Ethnically Speaking by Larry Meeks

03/26/2011 Farewell
Dear Larry: You are the sanest man in America! I look forward to your columns because I ALWAYS agree with your answers. Great work! Thanks for speaking the simple truth about all issues — racial, political, parental, common sense, etc. I ...

03/19/2011 Hate Groups
Dear Larry: I want to forget for a moment that it is their constitutional right, because I detest the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis and all other groups that preach hate. A long time ago, they came into cities across America without any protest. Now people ...

03/12/2011 Troubles With Raising Teenage Son
Dear Larry: I am African-American and a single mother with three children, ages 15, 10 and 8. All of them are boys. I am having a lot of problems with them, especially the eldest. He argues with me about almost everything. He thinks he is the ...

03/05/2011 How To Get Race Relations Back on Track
Dear Larry: So many of my friends are upset with the way things are going, especially race relations. They are not saying anything openly, but among themselves there is constant complaining and fear. There is something simmering and brewing that could ...

02/26/2011 Race Relations in the Age of Obama
Dear Larry: I am a 32-year-old white American man. I grew up in a very multicultural community and have discussed race relations all my life. When I was in school, the teachers taught us to be aware of how our actions would affect others, especially ...

02/19/2011 White Woman Scared of Black Men
Dear Larry: I have been reading your column for many years. You always give an unbiased opinion on issues. I would like your help. I am a 53-year-old white woman and have been afraid of blacks ever since I was a little girl. I know I have a ...

02/12/2011 Stereotype of Black Women in Super Bowl Ad
Dear Larry: I was watching the Super Bowl, and there was a commercial about a jealous black woman who got angry with her boyfriend because he smiled at another woman, who happened to be white. The black woman was holding a can of soda in her hand, and ...

02/05/2011 Wife Says She's a Lesbian
Dear Larry: I am a 28-year-old African-American father of two children, ages 3 and 6 months. I am in a dilemma and have no one I am willing to share my concern with. I have been with the mother of my two children for almost 10 years. She always ...

01/29/2011 Ethnic Food
Dear Larry: I work for the government, and the work force consists of almost every ethnic or racial group from around the world. Instead of calling the end of the workweek "Friday," we call it "EFF," which stands for "Ethnic ...

01/22/2011 N-word Controversies in the Arts
Dear Larry: I would appreciate your reaction to a controversy about August Wilson's play "Joe Turner's Come and Gone." This play is about the African-American struggle in 1911 Pittsburgh, Pa. The play's script liberally uses the N-word, and ...

01/15/2011 Black Students Who Are Afraid of 'Acting White'
Dear Larry: Thank you for your recent article titled "My Wish for Black America," especially the part about how black students who do well in school are accused of "acting white." I felt that I should write to you because of the ...

01/08/2011 The Debate About 'Huck Finn' and the N-word
Dear Larry: I want you to comment on the controversy about Mark Twain's book "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." There is an effort to change some of the language in the book to make it more palatable to 21st-century readers, given today's ...

01/01/2011 My Wish for Black America
Dear Readers: It has been a tradition for me to write my wishes for black America at the start of each new year. Since the inception of this column, it is my most requested column for repeats and copies. In celebration of New Year's, I would like to ...

12/25/2010 A Female Santa?
Dear Larry: I think this political correctness thing has gone too far. I went to the mall and decided to take my two children, ages 4 and 6, to see Santa Claus. The line was long, and we waited almost two hours before we reached Santa. I couldn'...

12/18/2010 Advice for Single Moms Raising Sons
Dear Larry: I am a faithful reader of your column and have been following with great interest your recent writings regarding single moms raising sons and how difficult it can be. It is indeed rough for a woman to raise boys by herself, however it's ...

12/11/2010 Actors Playing Different Races
Dear Larry: I was reading an entertainment news report about a Pakistani actress who accused the production crew for the upcoming film "The Hobbit" of racism. She was auditioning for a role as a Hobbit and was dismissed because they thought ...

12/04/2010 Are Race Relations Getting Better?
Dear Larry: Can you explain what is going on regarding racial politics? I have noticed there is marked decline in the charges of racism. A few months ago, the media were abuzz with white and minority politicians calling anyone, especially tea ...

11/27/2010 Discipline
Dear Larry: Your comment about telling your son not to disrespect his mother when she told him to take out the trash reminded me of a story told by my uncle Gary. The story was about my uncle Jim, Gary's brother, and my grandfather, Gary and ...

11/20/2010 Single Parenting
Dear Larry: I am disturbed and puzzled by your response to "Proud Mother" regarding single parenting. You said: "There are examples of good single parenting, but the failures are the norm. For the good of society, we should advocate two-...

11/13/2010 Raising Children
Dear Larry: My life has been turned upside down. Three months ago, some unknown thug murdered my 24-year-old daughter. My wife and I are hurting so much. There isn't a day that goes by that we don't break down crying, sometimes almost uncontrollably. ...

11/06/2010 Should Absent Fathers Be Blamed for Society's Ills?
Dear Larry: I am writing in defense of us poor, misguided single moms who cannot adequately raise children without fathers. Your advice has blamed the lack of responsible fathers for society's ills. I don't agree with you. When I got pregnant ...

10/30/2010 Juan Williams and NPR
Dear Larry: I have been hoping you would comment on the Juan Williams/NPR situation. I have been a devoted listener of NPR for many years. Its programs have been interesting and informative. I had thought NPR was unbiased until the firing of ...

10/23/2010 Reader Blames Rascism for Being Unemployed
Dear Larry: I am convinced that racism is alive and well in America. I am African-American and have been looking for a job for almost two years. I am 22 years old, and most of my black friends do not have jobs. We look and look, but nothing is ...

