This opinion article by Mark McCormick argues that former President Donald Trump's proposal for a nearly $2 billion 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' unintentionally strengthens the case for reparations for Black Americans.

The proposed fund was intended to compensate individuals who Trump claimed were unfairly targeted by the federal government, including some participants in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot who were later pardoned.

Although Trump reportedly backed away from the proposal, the author contends that the idea of government compensation and formal apologies for perceived injustices raises important questions about why similar measures have not been adopted for Black Americans.

McCormick reviews a long history of racial discrimination and government-supported inequities, including slavery, segregation, exclusion from federal programs, redlining, racial violence, the Tuskegee syphilis study, and FBI surveillance of civil rights organizations.He argues that these historical and institutional actions caused lasting harm that has never been fully addressed.The article also references legislative efforts such as former Congressman John Conyers' H.R.40 proposal, which sought to study reparations for descendants of enslaved people.

The author maintains that African Americans have a stronger claim for compensation than the groups Trump intended to benefit through the proposed fund.

He further argues that discussions of reparations are often resisted because they challenge widely held beliefs about equality and fairness in American society.

The piece concludes that if compensation and apologies can be considered for January 6 participants, then the longstanding harms experienced by Black Americans deserve at least equal consideration and public acknowledgment.