I did my family history last summer. My ancestors came here as indentured servants in the early 1700’s. Came over as “planters” and indentured for 7 years. Went on to be recognized as providing both financial support to the Continental army and 2 sons out of a regimen in Virginia. One later named his own son George Washington Bentley. Later the other son moved to Kentucky and his son’s, sons fought in the Civil War on the Union side.
Like your family, mine also has a very, very long history are military service and I agree, we owe nothing in reparations to anyone.
I highly suggest the UN Panel look to current day trade in human trafficking and the horrors of current day slavery taking place around the globe. From South America to the Chinese to the Middle East and out of Africa itself.
Human enslavement has been with world for thousands of years. Some races go on to overcome it and generations later find themselves again enslaved by some new overlord. America has come a long way away from slavery or ‘racial terrorism.’ Notice how they are changing the language again too, from slavery to ‘racial terrorism,’ so it includes groups like the KKK.
My mother’s bloodline, mainly Irish, is what I am referring to. My father’s family mainly Scandinavian got here in the late 1700’s. No one in either side have served since I left active duty in 1981.