I understand Jim's problem and concern here also. But it is like two surgeons operating on a cancer patient. Both surgeons want to remove as much of the tumor as they can. The main mass of the tumor can easily be removed. BUT, the fly in the ointment is the situation around the edges of the tumor. The question that the two surgeons will always discuss is, How much healthy tissue do you remove in trying to remove all of the far reaching tendrals of the tumor?

That is the problem in almost any political discussions of the American War between the States. Slavery has its tendrals in every issue to be discussed to the detriment of a full discussion of any other issues. That is the reason why we can not get past any issue. It is like playing the "Race Card" in todays politic. You can present all the facts and figures and correspondence to justify your point of view and all the Unionist have to say to trump those arguments is, "well it was all about slavery anyway".

Well I agree with everyone that reparations may be a modern day political issue, but again "Its all about slavery."