I definitely agree that the wounds are big and deep. We cannot heal overnight the psychic damage, but we can make the material lives of all citizens better via a single Act of Congress.

I do think that acknowledging the gross injustices of the past can help. Acknowledging as a nation that a new advance in justice is necessary and that the ethic of justice has to be mutual respect would emphasize the sense of moving on from that past to a better future. Also, having a definitive ethic for governing the governance of society would, over time, help people to become better individuals.

Right now, we only have individuals’ vague notions of good and bad, right and wrong. There is no rule of conduct shared by all citizens. Mutual respect does not contradict any religion’s rules of conduct, so there is no valid reason for anyone to reject it.