What responsibility falls upon those of us who have benefited from discrimination in the past?

What responsibility falls upon those of us who have benefited from discrimination in the past?

To examine our souls and make sure we never discriminate. Being honest right down to your bones is tough but necessary. Bringing up children to do what's right is an important step. I feel we also have an obligation to ensure that everyone can get a good education, good medical care,have enough to eat, and be respected.Pretty lofty but attainable.

It is the responsibility of a society- particularly those members who have benefited from past discrimination - to ensure that there is a level playing field in the future.

I agree with SallyH in principle, but how would the level playing field being achieved in practice? And would it only apply to those who have benefited from racial discrimination, or to those who have benefited from any form of discrimination - for example, due to their gender, or due to the class or even country they were born into?

Having said that, slavery goes beyond "mere" discrimination - and although I have trouble seeing how reparations could be made in practice, I agree with the moral imperative to at least discuss the issue.

The courts have wrestled with the question of a level playing field but I don't feel they ever came up with a plan that worked successfully. In my area we had busing to try to desegregate the schools and it was a spectacular failure. Affirmative action, from my point of view has caused jobs being given to unqualified people sometimes and has caused resentment instead of understanding. There are no easy answers to this ....how do you increase goodwill in people's' hearts? Respect, even in the face of disagreement, has to be the goal but how can this ever be achieved?

To educate all people in a effort to have them participate in a competitive society. I don't know if it will ever be possible to have a totally level playing field because those with money and power will always attain more advantages from the get go. I think if we educate our children to understand that all children are equal and no one race is superior, we may go a long way in achieving some equality. People have to learn that by sharing they are not losing but gaining.