Ron first off thank you for your service.

Secondly you have no clue what my background is. You have no idea what names I have been called and what struggles I have endured. Because you are black you assume that only you have problems and your reply is exactly the narrow minded BIGOTRY and poor me attitude that keeps the African American's from becoming more successful. You are so eaten up with it that you can not see that I am clearly in your corner but unafraid to speak the truth like most are. You respond before you digest the message. I will stand by my words and if you open your eyes and start liking people and stop being so prejudice yourself you might learn that I was speaking for you not against you! It is a shame and it is a waste of an obviously intelligent person for you to be so full of anger and prejudice. It is in your interest and my interest that we do not have false leaders, Black Ms. Americas. It is like Obama said. Not a Black America or a White America but ONE AMERICA! You know Ron I can not imagine you as my neighbor because you would NEVER give me a chance to be your friend. That my friend makes you the one with the prejudice. Remember this. Not all whites are good people... but neither are all blacks. There are some of us who are good decent people who do not look down on anyone!

You assumed I did not serve our country. Does you being black make your service somehow more important than a white persons because that is the way I take it!

So... Let's just talk military my friend. I spent ten years in the service from 1970 to 1980 and I am very lucky to be here typing this. Difference is I have also done other things with my life. Nothing was given to me and I never cried because of it!

Now I will tell you that you DO NOT talk a good game. You talk the same lame game that everyone talks who would rather cry in their beer instead of bucking up and facing life! I never said to forget your past. In fact I encouraged you to remember it but not to dwell on it, use it for an excuse to fail or expect entitlements for it.

Here is EXACTLY what I said..
"It is no secret that there is a history of prejudice against certain races. Not just African American's but Native Americans, Chinese American's, Japanese American's, Irish American's, etc. We all know that it is not a history that anyone would wish for yet it is our history and remember it we must. The operative word however is history! We should acknowledge it... We should even remember it so that we do not repeat it but then move on! Do not relive it daily or use it as a crutch to justify failure.

Until we stop living in the past we will be condemned to it! "

So Ron... Why don't you buck up and be a man instead of writing to me to tell me how bad you have it and judging me like you have a right to! You are doing EXACTLY what you claim is being done to you!

Finally and for your information some of my best friends in the service, growing up and even now have been black. My neighbors are black and are among my best friends. You see Ron I do not see color. I only see people and want to help them but the attitude you displayed is exactly why you are actually worse than I am for being honest and if you think about it you know I am speaking sincerely and honestly. Nothing I said was an attack or prejudicial. The worst thing I said was that the leaders of the African American community do not have your best interest at heart. They are self serving and self aggrandizing hypocrites out for their own gain! If you take off your blinders then you know I am right. I actually like Al Sharpton but just not his hypocrisy!

Now for a little story that is VERY true! I went to high school in the 60s in the Birmingham Alabama area during the race riots and was in high school when the first black student was admitted. If you could find that black student named John then he would tell you a story. He would tell you how this white boy from Missouri did not see black and white he only saw a new person in school. He would tell you how his integration into a white school was perhaps one of the easiest in the South because this white boy befriended him the first day! He would tell you that the white boy actually had some difficulty for befriending a black man but over time the new student actually became quite popular as when people got to know him they found out he was just a person. That white boy from Missouri was me Ron so go easy on your judgements and go easy on your poor me judgmental attitude Ron because there are many of us who had rough lives not just you!

It is no secret that there is a history of prejudice against certain races. Not just African American's but Native Americans, Chinese American's, Japanese American's, Irish American's, etc. We all know that it is not a history that anyone would wish for yet it is our history and remember it we must. The operative word however is history! We should acknowledge it... We should even remember it so that we do not repeat it but then move on! Do not relive it daily or use it as a crutch to justify failure.

Until we stop living in the past we will be condemned to it!

It is time to stop using the past and shun the Rev. Wright's, Jesse Jackson's and Al Sharpton's who preach it because unless they start preaching optimism and hard work instead of pessimism and entitlement they will remain Martin Luther King wanna be's and will continue to be a part of the past. Martin Luther King was a great man who preached optimism and dreamed of successes in equality that are being realized today. The others are mere charlatan's who have it in their best interest to maintain racial tension and a feeling of entitlement by keeping some in a perpetual state of psychological need. This gives them perceived power as leaders when they are clearly preventing the improvement of race relations.

Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes believable.

We should all be individually responsible for our successes and failures and claim ownership of them. In large part all races are given at least equal opportunity to succeed today. Are there examples of inequality? Of course there are but it is more rare than some would have us believe and I would submit that examples can be found of improper treatment due to the color of their skin, their age and even their sex for ALL races! Equality will grow stronger and more evident as we learn to stop blaming our difference's and start taking personal responsibility for our individual successes and failures.

Can you imagine if a white conservative stood up to an audience of the National Association for the Advancement of White People (NAAWP) speaking about all the injustices white people are receiving by having to deal with a Ms Black America and Black television channel's, Affirmative action, etc. There would be outrage and rightfully so! But the outrage should be demonstrated by all skin colors! We need to remember we are all American's with the same goals, hopes and dreams as the next person regardless of the color of our skin.

We must bond as a nation and collectively voice our outrage against all who would perpetuate hate and then capitalize from it regardless of who that hate is directed at. That includes not only those mentioned but also the other well known haters such as the Klan, the Black Panthers and any other individuals or organizations that preach it. In other words stop preaching against inequality and then turning your head when it is against another race of group of people. Recognize that inequality is wrong no matter the race. That is why the NAACP is a hypocritical organization that has outlived it's usefulness and is now justifying an existence that is no longer justifiable.

Search your soul! Are you really fighting for the future or are you living in the past? Do you recognize failure as a disease caused by race and success as luck or skin color or do you see it as the result of individual effort or lack of it? How about speaking of an optimistic future rather than citing a pessimistic past! Do you follow those who say they are for equality yet preach the past?

We can all become a part of the solution or remain a part of the problem! My life has not been one of privilege either yet I received no special favors nor do I expect them!

Examples of achieving success against excessively strong odds can be found throughout history if we search for it. It is unfortunately rarely taught but if you google George Washington Carver you will find the story of a man who achieved great success against overwhelming odds. He did it despite having every reason or excuse to give up. He did it by not looking back but dreaming forward and by working hard to achieve that dream. Good thing Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and the good Rev. Wright were not around to remind him he was not supposed to succeed!

Please remember this next time you give a speech Shirley Sherrod. Speak of potential, speak of success, even speak of dreams but please leave skin color out of it! It is not skin color it is desire that creates success!