It is not an issue,blank, except to Johnnie Cochran and his ambulance-chasing jive brothers.
And apparently Alan Keys (who had a shred of credibility before he said that a racist media kept him from contending in 2000 Republican primary and then proposed this nonsense).
Well, Jonnie Cochran and several millions of his jive brothers put the likes of Maxine Waters in congress to all of our detriment. That makes it an issue.
Maybe it is different in different parts of the country, but around me, a significant number of blacks feel that they are 'owed', and they support dems because they think they will get it from them. You and I can disagree with them on principle all day long, and I do, but it is an issue for millions of voters. And I do NOT like the type of politicians they support.
In real politik terms, I would seriously consider what I am willing to give up to minimize this. If that means gov't land, or a reduction in income tax for a period, I would consider it. I think an innovative approach to the reparations question could crack the stranglehold D's have on the black vote. And breaking that stranglehold could yield huge benefits on many many issues.