Too long, too late

I can’t say that I’m terribly interested in the news that the Senate has deigned to apologize for slavery and Jim Crow.  The time for apologies is long past, and if the Senate really wanted to show contrition for the long-term effects of systematic oppression, it would push forward with a decent health care bill, work to reduce carbon emissions, invest money in rebuilding our cities, and find ways to make college more accessible and more affordable.  These certainly aren’t glamorous, but unlike an empty apology, they would actually do something to help African-Americans and other underprivileged minorities earn their piece of the American dream.