10/16/2010 Young People Who Don't Appreciate America
Dear Larry: I have a problem with the lack of young people's appreciation for our country. It is my opinion that the future of this country is in trouble if we don't change this growing trend. I am a history teacher at an inner-city high school....

10/09/2010 Positivity
Dear Readers: This column spends almost all of its space dealing with negative problems and issues regarding race relations. I recently received a letter that was a real upper, and it makes a lot of my life's work have meaning. I think it would ...

10/02/2010 Should They Build?
Dear Larry: I must respond to your recent column concerning the mosque controversy in New York. Your response is just another example of the myopia and cherry-picking that are rampant in the current atmosphere of political polarization. You ...

09/25/2010 Tea Party Racism and the 'Ground Zero Mosque'
Dear Larry: I follow politics very closely and have noticed that people who are against the tea party movement have quit calling its supporters racist. They may not have totally changed their views, but the accusations of racism have decreased greatly....

09/18/2010 Ethics and Race Relations
Dear Larry: I am very disappointed Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., won the primary and probably will be re-elected. Rangel should be ashamed of himself for his behavior. What is worse is how people could re-elect a dishonest person to represent them in ...

09/11/2010 Bad Things in the Name of Religion
Dear Larry: I would like to express my views on the ground zero mosque controversy. First of all, I would have no problem with the building of the mosque, even at ground zero. Some people are opposed to the mosque because they lost loved ...

09/04/2010 Political Doublespeak
Dear Larry: I am dismayed at the number of people who hear something repeated and just go for it. Your reader Linda said President Barack Obama is in favor of building a mosque near ground zero. That is not at all what he said. He said he ...

08/28/2010 Not a Laughing Matter
Dear Larry: I want to respond to the controversy regarding Dr. Laura Schlessinger. She made headlines for using the N-word on her radio show in response to a caller who is black. The caller was having relationship troubles with her white husband and ...

08/21/2010 The Sad State of Race Relations
Dear Larry: This country is in a mess regarding race relations. I am 56 years old, and it is the worst I have seen in my lifetime. I cannot believe that every response to any criticism of President Barack Obama is to call the criticizer a racist. <...

08/14/2010 Race in Politics
Dear Larry: I'm sure you read about the black employee who was fired for cause in Connecticut and who then shot several of his white co-workers, claiming he worked in a racist environment. Many of us are wondering why President Barack Obama has not ...

08/07/2010 To Bus or Not To Bus?
Dear Larry: Recently, the second-largest school district in North Carolina, the Wake County Public School System, decided to forgo its busing policy. Instead, the school board opted to establish "community-based schools." Because ...

07/31/2010 Questions About Blacks Answered
Dear Larry: I am a 43-year-old white man and worked as a firefighter/paramedic for many years. During my years of working with the public, I always maintained the practice of not making judgment on people regarding race. My judgments were based upon ...

07/24/2010 What's Going On With the NAACP?
Dear Larry: I am a black American and cannot understand how the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People keeps accusing other organizations and groups, such as the tea party, of racism. I consider myself a reasonably intelligent ...

07/17/2010 Boyfriend's Behavior 'A Black Thing'?
Dear Larry: I am in a deeply committed relationship with a wonderful black man. I am white, am 25 years old and have a little boy by another father, who also happens to be black. My parents do not like my current boyfriend, and they do not get along.
07/10/2010 'Inked' and 'Colored' People
Dear Larry: I just had to respond to the bumper sticker that advertised a tattoo parlor with the caption "We turn White Trash into Colored People." This is a loaded statement if ever I've seen one. I find the very basic play on words ...

07/03/2010 Tattoo Parlor Turns 'White Trash Into Colored People'
Dear Larry: I was driving my car recently and saw an interesting bumper sticker. It was an advertisement for a local tattoo shop. The bumper sticker gave the name of the tattoo parlor and had this caption: "We turn White Trash into Colored ...

06/25/2010 RELEASE: SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2010
Dear Larry: You mentioned in an article that "everyone should be held to the same expectations." My question is: Where do you feel affirmative action plays into this? I am a senior in high school, and there is a lot of talk among my ...

06/19/2010 Solutions for 'Almost a Widow'
Dear Larry: "Almost a Widow" wrote to you asking how to resolve a family conflict regarding her husband, who is terminally ill with prostate cancer. Her children and the children of her husband's deceased first wife want their father to be ...

06/12/2010 Award Named After Accused Killer
Dear Larry: I know it should not make any difference, but I must admit I am white. I am critical of people's bad behavior regardless of their ethnicity. I live in an area that is fully integrated. Many years ago, there was a white family who was ...

06/05/2010 Half-Siblings Argue Over Father's Burial Place
Dear Larry: I have read your column for a number of years, and you seem to be so wise when it comes to many everyday issues. I have a problem and don't know what to do. I need your help and pray you will give me an answer soon because the issue is ...

05/29/2010 RELEASE: SATURDAY, MAY 29, 2010
Dear Larry: I read your column about the student who is disappointed with the president and the fact she voted for him. She should be disappointed with herself and her friends. The president is trying to do the best he can. The fact that he is ...

05/22/2010 RELEASE: SATURDAY, MAY 22, 2010
Dear Larry: It is really confusing to me how black people will come to the defense of other blacks, even when they are guilty of committing serious crimes. For example, when O.J. Simpson was acquitted for the murder of his ex-wife and her ...

05/15/2010 Has Obama Set Back Race Relations?
Dear Larry: I voted for the president, Barack Obama. I must confess I am very disappointed. I am disappointed with his policies and what is happening to race relations in America. The latter is what I want to talk about. I am 23 years old and ...

