All Black America wanted was for President Bush to send a U.S. delegation to Durban, South Africa, to participate in the Aug. 31-Sept. 7 UN Conference Against Racism.

But, as of this writing, he has vehemently refused. And it doesn�t look like he will budge by the start of the conference. That�s a shame.

Black Americans feel the United States should be at the table when the world body gathers to discuss the horrors of hatred that have existed and continues to exist throughout the modern world. Humanity has not outgrown its distrust and disdain for one another. The conference, presumably, will allow for an airing of views among all affected.

Black Americans have been the most affected by the stench of racism. That�s why many of the descendants of those Blacks who were lynched, raped, beaten and forced to give years of free labor to America�not to mention the outright slaughter of rebellious Africans that took place in order to strike fear in those who would rebel during the slave-making process�will be represented in Durban.

We are interested in having our voices heard in the debate. We want the damage of our suffering acknowledged and repaired, so that we can move on in an atonement process that ultimately could bring peace and justice between the Blacks and Whites in this country.

Unfortunately, the leader of the "free" world doesn�t give credence to the argument that Blacks in America today still suffer from the impact of slavery. Or at least he doesn�t want to admit to it. After all, an admission would mean that the next step could be some form of remuneration to correct the wrong. And how much interest has accumulated to the broken promise of forty-acres and a mule?

After using the argument that the United States would not participate in the conference because there would be a call for reparations from Black Americans for the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Bush discarded that argument to duck behind a less offensive (on this side of the world) stance that the U.S. wouldn�t attend unless the Arabs "stop picking on Israel."

Bush figured that instead of slapping Blacks in the face, he would slap the Arabs. It would be less of an outright affront to the descendants of slaves here who built this nation.

Arab nations want conference documents to equate Zionism�the modern movement promoting the migration of Jews to Palestine�with racism. Israel wants no reference whatsoever to how it has gangstered Palestinian land, calling Palestinian grievances a political rather than racial dispute.

Adding insult to injury, the United States has an opportunity to send her highest ranking diplomat to partake in the debate, Secretary of State Colin Powell, a man who is himself a descendant of displaced African slaves. But it will be a missed opportunity.

White America owes Black people in this country. Ultimately, she owes us for the sin of taking the minds of our African forefathers, members of the Original family of the planet, and turning them into the minds of a submissive haters of self, a mindset that has been passed down from generation to generation.

Only by the Grace of God and the passing of time is the Black man of America attempting to return to himself. White America can help in the process by admitting to her wrong and taking the steps to repair the damage.

It�s called reparations. And the UN Conference on Racism would be a good place for America to start in this process.