Essay #2

 Since 1989, H.R. 40 has been introduced to Congress to study the feasibility of reparations for descendants of enslaved Africans in the United States, and every year Congress has refused to take up the bill, even as a study. Recently, a number of African American leaders also have clamored for reparations for the descendants of enslaved Africans in the United States, to the point, where it became an issue in the 2020 Democratic campaign for president. Supporters maintain that, in order to redress the grievances of African Americans, the U.S. government should, in some form, compensate them for the centuries of unpaid labor to which their ancestors were subjected, as well as for the purposeful denial of basic rights after the ending of slavery. Opponents of the African American reparations movement counter that present day Americans are not responsible for the actions of their ancestors, so to force American taxpayers, via the government, to pay for something they did not do would be unfair. What is your position on this issue? Whatever position you choose, be sure to support that position with at least three reasons in an essay between 500-750 words. The format for this essay should be the same as the previous essay, meaning you should have an introductory paragraph with a clear thesis, three body paragraphs—each with one of your reasons, and a concluding paragraph