Yes, I understand what you're saying, but I'm not saying that white people need to take responsiblity. To use the example from my article, Vernita's daughter and husband weren't asked to take responsibility. That would have been revenge, not justice.

But in the name of justice, they lose their mother and wife. It's not fair to them, but it is just. Beatrix has a right to act given what was taken from her. Life is complicated.

In the case of things like affirmative action, a tiny percentage of black people benefit, and a tiny percentage of white people lose out on opportuinities. And this is done only to find some kind of balance. There's no way you could consider this "group responsibility" for the horrors of slavery.

I think when some white people read things like this, they're immediately afraid that black people are coming for revenge on all of them. That's not true at all. The article was for people who ask why things like affirmative action exist.

I didn't vandalise that statue, so you'll have to talk to the people who did about why they thought that was a good idea. I certainly wouldn't have.