National Public Radio reported July 30, 2008 on" Congress Apologizes for Slavery, Jim Crow."
"On Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives issued an unprecedented apology to black Americans for the institution of slavery, and the subsequent Jim Crow laws that for years discriminated against blacks as second-class citizens in American society.", and then asked for "Comments: Slavery apology: long overdue, or too late?" Here are mine: I doubt whether those who continue to suffer the consequences of continuing racist public and private actions in the USA are concerned as much about (disingenuous) apologies as with ending the practices and receiving "compensation" (no need to use the term reparations) for their extended "time on the cross" to use another loaded term. Just like "Just say no!" campaigns, it is not difficult to accomplish. How about more efficient and meaningful affirmative actions such as a nationwide publicly-funded "Harlem Zone" education programs and mandated low-interest mortgage and business loans to descendants of slaves. The biggest problem in the USA is that "good intentions" tend to get hijacked by facetious politicians and phony community leaders of all complexions. In any case, "compensation" is worth the effort and "reparations," although deserved, will never happen. When racism ends, we can rest assured. Right now the US leadership, including "O", is (as per FDR) working on how to save the rich and powerful from becoming substantially less so.

Meanwhile, I must also mention that I am watching CNN coverage of events in Iran and hope that the USA doesn't make life even more difficult for the Iranian Democracy Movement by trying to take credit for it.
For example on ABC'S "This Week with George Stephanopoulis " (June 21, 2009) George hosted US Senators Lindsey Graham (Republican, South Carolina) and Christopher J. Dodd, (Democrat for Connecticut.
George began with: "And happy Father's Day to all the dads out there."
"It was a momentous week here in Washington, with major developments on health care and major tension with Iran, especially yesterday, when the president held several meetings on the violence there. Hard information was hard to come by, but Saturday was clearly the most deadly day yet. As many as 20 protesters killed in clashes with state security forces, and the opposition leader, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, reportedly told his supporters that he was prepared for martyrdom.
In response, President Obama issued his strongest condemnation yet. He called on the Iranian government to stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people, and he quoted Martin Luther King. "The arc of the moral universe is long and it bends towards justice. I believe that, the international community believes that, and right now we're bearing witness to the Iranian people's belief in that truth, and we will continue to bear witness.
For more on this debate, let me bring in two key senators. Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina. Also, Democrat Chris Dodd of Connecticut. Gentlemen, welcome to both of you.
And Senator Graham, let me begin with you. Your friend Senator John McCain and many other Republicans were pressuring the president all week long to take a harder line on Iran. Did he get it right with that statement yesterday?
GRAHAM: He's certainly moving in the right direction, but our point is that there is a monumental event going on in Iran, and you know, the president of the United States is supposed to lead the free world, not follow it. Other nations have been more outspoken, so I hope that we'll hear more of this, because the young men and women taking the streets in Tehran need our support. The signs are in English. They are basically asking for us to speak up on their behalf.
And I appreciate what the president said yesterday, but he's been timid and passive more than I would like, and I hope he will continue to speak truth to power."

For what it's worth; the "Resolutions" from the US Congress are hardly worth the paper it will be written on as it was crafted by Republicans, and fronted by the likes of Lindsey Graham, who are trying to undermine Obama's quieter and better nuanced soft diplomacy. If "W" and the "Rs" were running the show, CNN would be broadcasting live the bombing of Teheran. Honestly speaking, the Right (wrong) is hoping for a violent government crack down so that they can criticize Obama again for saying he was "open to" meeting with Iranian leaders. The worst thing for the American Right is for democracy to flourish in Iran and the best thing for them is for Obama to fall on his face (while catching flies with his hands).