Thank you...an interesting thread full of ironies. When I visited India many years ago, I noted the love/hate relationship with British Colonialism, as when the British exploitation and condescension are discussed, they are soon interrupted by trains arriving, banks opening, and tea time. Kind of a Jared Diamond thing, ultimate irony is that Western Colonialism, its stock markets and weapons protected the West from something worse (German/Japanese Fascism? Fanatical Islam?). Reading of Cortez, yes, joined by other tribes to dog pile on Montezuma, who might've been worse than Spaniards (hard to say in the long run). Much shame to bear for European Colonials, but like in "Candide", after much suffering, a better world is evolving? Rick Santorum aside, Native Americans invented much of the food that sustains us, taught us how to survive. African Americans perhaps 50% of Western culture (ala Ken Burns, history of African Americans is history of America?) From Day 1, I believe also there has been the construct of the effete white East Coast liberal, who opposed the exploitation but didn't have the power to stop it (but their "shaming" eventually ended slavery?) The Brits seem to have given us liberal free trade and a kind of Roman engineering and business franchising world (and accompanying ironic humor to sell it all). In total a historically powerful and potentially benevolent force. Let's hope liberal Capitalism and Democracy will evolve to provide the opportunities and protections for all that live up to its promises. As colonialism compensation, I'm for specific reparations (ie Tulsa should reimburse progeny of 1921 victims, US restore Cherokee lands taken by Indian Removal Act of 1830) but believe general reparations are complicated and should focus on education and lending for affected parties.