The fact that juries refused to convict whites for the murders of blacks, while unconscionable, was simply considered local business.

No, actually this is inaccurate. The problem was not that the idea of racial politics was foreign to federal lawmakers, but that the south wanted to keep doing what it was doing. There were a number of anti-lynching bills (and other anti-racism bills such as bills against poll taxes) proposed to congress that could have had majority support, starting in the 1930's, but they were filibustered by southern representatives. Strom Thurmond was notorious for this practice (kind of ironic given the current political use of filibusters).

To underscore the point, some of these same southern congresspeople were very supportive of racist legislation aimed at forcing all states to behave in a certain way toward blacks -- one of the most egregious involved "deportation" to Liberia.

Here is a good site on this whole history:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/struggle_congress2.html

It it had been white Americans that were being targeted by hate groups Congress would have responded.

An apology does nothing, however atleast the government is finally admitting that they purposely facilitated racist practices against American citizens.

Also, it is not enough to say that only those who actually hung black people in trees are responsible. In reality, it America had a culture of apathy concerning the terrorism that was being committed against blacks. Crowds of Americans would come to see the lynch victims, pose for pictures. In fact, lynchings were advertised in the newspaper. People brought their picnic baskets and children to see the events. Lynching was a community event. And our government new what was going on and did nothing to protect Americans who were black. Why should one group of Americans get more protection from the government than another?

yet, nobody wants to listen...

"WE ARE AMERICA" and no exceptions ,lyching or any type of racist activity should be exceptable anywhere in the United States if we are to really make a difference in the supposive"UNITED"country!

I reckon, we all do something about it! and, fast!don't you?!

Walter Olson *and Ted Frank* at Overlawyered have an excellent blog series on the reparations scam--see here, here, and here. Meanwhile, Instapunk takes out the Reparations Calculator and tallies up the debts. Update: The always insightful Jeff Jacoby...

I don't think, with all due respects to The Captain, that there will be any "debate" in the Senate and I predict that the measure will pass by unanimous voice vote. We'll see.

Yes, wrong indeed. Congress should next apologize for the jury who who refused to convict OJ for the murder of two whites.