The case for reparations has been eloquently stated before, yet still the request is not being taken seriously. This is my plea for that discussion to continue. I will appeal to human decency and compassion. I am a 53 year old African American male with no criminal record, no addictions and my work history started at the age of 12. By the time I was 30 yrs. I had 3 jobs. My ancestors never intended for me "us" to work like that. In fact I would wager that my ancestors never intended to provide "free" labor in the midst of extreme conditions. That alone would be grounds for paying my ancestors, which will mean 'African Americans today', what is rightfully and righteously owed to us. I'll mention that African Americans where not the only victims of our oppressors. The treatment of Japanese and Jewish immigrants is yet another stain on our flag. SHOAH Resource Center states "While World War II was still raging, Jews around the world began making plans to demand financial indemnification for Holocaust victims."  99% of the world agrees the Holocaust was horrendous; you have no choice but to say the same for slavery. Therefore without further ado; pay us for all of the free labor, the lynchings, the rape by plantation owners and the cold blooded murder by police in 2018. Many of the police officers in those incidents were given paid leave essentially for killing a Black person. The subjugation of Black people continues today in too many ways. African Americans who are "Dark Like Me" are often allowed to complete the application process all the while Human Resources plans not to hire us. When we are intelligent, we might become too valuable to the company. Incarcerating Black men for 30 years just for possessing 1 marijuana cigarette. There are far too many more to mention here; but stopping this behavior and reparations would be a step in the right direction to our self-sufficiency. Of course when YOU are the oppressor, the last thing you want is for your victims to become self sufficient. So now I appeal to your ferocious Capitalist nature. With African Americans being made whole; a massive influx of consumer dollars will come from African Americans. The only question is who will get paid and how much. Ta-Nehisi Coates was the author of 'The Atlantic's' cover story on this issue. Ta-Nehisi Paul Coates is an American author, journalist, comic book writer [Black Panther], and educator. Coates is a national correspondent for The Atlantic, where he writes about cultural, social and political issues, particularly regarding African Americans. Coates has worked for The Village Voice, Washington City Paper, and Time. Mr. Coates states " that the U.S. has paid ethnically based compensation before, to Japanese-Americans interned during World War II. It will therefore be “radically practical” to pay again, this time to Black Americans