05/08/2010 Black Students Get Preferential Treatment
Dear Larry: I heard on the news how a school took all the black children in a class on a field trip, and the whites were not allowed to go. The school was trying to improve the black students' test scores. It felt that the whites were not in the same ...

05/01/2010 Labeling Groups Racist
Dear Larry: My heart truly hurts because of the racism in this country. I especially hurt because of our historical racism that existed long ago. We all have lost so much because of it. I pray that we can continue to heal and no longer dwell upon our ...

04/24/2010 Why Are All Running Backs Black?
Dear Larry: I have a question that I have asked many people and never can seem to get a satisfactory answer. Maybe you can help me. Why are all the running backs in professional football black? I have been told blacks dominate the running back ...

04/24/2010 ETHNICALLY SPEAKING
Dear Larry: I have a question that I have asked many people and never can seem to get a satisfactory answer. Maybe you can help me. Why are all the running backs in professional football black? I have been told blacks dominate the running back ...

04/17/2010 Do Blacks Support Black Politicians No Matter What?
Dear Larry: I would like to respond to your recent column about why some black citizens are very defensive toward black politicians regardless of whether the politicians are Democrats or Republicans. What surprises me is that there are those ...

04/17/2010 ETHNICALLY SPEAKING
Dear Larry: I would like to respond to your recent column about why some black citizens are very defensive toward black politicians regardless of whether the politicians are Democrats or Republicans. What surprises me is that there are those ...

04/10/2010 ETHNICALLY SPEAKING
Dear Larry: I am white and work for the federal government. I have many black friends, and we discuss everything from soup to nuts. One of the things that is very evident is all my black friends are Democrats. They are not just Democrats; they are ...

04/03/2010 ETHNICALLY SPEAKING
Dear Larry: I am a political junkie and follow the news closely. I have been watching the Democrats blame all of the violence and harsh words on the Republicans and tea party activists. Democrats are saying that these groups are using the N-word and ...

03/27/2010 ETHNICALLY SPEAKING
Dear Larry: I was married to Tom for 20 years. He was married before and had two daughters, who are now in their 30s. Tom and I have three children, who are now 10, 12 and 15 years of age. Seven years ago, Tom died from lung cancer. Before he ...

03/20/2010 ETHNICALLY SPEAKING
Dear Larry: I am sure you've heard about the Walmart controversy. But in case you do not know about it, an unknown man made the following announcement over the address system: "Attention, Walmart customers: All black people, leave the store now.&...

03/13/2010 ETHNICALLY SPEAKING
Dear Larry: I am not a minority, but I would like your opinion on why blacks support President Barack Obama in such high numbers when he has done nothing to support issues that pertain to African-Americans. I was discussing politics with a ...

03/06/2010 Ethnically Speaking, March 6
Dear Larry: I just couldn't help but to respond to your letter about the abused husband who chose to stay in the marriage because of the children. I feel sorry and sympathize for the husband because I see myself just a few years ago. I, too, ...

02/27/2010 Ethnically Speaking, February 27
Dear Larry: I have a married friend and neighbor who is 30 years of age with two young children, ages 7 and 9. My friend is black, and his wife is white. He is a good parent, but I can't say the same thing about his wife. The father does all of ...

02/20/2010 Ethnically Speaking, February 20
Dear Larry: I am a 42-year-old mother of two teenage boys. We are not a minority, but my children's two best friends are African-American boys, ages 14 and 16. We are also neighbors, and the kids are schoolmates. I have known my children's friends ...

02/13/2010 Ethnically Speaking, February 13
Dear Larry: I am 12 years old with a lot of friends. I am white, but my friends are all different races. I have a grandfather who is visiting us for the second time in my life. He is from Alabama and does not like people who are not white. He ...

02/06/2010 Ethnically Speaking, February 6
Dear Larry: I want to share with you my thoughts on using the word "Negro." Negro is defined as a person who is black and of African ancestry. It's like referring to a white person as a Caucasian. So far, I never have heard any whites ...

01/30/2010 Ethnically Speaking, January 30
Dear Larry: I usually agree with you, and when I don't, I can see the sense in what you say. Thank you for writing forthrightly on difficult issues. In a recent column, you wrote that former President Bill Clinton offended you by telling Ted ...

01/23/2010 Ethnically Speaking, January 23
Dear Larry: I enjoyed your column about people who try to get around answering the "race" question on applications and other forms. I would like to share the one regarding my sister Ruth. Ruth was trying to pay her yearly fee for her ...

01/16/2010 ETHNICALLY SPEAKING
Dear Larry: All the uproar about the comments from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid really concerns me. Sen. Reid said Barack Obama could get elected president because he is light-skinned and lacks a Negro dialect unless he wants to have one. ...

01/09/2010 ETHNICALLY SPEAKING
Dear Larry: My neighbor knew I stopped reading our local paper because of the junk and bias it prints. Every so often, she will bring me articles of importance. Your column is one she always shares. The one titled "My Wish for Black America" ...

01/02/2010 NOTE TO LARRY G. MEEKS EDITORS: THE FOLLOWING COLUMN IS BEING TRANSMITTED EARLY TO ACCOMMODATE YOUR HOLIDAY SCHEDULES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. -- CREATORS SYNDICATE
Dear Larry: I am a 24-year-old white French female about to be married to my soul mate. He is a 28-year-old black American professional. We expect him to be appointed to vice president of a major U.S. company. Since we are about to get married, ...

12/26/2009 ETHNICALLY SPEAKING
Dear Readers: Very early in this column's history, as a New Year's resolution, I wrote "My Wish for Black America." Since that time, it has been my most requested column for repeats and copies. In celebration of the new year, I would like to ...

