My fear is that as long as African Americans fixate entirely on the obstacles that still exist, they begin to lose the forest for the trees. Trust me, even though I'm white, I face obstacles all the time, and they rarely seem fair. At some point you've got to stop shaking your fist at the storm, put on you boots and coat, and just get out there.

I don't think I misread your piece, and I think I pretty accurately summarized your complaint - there was a definite comparison to designating a particular month for African American (by the way, are you offended when I just type "blacks?" - it's just easier to type - no disrespect) studies. My only reason for describing the abuse of slaves in a "light" manor was to be ironic (remember, no one gets me). I was trying to make a point between the absolutely horrible things that happened back then with the hypersensitivity by which you take offense today. All that stuff about "taking away the cage" and "physical salves" vs. slaves on the plantation. I may have misunderstood a little, but you then need to admit that if you were not comparing the racism you suffer today with that of the much more heinous treatment of African Americans in history, you wrote in a somewhat confusing manner. My main beef with you two is that EVERYTHING seems to be white society's fault. The racism you face today is wrong, but it's nothing like slavery, and very little of what they were putting up with in Dr. Martin Luther King's day. My fear is that as long as African Americans fixate entirely on the

O.k., scratch my detailed facts of incidents that did occur, and lets use your facts, which were so passively mentioned, like "sure they(blacks) were out in the fields for no pay, having their family members whipped, sold, raped or hung. That's no big deal. It should all be forgotten right? When is it white history time? Everyone knows when it is black history, but just when is it white history. Maybe you have the answer. Me suggesting Black History Month is somehow the white man telling the black man WHEN to study the history of slavery, which is itself a form of slavery is an interpretation of your misunderstanding what you read. I never mentioned the white man telling the black man anything. I talked about the order of unfair history recognition time, Hello! Maybe you can make mention that it is unfair to whites to have to study American, or white history for 11 months and blacks only have to study for 1 month. That is not fair to white people. Let's make a change so that things would be fair for both blacks and whites.

What facts? There are no facts here, just some ludicrous simile between the establishment of a Black History month and the subjugation and torture of a race of people. You suggest Black History Month is somehow the white man telling the black man WHEN to study the history of slavery, which is itself a form of slavery. Yeah, I’m sure the ancestors you’re so fond of trumpeting really feel bad for you. Sure they were out in the fields for no pay, having their family members whipped, sold, raped or hung, but you were subtly nudged towards focusing on such things during a particular month – they might as well put you on the auction block. Who exactly needs help?

Since when does pointing out a fact in history that relates to race make a person out to be a racist? I believe that is one of the biggest problems some whites have. They do not like to talk about the truth. I am trying to bring some whites out of their made up fantasy world about race. Whether I print I hate white people or not, it will not make be true. I do not hate anyone. I guess you would like for me to hate so that your accusations about me would be true. Blacks were enslaved by whites. Blacks where treated worse than an animal and murdered for years by whites. Blacks have a reason I would say to hate whites, which many I believe do not, but what is the white man's excuse for hating black people? I really would like to know. Who did what to whom first? You know when children fight; we all want to know who started it. Who started the hating amongst the black and white races? If I say that I love all people that is not believed, but if I tell a lie and say that I hate whites then you would believe that. Get Help!

Hello, my Baby, hello my Honey, hello my ragtime gaaaal…Alton, Alton, Alton – where to begin. First, you really need to trust me when I tell you very FEW bloggers of the world are reading any of this (I’m only here to see the bearded lady) – and I’m not really sure you’re giving it that close a look. You are clearly the most racist, bigoted and hate-filled person to write anything here. While I certainly don’t agree that blacks should be grateful for slavery, you’ve got to realize that just because you didn’t specifically type out “I hate white people,” in no way changes the fact that it’s perfectly clear that you do. And simply pointing out that you didn’t put it in print is a pretty lame response.

