The reparations discussion resurfaced yet again after an affluent suburban area of Illinois proposed a reparations program for residents of black or African American descent. Turns out that some of the black residents are rejecting this notion because it appears to be little more than existing housing programs masquerading as “reparations.” This payout has sparked the conversation anew as other municipalities navigate and research the possibilities of paying for the sins of a handful of our fathers.

While progressive politicians deliberate over dollars and cents for blacks, our commander-in-chief, Joe Biden — like a distant dad — paid out more than $86 million on hotel rooms to house illegal immigrants caught in what his administration calls a “challenge.” Biden — using the power of taxpayer cash — dipped deep into our nation’s pockets to rectify a problem that many argue he caused. Halting the construction of the border wall and using the power of the executive order to unwind what President Donald Trump worked so hard to build sent a message to these migrants that Biden welcomes them with open arms.

Meanwhile, many people in the service industry — a workforce comprised of a sizable black population — are struggling to move forward as they live off of stimulus checks and other crumbs sprinkling down from above. It didn’t help either that much of the $1.9 trillion stimulus went to several government faculties and international interests.

So what about reparations? We can expect Democrats to never take this conversation seriously. In fact, I believe these “stimmy” checks are reparations in disguise, designed to keep black Americans where progressives want them — out of their way. This strategy pales in comparison to Trump’s Platinum Plan, which could have potentially put black families on equal footing with the rest of America by way of infusing capital into disadvantaged communities. Trump’s strategy promised more entrepreneurship, helping Americans stand on their own two feet and rise above government support. But “we” didn’t vote for that.

I am not here to argue for reparations. I believe the time for that has long passed. But if black Americans want to know why their hands are still empty, they need to know the cold hard truth. They, overwhelmingly so, voted for the interests of others while putting themselves last yet again. But the fact that this $86 million payout to the southern border migrants doesn’t bother more black folks is exactly why history will repeat itself again until society has long forgotten what reparations were even for.