My friend your comments struck a note, actually a reminder of past events, events and cause me to speak up.

Many years ago, I had been promoted to our Memphis office with responsibility for for Memphis, Northern Mississippi and all of Arkansas.

A black kid worked in office supply and since it was across the hall I needed supplies in a hurry so walked across the hall to get what I needed.

I entered and watched and heard this black kid's supervisor berating him because he wore cowboy boots. This white supervisor said "Who ever heard of a black cowboy?"

Knowing that the black kid was at a distinct disadvantage I quickly spoke up and looking at the black kid said "you might tell your boss if it weren't for the fact that he got all of his history from comic books he would have known that half of the old west cowboy population were black and hispanic".

Or under the affirmative action program I was required to hire a black male. I did. Both he and his wife held post graduate degrees.

I met resistance from my staff and from my customers. My customers would call me and tell me they refused to work with this arrogant so and so. I replied he was quite qualified and that I would lose credibility as a manager involving myself in racial politics.

My staff pulled what the left is doing today resistance and I spoke with each of them privately. the ringleader of the bunch was a north Mississippi lad. When I said we needed to work together as a team he replied "they all sub-human" I recognized what I was up against and simply told him if his personal beliefs interfered with business then we were going to have a problem.

This same guy was upset because I assigned a black female some of his duties. I did so because he allowed everyone to walk right over him and of the staff this black female was more assertive.

Much to my surprise a black female from another department came up to me and said "You are so much different than any white person I ever met." I was in a word "dumbfounded" because i was not on any campaign just trying to do my job fairly objectively professionally

My boss who was more interested in making friends and influencing people, and also a bigot ( a good-old boy), played along with my staff pitting them against me

I accepted a promotion back north because I knew that this office's undercurrent was very racially oriented and that there was no way I would have won

So my friend what you speak to on this forum most people won't buy and it is because your words imply hatred and absolutism.

Martin Luther King did practice non-violence to his credit, and he was 100% correct in stating that "a man should be judged by his character and not the color of his skin".

I harbor you no ill will and I hope someday you will find it in your heart to learn to accept that many people of color make a positive contribution to our society.

Personal Best Regards: