I have to disagree with Sam Hieb’s conclusion on slave reparations at Piedmont Publius.
Slavery and segregation were explicit policies of the state of North Carolina. It is good that the state no longer has these laws on the books, but it is appropriate for the state legislature to apologize for having had them in the first place, even if the current members of the legislature had no control over the original laws.
Just so there is no confusion, I am not in favor of reparations. Reparations are to and from individuals. An apology from the institution, though, is wholly appropriate.