12/19/2009 ETHNICALLY SPEAKING
Dear Larry: I have been following the whole Tiger Woods debacle with great boredom and disinterest, not because I want to, but because I have no choice. Every time my clock radio goes off, that's the news I hear. Every time I open the paper, that's ...

12/12/2009 ETHNICALLY SPEAKING
Dear Larry: I have been following this whole Tiger Woods debacle with great interest and fascination. All the women Tiger has been out with are drop-dead gorgeous. I noticed these women are blond, white and mostly buxom. None of the women is African-...

12/05/2009 ETHNICALLY SPEAKING
Dear Larry: Some folks want to look lighter; others prance around showing everyone their tanned skin. Oprah Winfrey always is made up to look lighter on the cover of her magazine. The beaches are packed with white women trying desperately to "fry ...

11/28/2009 NOTE TO LARRY G. MEEKS EDITORS: THE FOLLOWING COLUMN IS BEING TRANSMITTED EARLY TO ACCOMMODATE YOUR HOLIDAY SCHEDULES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. -- CREATORS SYNDICATE
Dear Readers: Letters continue to arrive in great quantity regarding why teenagers would classify the lightest skin color as the No. 1 position when asked to line up according to their skin color. I promise you that the following letters are the last ...

11/21/2009 ETHNICALLY SPEAKING
Dear Larry: I think the conclusion reached by the librarian who asked a group of teenagers to line up according to their skin color is naive. When they lined up from the lightest to darkest, the librarian failed to recognize that there are two ...

11/14/2009 ETHNICALLY SPEAKING
Dear Larry: I discovered your column this past summer. I quickly became a devoted fan when I noted your ability to look at life without glasses of any color. This is so desperately lacking in this country. I am sorry I did not click on to you sooner.
11/07/2009 ETHNICALLY SPEAKING
Dear Larry: What does a parent do? My 10-year-old son is a very active young child who comes from an interracial family. He recently went on a field trip with his school. A parent witnessed a teacher being abusive toward my son in front of his ...

10/31/2009 ETHNICALLY SPEAKING
Dear Larry: I am a young adult librarian, and every year, I take part in a program designed to teach teens leadership skills. One of the classes we stress is how to prevent discrimination. The class is always a very ethnically diverse group, ...

10/24/2009 ETHNICALLY SPEAKING
Dear Larry: I believe that as long as ethnic and cultural groups continue to hyphenate their heritage with American, we will continue to live in a segregated world. A lot has been done since the '50s to eradicate the separation among groups. ...

10/17/2009 Ethnically Speaking, October 17
Dear Larry: I am shocked that Rush Limbaugh has been rejected in his attempt to become an owner of a National Football League team. So-called black leaders and a few others told lies about Rush, and the NFL rejected him just because there was ...

10/10/2009 Ethnically Speaking, October 10
Dear Larry: I teach English to juniors in high school, and our curriculum consists of American literature. Quite often, some of the stories contain racial undertones, and others, such as "The Invisible Man" and "The Adventures of ...

10/03/2009 Ethnically Speaking, October 13
Dear Larry: I cannot understand how a person like former President Jimmy Carter can keep saying that the criticism against President Barack Obama is based upon race and that America is racist. I also cannot believe there are people around Jimmy Carter ...

09/26/2009 Ethnically Speaking, September 26
Dear Larry: Everyone in America should learn to speak English. There is no excuse for anyone who is not able to speak English in this country. I know what I am talking about because I do volunteer work with an adult literacy group. There are ...

09/19/2009 Ethnically Speaking, September 19
Dear Larry: I am so angry I am shaking. I just heard former President Jimmy Carter say that people are criticizing President Barack Obama because Obama is an African-American and the people are racists. Larry, I am white and voted for President ...

09/12/2009 Ethnically Speaking, September 12
Dear Larry: I must respond to your reader who wrote about teens who are not getting jobs because businesses are hiring immigrants. I would like to share what a business manager said to me. I was at a drive-through, and I could not understand ...

09/05/2009 Ethnically Speaking, September 5
Dear Larry: I have an issue about the type of people who get jobs in America. As a former high-school teacher, I tried to get teens after-school or weekend jobs, with zero success. In the past decade, there's been an inundation of unskilled ...

08/29/2009 Ethnically Speaking, August 29
Dear Larry: I am very upset with all the criticism of President Barack Obama. I think he is doing an outstanding job. He is trying very hard, but people keep trying to stop him from doing what is best for the American people. I think people are ...

08/22/2009 Ethnically Speaking, August 22
Dear Larry: I am an avid reader of your column and have wanted to write for a long time. I am a white woman and have been married for three years to a wonderful white man. I love him dearly. He treats me well, and he is an excellent father to our ...

08/15/2009 Ethnically Speaking, August 15
Dear Larry: I am a member of a Civil War re-enacting club, and I have a rather bothersome situation. The problem concerns an enthusiastically outspoken fellow who is one of the officers of our Yankee unit. He has proved himself to be friendly and ...

08/08/2009 Ethnically Speaking, August 8
Dear Larry: Why are black leaders more concerned about crimes that involve blacks and whites than they are about crimes that blacks commit against other blacks? Over the years, I have noticed that whenever there are criminal situations that ...

08/01/2009 Ethnically Speaking, August 1
Dear Larry: I love your column and look forward to it every week. Can you stand just one more comment about the professor Henry Louis Gates incident? I have been following the whole incident very closely and read in an article that ...

07/25/2009 Ethnically Speaking, July 25
Dear Larry: I would appreciate your perspective and commenting on the incident in Cambridge, Mass., between the police and Harvard University's African-American professor Henry Gates. If you will recall, the professor broke into his own house, and a ...

