Mau-Mauing Watch

Eric at Classical Values flags a Philly Inquirer article about a bill under consideration there that would require all current or potential city contractors to examine their corporate histories and disclose any record of past profits from slavery. Among other things, they would have to disclose the names of both slaves and slaveholders involved. Failure to do so or falsification of such affidavits could lead to the loss of their contracts.

"This is a chance to put in place an essential element - corporate disclosure and transparency," [Councilwoman Blondell] Reynolds Brown said at the hearing before Council's Finance Committee earlier this week, where the bill passed unanimously.

"We will arrive at a new era when corporations are able and willing to face their past and make proper amends, whatever they may be, for any egregious wrongdoings," she said.

"Make proper amends," is, of course, the refined way of saying, "Gimme a dollar." I don't think there's really any guess-work involved in whether this is a set up for reparations.