It surely takes some one who hates in order to know another who hates, but this guy takes the cake. If slaves yesterday fought and died for their freedom, they would not want to be a slave today. No one would want to be a slave period, whether they are living in the so-called luxury of a white person's or black person's house in America or no where else. Luxury is not better than Liberty. I would have a lot to say, but warren has said it all. He has let the whole world of bloggers and cybers see that he can read, but without understanding. NO where, and I say again, no where have it been mentioned or indicated that Alton hates whites or any other ethnic group, but there is every indication that Alton hates inequality and injustice. I will pray for warren that he will find something in his heart that would allow him to understand those who know that all men are created equal, and no one should be a slave to anyone. Thoughts like his shows that there is little love in his life.

APPRECIATE. My one million word Webster defines appreciate as follows: To APPRECIATE is to exercise wise judgment, delicate perception, and keen insight in realizing the worth of something.

Based on his rant and hate for whites, one could ask if Alton is capable of appreciation.

What does it take to exercise “wise judgment?” I am inclined to say that before one can judge wisely, one must have a decent level of intelligence, a good education and knowledge and experience, and a grasp of history.

What is the worth of life in America?

To appreciate life in America, one must have a knowledge of life in the rest of the world. It is said that 80 percent of the world population is poorer than Mexico. Such knowledge helps to appreciate the wealth of America, almost the richest nation on earth (The United Arab Emirates is richer). To appreciate America, one must realize that most people of the world live under oppressive regimes ruled by a few elites. This helps to appreciate the freedoms and liberties of America.

Without the ability to appreciate, a man is driven by feelings. Feelings trump knowledge, wisdom, and common sense. Feelings are not a good judge of one’

So, Alton was a descendant of slaves, what’s the beef?

I venture to say that I could go to Africa and find millions of blacks there who would gladly become my slave to live in my modern home with me and to care for me who would gladly do so in exchange for food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and a little luxury. Millions of Africans would volunteer to become my slave.

I think that Alton needs to live in a African refugee camp for about a year to appreciate his blessings in the good ol’ U. S. of A. Perhaps that would cure his bellyache.

If Alton is to hate whites because a few whites once had slaves, he will have to hate the whole world and all races including blacks since all racial groups of the world once had black slaves.

And similarly, as a white man, I have reason to hate all groups of men since at some time or other, whites have been slaves to all racial groups. And yes, whites were once thrown to the lions and shredded to pieces for the entertainment of others.

The difference between whites and blacks today, here and now, is that whites are too busy succeeding, building and prospering, to spend their time lamenting about the past.

(continued from below)

Alton speaks of the torture of slaves. In example, would Alton buy a race horse and beat him over the head with a big stick before a race? Would a plantation owner spend money to buy a slave only to hang him from a tree in his front yard? Would a plantation owner buy a slave to pick his crops but torture the slave before doing a day’s work? Would not a slave owner take as good care of his slaves as his work horse if he expected the slave to do a decent day’s work?

Will black history museums depict the white share cropper as living in worse quarters and under worse condition than slaves on a wealthy plantation? Was the coal miner of Appalachia, in a tar paper shack, working 12 hour days, in less danger and more prosperous circumstances? What of the sweat shop workers of the North and their 12-hour day? How much better off were they?

Will black museums depict life in Africa for people whose ancestors were never slaves and never left this foul continent of Africa? There is not a country that, in black Africa today, that is not miserable. It is a land of disease, starvation, massacres, genocide, totally without human rights and opportunit

Jesus was persecuted and died that we may have eternal salvation. The death of Jesus and his resurrection was a blessing and is celebrated at Easter.

Why can’t blacks appreciate the blessings of slavery and celebrate it? Without slavery, modern American blacks would still be in a hell hole called Africa.

Would any black, unhappy with black slavery, give me just one dime for every black in Africa today who wishes his ancestors has been kidnapped two or more hundred years ago and taken to the United States as a slave, and that because of it, had emerged in this land of milk and honey?