07/18/2009 Ethnically Speaking, July 18
Dear Larry: My employer posted a notice from a legal Web site that stated that supervisors in a diverse workplace need to be given extra sensitivity training to avoid illegal bias. This need for more instruction happened because a woman from ...

07/11/2009 Ethnically Speaking, July 11
Dear Larry: I would like your opinion of all the accolades that have gone to Michael Jackson. I think the guy was weird and should not be made to look like some kind of hero. I am white, and people have called me a racist for thoughts I have ...

07/04/2009 Ethnically Speaking, July 4
Dear Larry: I am a longtime reader of your column and remember when you replied to a reader regarding Attorney General Eric Holder's comment that America is "a nation of cowards" because its people don't speak out regarding race. You stated ...

06/27/2009 Ethnically Speaking, June 27
Dear Larry: I need your help. Please help settle something that has caused me a lot of anxiety for some time now. About a year ago, when I was promoted to a supervisory role, I was accused of racism. That incident caused me a great amount of ...

06/20/2009 Ethnically Speaking, June 20
Dear Larry: I have heard that it is more difficult to find suitable adoptive families for black children and that many adoption agencies will not place them with nonblack families. I even heard of a case in which white grandparents were denied custody ...

06/13/2009 Ethnically Speaking, June 13
Dear Larry: In recent years, my favorite theater company has been serving up some casting decisions that I've found both distracting and distressing. Black actors are being cast in pivotal roles for characters whose white ethnicity is essential ...

06/06/2009 Ethnically Speaking, June 6
Dear Larry: I would like to respond to one of your comments on President Obama. You mentioned that you want Obama to curtail the abortion rate because you think that a high percentage of aborted fetuses are black. While I understand and respect your ...

05/30/2009 Ethnically Speaking, May 30
Dear Larry: I am a 46-year-old white woman who is soon to be married to the most wonderful man in the world. He happens to be black. Over the years, my extended family has made a big issue of having the biggest wedding my small town ever has seen ...

05/23/2009 Ethnically Speaking, May 23
Dear Larry: I want to respond to the column about the white man who gave a fruit plate to his next-door neighbors, who happen to be black. The fruit plate had contained watermelon, which made him uneasy, so he removed all of it before he presented it.<...

05/09/2009 Ethnically Speaking, May 9
Dear Larry: In a recent CNN news article discussing a report about the "high school dropout crisis," the number put forward was 6.2 million dropouts in 2007. The article said the dropouts were mostly male and mostly black or Latino. ...

05/02/2009 Ethnically Speaking, May 2
Dear Larry: I'm writing in response to your hesitation to open doors for women. First, let me say that as a woman, I appreciate it when men extend this courtesy to me, and I make sure to smile to thank and encourage them to keep it up. I also ...

04/25/2009 Ethnically Speaking, April 25
Dear Larry: Recently, our next-door neighbor of several years died. Our relationship with him and his wife was friendly, but not close. Mostly, we just waved and greeted one another out in our yards. My wife recommended baking cookies and ...

04/18/2009 Ethnically Speaking, April 18
Dear Larry: I have a major problem, and it is ruining my life. I need your advice. There is no one else I can turn to, because I am too embarrassed. You are a man, so I figure you will understand my problem. I hope you can guide me to the right path.
04/11/2009 Ethnically Speaking, April 11
Dear Larry: I am a 22-year-old African-American woman, and I need your advice in a hurry. My mother and I do not get along. When I was 6 years old, my mother sent me away to live with my aunt because she was going to school and pursuing a ...

04/04/2009 Ethnically Speaking, April 4
Dear Larry: I read your column faithfully, and though I do not agree with a large percentage of your commentary or advice, I still respect and enjoy your differences of opinion. However, after reading R.S.' letter concerning a proposed law against ...

03/28/2009 Ethnically Speaking
Dear Larry: I just had to write to ask for your opinion of what I think is the dumbest thing yet to come from a California legislator. It is not yet a law, but knowing the nuts who exist in this state, I am sure the lousy actor governor will sign it ...

03/21/2009 Ethnically Speaking, March 21
Dear Larry: When I was in junior high school, there was an incident that involved me and a black girl who was in a couple of my classes. (I am white.) I was called to the principal's office, and because I did not like the girl, I was accused of racism....

03/14/2009 Ethnically Speaking, March 14
Dear Larry: About two years ago, there was artwork displayed at Atlanta City Hall titled "Formula For Hatred." It had a blatant anti-white message. It said it is politically correct to hate the white man. The city officials refused to ...

03/07/2009 Ethnically Speaking, March 7
Dear Larry: In this day and age, with a black president, one would think people would be more accepting of interracial relationships. I have a major problem. I am a 27-year-old white woman and in love for the first time in my life. I have dated a ...

02/28/2009 Ethnically Speaking, February 28
Dear Larry: I just had to respond to the challenge made by our new attorney general, Eric Holder. He stated that Americans are cowards when it comes to discussing race issues. First of all, I didn't like your comment that we have discussed this ...

02/21/2009 Ethnically Speaking, February 21
Dear Larry: I eagerly await the publication of your column each week and respect your views on the many topics covered. I am curious as to what your view is on newly appointed U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder's calling the U.S. "...

02/14/2009 Ethnically Speaking, February 14
Dear Larry: I am a minority and have worked as a bus driver for more than 30 years. I have reached the age of mandatory retirement, but frankly, I hate to retire. I know people should retire at certain ages because their reflexes slow down, which ...

02/07/2009 Ethnically Speaking, February 7
Dear Larry: I am a minority and used to work for a small company of 19 employees. There was a major cutback because of the downturn in the economy. The company is a major parts supplier for the construction industry. Almost overnight, the ...

