Without progress for reparations, California’s apology for slavery is disingenuous

California and its leaders continue to misunderstand what is needed to reconcile with its history of enabling slavery and racial discrimination. Newsom, who already showed his performative nature by vetoing substantive reparations bills, signed into law a formal apology for slavery. The bill now signed by Newsom requires officials to sign and display a plaque in the state Capitol with a statement that includes the following: “The State of California apologizes for perpetuating the harm African Americans faced by having imbued racial prejudice through segregation, public and private discrimination and unequal disbursal of state and feudal funding and declares that such actions shall not be repteated.” Well, the funny thing about apologies is that most times they appear disingenuous at first glance and that’s the case for this one. To apologize for the “repeated” discrimination with a plaque and not actual action is downright lazy. There was so much left on on the table that could’ve done good. Opinion Instead, California becomes one of 14 states, including Alabama and Florida, that have offered purely symbolic apologies for the abomination of slavery and the unspeakable destruction it has caused over centuries. California was once positioned as the leader in responding to...