Kerry opposes slavery reparations

[Freddie Stubbs]

John Kerry yesterday told students at Howard University that he doesn't support financial reparations for blacks, saying it would only divide the nation and "not heal the wounds."

"I personally do not believe that America is going to advance if we go backwards and look to reparations in the way that some people are defining them," Mr. Kerry told Aaron Nelson, 20, a junior political science major, who questioned the Democratic presidential hopeful on his stance.

The senator from Massachusetts said he understood the deep-rooted "scars" blacks still feel in America after slavery, Jim Crow legislation and segregation, but said reparations would divide the nation, not heal wounds.

"When you mention the word slave ... in 2004, it's almost a shocking, unbelievable notion that in this country we wrote slavery into our Constitution before we wrote it out," Mr. Kerry said.

more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20040415-114946-9257r.htm

Because this was in the Washington times, I did an Internet search to determine if Kerry actually was against reperations. He is:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/16/politics/campaign/16KERR.html