01/31/2009 Ethnically Speaking, January 31
Dear Larry: I was greatly impressed with your recent column, especially the part regarding the abortion rate of African-American children. I, too, wonder why Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, both men who profit from hate, never have anything to say ...

01/24/2009 Ethnically Speaking, January 24
Dear Larry: Barack Obama is now president of the United States. I know you have disagreed with many of his policy issues. Regardless of how anybody feels, he is still the president and will be in that position for a minimum of four years. If ...

01/17/2009 Ethnically Speaking, January 17
Dear Larry: I want to respond to the gentleman who noticed how only black people were seated in a certain section of a restaurant. I think he should note whether there is something particular about that section. I spent 10 years in the ...

01/10/2009 Ethnically Speaking, January 10
Dear Larry: I am African-American and live in a major city in the Midwest. My girlfriend and I like to end our dates with dinner. One of our favorites is a large semi-fast-food restaurant. This restaurant is owned by a large national chain and is very ...

01/03/2009 Ethnically Speaking, January 3
Dear Larry: When it comes to dealing with different ethnic groups and deciding what is the politically correct thing to do, I use what I call the "replacement method." For instance, if it's OK to call a team "The Cleveland Indians,"...

12/27/2008 Ethnically Speaking, December 27
Dear Readers: Very early in this column's history, as a New Year's resolution, I wrote "My Wish for Black America." Since that time, it has been my most requested column for repeats and copies. In celebration of the new year, I would like to ...

12/20/2008 Ethnically Speaking, December 20
Dear Larry: For nearly 20 years, I have seen different groups argue that some minute issues are offensive or not politically correct. I remember one fad during which some people wore T-shirts with pictures of the characters from "The ...

12/13/2008 Ethnically Speaking, December 13
Dear Larry: I am a 43-year-old mother of four children. My first three are girls, and the last is a son. My son is now 17 years old. I am married to a man who has abused me physically and emotionally ever since we were married. He has punched, ...

12/06/2008 Ethnically Speaking, December 6
Dear Larry: I have met the man of my dreams. He happens to be black. I am in love for the first time in my life. He is my age and handsome, and he has a good job and is well-educated. I am 28 years old, white, also well-educated and have a good ...

11/29/2008 Ethnically Speaking, November 29
Dear Larry: I am the pastor of a medium-sized African-American church. On any given Sunday, we have at least 250 people. I have been trying to entice more people from the surrounding community. Over the years, the community has changed from almost 100 ...

11/22/2008 Ethnically Speaking, November 22
Dear Larry: Just because Barack Obama has been elected president, it does not mean blacks should think that racism is gone and that they don't need to continue to fight against racism from white people. Whites still hold the black man down. I think ...

11/15/2008 Ethnically Speaking, November 15
Dear Larry: Two married friends of mine enrolled their daughter in school for kindergarten. The wife is white, and the husband is Hispanic. They had to fill out a mountain of paperwork, and part of the stuff was a section concerning the race of the ...

11/08/2008 Ethnically Speaking, November 10
Dear Larry: I am a white female college student and thrilled about the election of Barack Obama as president of the United States. I am not alone in my happiness. All of my friends, especially the African-Americans, are giddy with glee. I have heard ...

11/01/2008 Ethnically Speaking, November 1
Dear Larry: My wife of five years is leaving me. I am heartbroken and need some advice. I live in a very rural community, am out of work, and have few friends. I don't think this makes any difference, but my wife is white, and I am black. Her ...

10/25/2008 Ethnically Speaking, October 25
Dear Larry: I'm an editor for the newspaper that carries your column. I have a question concerning your answer to the woman who demanded a seat change on an airline because her assigned seat was next to a black man. You mentioned that the woman'...

10/18/2008 Ethnically Speaking, October 18
Dear Larry: I am a stewardess for a major airline, and I ran into a situation that I am not sure I handled in the proper manner. I cannot ask my supervisor or anyone else because I am not sure whether I will get in trouble for not taking care of ...

10/11/2008 Ethnically Speaking, October 11
Dear Larry: I am white, and my wife is Filipino. I am having trouble getting along with some of my wife's relatives. This is the second marriage for both of us. Before we married, I insisted that we do everything right about involving her ...

10/04/2008 Ethnically Speaking, October 4
Dear Larry: Have you seen the newest McDonald's commercial? If you haven't seen it, it goes like this: There is a black family, a mom and two kids, at McDonald's. The two kids can't be more than 5 and 8. The older child asks the worker whether ...

09/27/2008 Ethnically Speaking, September 27
Dear Larry: I have met Mr. Right for Me. I am white, and Mr. Right is black. He is everything I have wanted in a man. He is good-looking, taller than I am, considerate and hard-working; he gets along with my family and friends, and he's the most ...

09/20/2008 Ethnically Speaking, September 20
Dear Larry: In all of my 37 years, I never have written a letter to an advice columnist, nor have I felt moved to respond to anything — until today. The letter from "Worried Mom" moved me. In fact, if you had listed a phone number, I ...

09/13/2008 Ethnically Speaking, September 13
Dear Larry: I am 19 years old, and my girlfriend is 21. She is black, and I am white. We get along great, and this is the first time I have fallen in love. It is a great thing except for one thing: My girlfriend loves to wear very low-cut blouses. ...

09/06/2008 Ethnically Speaking, September 6
Dear Larry: Please respond to my letter right away because I want people to know what I think before they make a mistake in the upcoming presidential election. I think it is a shame that the Republicans' vice presidential nominee, Sarah Palin, ...

08/30/2008 Ethnically Speaking, August 30
Dear Larry: I am so angry I don't know what to do, so I am writing you to let off some steam. My sorority, which is primarily black, gives scholarships to some children of our sisterhood. The children have to achieve grade-point averages of 3.0 ...

