument, one based on forgiveness and morality. An argument based on legal precedents like Special Field Orders No. 15, or the Uniform Crime Victims Reparations Act; precedents Mr. Kerley considers so 'dangerous,' he didn't even take the time to see if they existed. The Uniform Crime Victims Reparation Act, which pays reparations to victims of crimes involving physical abuse; was slavery not physical enough? Not a crime?

Mr. Kerley says some people deserve reparations more than others, and some people deserve taxing for reparations more than others. He says that Blacks shouldn't get reparations because figuring it all out 'would make your head hurt.'

Well I'm sorry Mr. Kerley, taking responsibility, admitting your wrongs, and trying to make up for them: these things sometimes make your head hurt. Fortunately, Rudy's Fly-By has aspirin for only $2.99.

That headache is what reparations are really about. Not money, not race, but right and wrong. America, as a government and a country, owes a debt of justice to Black Americans for slavery. Just like Mr. Kerley, who never met his ancestors that committed the crime, I will never meet my ancestors that suffered them. But does that mean we are not their children? Not their beneficiaries? Slavery was wrong; it doesn't matter if it was legal. If admitting your wrongs is 'dangerous,' then we could all stand to live a more dangerous life. According to precedent, we already are.

Charles C.M. Kellom

Graduate Student

English