> Although I think that we are still dealing with problems caused by past actions in a somewhat more direct manner than the butterfly to tornado analogy - the original action was done with intention here -

I'm quite sure the butterfly intended to flap its wings, though. Granted, a butterfly is not committing a crime by flapping its wings, but the point I was trying to illustrate is, even if it were, it could not also be held accountable for causing the storm. Similarly, the proponents of slavery in American history are at fault for the ills caused by slavery. But not also for the ills caused by this, caused by that, caused by this, caused by that, caused by slavery. Or at least it is not practical to think in those terms.

> I'm still unsure of where that point should be though. Measuring it by the living "original" victims does seem to make the most sense, but a part of me still asks 'what about their kids?'.

What ABOUT their kids? The children of the slaves freed in the aftermath of the Civil War were not also slaves. If their children, or their children's children's children's children, are discriminated against today, it is because of modern day racism, not historical practices of slavery, and it is therefore an issue to deal with separately. The children of the children of the children of slavers are directly responsible for whether or not they choose to adopt the thinking of their forefathers or make a change in the family history. Consequently, such a person is guilty of a separate crime if he chooses racism, but in no case is he guilty of the sins of his ancestors, and nor are his ancestors responsible for his own prejudice.

As far as the uncertainty goes about where to draw the line between current problems and history that needs to be put behind us, I share that uncertainty. If I had lived around, say, 1900, I'm not sure I could speak as confidently about what would be just. But I think 137 years since the abolishment of slavery puts us out of the gray area.

Today's problems are today's, even if they superficially resemble yesterday's or are motivated by similar prejudices. Consequently, the only way justice can be done today is if today's solutions are directed at today's problems and not some now-unresolvable legacy of the past.