Alton seems to be judging all whites by the few slave owners of more than a hundred years ago. Should I judge all blacks by Alton’s hate for whites or those involved in high crime rates, illegitimacy, illiteracy, welfare dependency, and educational deficiency? Since most whites in this country are far removed from slavery, and whites were slave owners, is not Alton judging whites by the color of their skin? Does that not make him a racist, to judge a man purely on the color of his skin?

If Alton is to hate people for their color because people of the same color once had black sla

(continued from an interruption below)

What is the point of rehashing and grossly exaggerating and distorting the treatment of blacks during their slavery when more than 90 percent of the people in this country descended from people who had nothing to do with slavery?

Was the hanging of a black in the past worse than the kidnapping, torture, rape and abuse, and killing of whites by blacks in the present?

Why is Alton not focusing on the fact that it is whites who abolished slavery in the world for the first time in its history? Much of it took place at the point of cannons.

Why has Alton dedicated himself to racism, racial discontent, and stirring the racial hate pot?

All children are born innocent until they become exposed to the hate found in blacks for events long gone. A child cannot remain innocent in the face of such hate as found in Alton. I could write a book about this rant on hate.

If slavery was such a bad institution, why is it that one cannot find a single black man who wishes slavery had never happened and that he had emerged in the land of his ancestors, that cesspool of suffering called Africa?

If whites are racist, why is a black man Obama receiving most of his support from whites?

Two of the principle candidates for Democratic nomination are black and one is white. If blacks are not racists, why are blacks voting mostly for the black man, purely on the basis of the color of his skin?

If blacks were so horribly abused throughout their history in America, why did they grow in numbers? As a rule, a life form that is abused declines in number. For example, the native American.

Why is there no history month for the Native American who was nearly exterminated by whites? Is not mass killings and massacres worse than slavery?

What is the point of rehashing and grossly exaggerating and distorting the treatment of b

race around my children, and I will teach them history very carefully.

I totally agree with you that it should not matter the color of a person skin, and children are taught to hate. A child is from God who is love. They love naturally. When I took my children to the beach one day, they came to me and said, "Daddy I met some friends", and they were cute little white children just like my cute little black children. I saw them all playing together. It made me feel good to see them playing. It reminded me of when I was a child going to an integrated school, and my best friend was a white boy. When I think back, I never saw him as white when we were little. I just loved him as my friend. It was after I became older and experienced racial inequalities that I realized race, and the different races. Today my children are like I was yesterdays. They have friends who are white, but they do not see or care that they are white. I ask my daughter to describe her best friend to me one day, and she said that her best friend was very light skinned. I said, white? She responded, "She is not white like a piece of paper, and I do not want to call her white because it might hurt her feelings". I said, O.k. I teach my children to love people, regardless. I do not discus

I DO rejoice in the fact that young children don't notice the color of their friends' skin. My son is 4 and he doesn't notice a difference in his friends. That's the way he's been raised though. Around our Thanksgiving table, both friends and family are of all races. I believe it IS in the way that you are raised. If it's normal, you just don't notice it, until someone brings it up.

I wish I could figure out a way to get more people exposed to Alton. I honestly don’t think many would believe me if I tried to convey this stuff to them; they’d simply accuse me of exaggeration. I kind of feel like that guy in the cartoon that finds a box with a sing, dancing frog. All this amazingly crazy stuff, but no one’s looking.

Interestingly enough, it was brought to my attention today that I was not doing enough to celebrate black history month by a co-worker. "You spend a week on Dr. Suess" she pointed out and no where in the curriculum did I set aside time for black history, besides the literature teaching about Dr. Martin L. King. Keep in mind that I teach preschoolers - two to three year olds.

It made me do quite a bit of reflection. Lately, with the SOL's that my own children are required to participate in at the elementary school level, I find that education is loosely based around the whims of what society is today. The foundation is shaky lately.

Is it enough to offer dolls of different colors, literature that reflects a multi-cultural society, and make sure that everyone is treated equally? Shouldn't we rejoice in the fact that young preschoolers don't even notice the color of each other's skin? At what age is teaching the horrid past of our country appropriate to our children?

And my big question....As we advance our civilization, will having "black history month" become archaic?