08/23/2008 Ethnically Speaking, August 23
Dear Larry: I enjoy your column, but I feel you were off the mark in your response to the man who wrote to you concerned because his wife started expressing an interest in separate vacations. I agree with you that it is important for families to take ...

08/16/2008 Ethnically Speaking, August 16
Dear Larry: I am white and have been living with my black boyfriend for three years. We do not have any children but want to start soon because I am 32 years old and he is almost 40. No one in my family has married outside of our race, and I ...

08/09/2008 Ethnically Speaking, August 9
Dear Larry: I don't know whether I have a problem or not. Maybe I am being too sensitive or too possessive; that is what my wife thinks. I need your opinion. I have been married for 17 years to my childhood sweetheart. We got married right out ...

08/02/2008 Ethnically Speaking, August 2
Dear Larry: I want to respond to the column dealing with a minority shoplifter and the column about a black man being called an Uncle Tom at a baseball game for standing while the national anthem was played. There is an old saying: "What's ...

07/26/2008 Ethnically Speaking, July 26
Dear Larry: How should I respond to "interested parties" who want to discuss how I am planning to vote in this upcoming presidential election? I do not appreciate people prying because I am not the type of person who likes to discuss ...

07/19/2008 Ethnically Speaking, July 19
Dear Larry: I have a question about working parents who bring their children to their places of employment. I was in a Starbucks at 11 p.m., and an employee was sitting at a table working on a sign. She had her daughter with her. I estimate the ...

07/12/2008 Ethnically Speaking, July 12
Dear Larry: I need some help with my marriage. I am trying to understand my husband, and I need a man's point of view. My friends are all women, and they tell me to kick the bum out. I am confused and don't know what to do. I am 35 years old, ...

07/05/2008 Ethnically Speaking, July 5
Dear Larry: I was at a baseball game recently. Before the start of the game, the national anthem was played, and a black gentleman was on the field singing with such passion it almost brought tears to my eyes. While he was singing, I noticed most ...

06/28/2008 ETHNICALLY SPEAKING
Dear Larry: What do you do when you observe someone breaking the law? I was in a major department store buying some clothes for my little girl, when I observed a woman and two children stealing clothes and putting them in a shopping bag. They ...

06/21/2008 Ethnically Speaking, June 21
Dear Larry: Someone gave me a copy of your column about the child who needs to have her teeth fixed because they are decayed. I live in a small town, and my child's teeth are not the best. I think you must be talking about me. First of all, ...

06/14/2008 Ethnically Speaking, June 14
Dear Larry: I am in a dilemma and don't know what to do. Even in these tough economic times, my wife and I have been blessed to make a great amount of money. The town we live in is very small, so everyone knows we are considered well-heeled. We ...

06/07/2008 Ethnically Speaking, June 7
Dear Larry: It has long been my belief that after the end of the Civil War, when the freed slaves generally were excluded from mainstream American society, they developed their own. This was not an overt action, but an evolutionary action, which is ...

05/31/2008 Ethnically Speaking, May 31
Dear Larry: As a responsible working student and new dad, I worked double shifts on the weekends and had to drive home late at night through a resort community. Going home always proved to be a nightmare. Within a two-year period, the police ...

05/24/2008 Ethnically Speaking, May 24
Dear Larry: By what measure do you base your statement that "whites feel guilty"? In her thoughtful letter, Robin indicated that her family owned slaves and she felt no guilt. There is no recorded history that my family ever owned slaves, ...

05/17/2008 Ethnically Speaking, May 17
Dear Larry: I know you get lots of mail about the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, but I just feel compelled to ask you a question that has stayed on my mind for a long time. I understand that the Rev. Wright and his following believe they are suppressed ...

05/10/2008 Ethnically Speaking, May 10
Dear Larry: I was reading your column this morning regarding the man who is trying to create minority friendships. I really liked your answer. I don't have many minority friends, and I am not a racist. I don't have minority friends because ...

05/03/2008 Ethnically Speaking, May 3
Dear Larry: As an adult man, how do you show to others that you are not racially biased? Especially when it is so hard to make friends in general, much less to reach out to others outside your circle. It's very hard to have a diverse group of ...

04/26/2008 Ethnically Speaking, April 26
Dear Larry: I was appalled to hear the hateful words that came out of the mouth of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama's former minister. One of the things he said is Hillary never was called the N-word. Maybe not, but I'm pretty sure she ...

04/19/2008 Ethnically Speaking, April 19
Dear Larry: I think the idea of offering Spanish in kindergarten is good. Spanish is a language that is very useful in this country and abroad. I think other languages should be offered, as well. When I was a teacher about a year ago, the ...

04/12/2008 Ethnically Speaking, April 12
Dear Larry: I heard Barack Obama's speech regarding race relations in America, and I still am puzzled. I do not understand how he can have hatred or latent hatred for a country that has been so good to him and his family. I could understand if ...

04/07/2008 Second Languages Are Worth the Effort
Dear Larry: I'd like to hear your thoughts on a situation my husband and I have been debating. This concerns our 2-year-old daughter. When it comes time for her to start kindergarten, we will have to make a decision whether to send her to the ...

04/05/2008 Ethnically Speaking, April 5
Dear Larry: My father was murdered by his wife for his insurance money. She was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. The legal stuff is still going on because we are still in court trying to settle the money issues with my father's life ...

03/29/2008 Ethnically Speaking, March 29
Dear Larry: Our teenage sons (ages 13 and 14) got into a fight with each other after a church-sponsored youth outing. According to adult witnesses, they were really going at it with each other. We have addressed their issue of fighting, and I know we ...

