I am entitled to reparations because I am a product of two historical events that document the theft of my forebears’ land, labor, and livelihoods: the European conquest of the "New World" and the African Slave Trade. If not for these two historical events, I (an African European Native American) would not have existed in the first place. I would not be here to reclaim what is rightfully mine.

My Native forebears (who lived in the Americas for 30,000 years before Europeans showed up) were enslaved, their land stolen; they were forced to labor for the profit of their conquerors and reproduced children with them.

My African forebears were captured, enslaved, forced to labor on the stolen Native lands, and forced to bear their European masters' children.

My European forebears subordinated and exploited my Native and African forebears, including land, labor, and forced reproduction.

Does this make me a victim? Victimization is a non-starter in the debate over reparations. I am sure you are familiar with the concept of Universal Victimization, the philosophy that holds all humans are victims; we are victims of the circumstances of human existence. [see Baxter: Education and adaptation: A personal account of African-American development. Journal of Education, 172, (3) 1990].

When the living beneficiaries of this subordination and exploitation tell me that their forebears were responsible, I retort "Your forebears and my forebears are the same; we are family. Pay up, Cousin!.