03/22/2008 Ethnically Speaking, March 22
Dear Larry: I have a problem that needs your advice as a man. My wife of 16 years is obsessed about her weight. Fifteen of the 17 years we have been together have been a living culinary hell. She watches everything she eats. We cannot go to a ...

03/15/2008 Ethnically Speaking, March 15
Dear Larry: I just had to comment on your column concerning domestic abuse that was being described as "a black thing." Of course you're right that domestic abuse isn't "a black thing." It cuts across all races and ethnicities, all ...

03/08/2008 Ethnically Speaking, March 8
Dear Larry: Please respond to my letter because I have a real problem and need your help in a hurry. My daughter, who is white, happens to be living with a black man. She has been with him for eight years, and they have three children — ...

03/01/2008 Ethnically Speaking, March 1
Dear Larry: I was raised by wonderful parents, who told me every day of my life they loved me. I thought I lived a great life. Everything around me crashed when I became aware at the age of 13 that I was adopted. My adoptive parents are of ...

02/23/2008 Ethnically Speaking, February 23
Dear Larry: Our African ancestors were the only group who did not come to this country voluntarily. They were enslaved for approximately 300 years. Being a slave meant that families were torn apart, education was illegal, and you could be raped ...

02/16/2008 Ethnically Speaking, February 16
Dear Larry: I am a white male registered nurse and respiratory therapist living in the Midwest. I provide care for elderly Southern black patients in a hospital near a Martin Luther King Drive. I am driven by my conscience to treat patients as ...

02/09/2008 Ethnically Speaking, February 9
Dear Larry: In a recent column you said, "Once that issue or irritation has been swaged, they will jump on the next great problem." I believe you meant to say "assuaged" which means to make milder or less severe; relieve; ease; ...

02/02/2008 Ethnically Speaking, February 2
Dear Larry: I want to respond about people who are offended by the word "lynch." They may be offended by this word, but what about the other words that signify racism and slavery? The Confederate flag: no stranger to this controversy. ...

01/26/2008 Ethnically Speaking, January 26
Dear Larry: I have wondered for some time why Halle Berry, Barack Obama, and others who have one white parent and one black parent, identify themselves as black? If my memory is accurate, both Halle Berry and Barack Obama were raised mostly by their ...

01/19/2008 Ethnically Speaking, January 19
Dear Larry: Because you seem like a sensible person, I thought I would ask you a question that I have been wondering about: Where did the word "lynch" come from, and when did it become racist? Has it always been racist? I am not a ...

01/12/2008 Ethnically Speaking, January 12
Dear Larry: My black counterparts and I were seriously offended by your article "My Wish for Black America." It seems to me that you are discriminating against blacks when you say that you wish black fathers would take responsibility ...

01/05/2008 Dear Readers: Very early in this column's history, as a New Year's resolution, I wrote "My Wish for Black America." Since that time, it has been my most requested column for repeats and copies. In celebration of the new year, I would like to share it, wi
My Wish for Black America I wish black fathers would assume responsibility for the children they create and stop acting like some flying insect that goes from flower to flower trying to see how many blossoms it can fertilize. I wish ...

12/29/2007 Ethnically Speaking, December 29
Dear Larry: You're usually a smart and very wise man, and I always have applauded your sensible advice. However, your response to Ben regarding an Aussie's criticism of America was surprising and narrow-minded. Larry, I was born in the USA, as ...

12/22/2007 Ethnically Speaking, December 22
Dear Larry: I was at a printing store and met an Australian couple who were trying to print some photos. They told me they were on a tour of the USA and were heading to Las Vegas. While the wife was at the computer, the husband engaged me in a ...

12/15/2007 Ethnically Speaking, December 15
Dear Larry: I felt compelled to respond to the letter from "Rosemary," who was trying to provide her daughter with an incentive to get good grades. Your letter answered her question about money, but I think you missed the child's real ...

12/08/2007 Ethnically Speaking, December 8
Dear Larry: Is it ever OK to bribe your child to make good/better grades? My daughter is 16 and a junior in high school. Finals are coming up, and at the moment, her grades could go either way — either four A's and two B's or two C's and four B'...

12/01/2007 Ethnically Speaking, December 1
Dear Larry: My son, who is white, is in fourth grade. Last year, during Black History Month, he came home and said, "I am so glad we had Martin Luther King Jr. because if we didn't, Ty (his African-American classmate and friend) couldn't be my ...

11/24/2007 Ethnically Speaking, November 24
Dear Larry: From Michael Vick's dog fighting and cruelty to animals to O.J.'s arrest in Las Vegas for armed robbery and Barry Bonds' indictment for perjury involving his use of steroids, it did not take long for certain critics to make it a racial ...

11/17/2007 Ethnically Speaking, November 17
Dear Readers: The reluctant wife who only wanted to have sex two or three times a month created a firestorm of letters on both sides of the issue. It is obvious many people are grappling with this problem of unequal sexual desires. I hope you can ...

11/10/2007 Ethnically Speaking, November 10
Dear Readers: A 35-year-old mother of three children, ages 10, 7 and 4, complained she is very unhappy with her sex life. She said she is happily married to a wonderful man who seems to worship the ground she walks on. However, she only wants sex once ...

11/03/2007 Ethnically Speaking, November 3
Dear Larry: I agree with you about sex being something you do because you love your spouse. I think if more women agreed with you, there would be a lot less divorce out there. I also think, however, that some people might say that you are advocating ...

10/27/2007 Ethnically Speaking, October 27
Dear Larry: I am a 35-year-old mother of three children, ages 10, 7 and 4. I am happily married to a wonderful man, who seems to worship the ground I walk on. I read about women who have husbands who are selfish, inconsiderate and can't seem to keep ...

10/20/2007 Ethnically Speaking, October 20
Dear Larry: I am a white man and madly in love with an African-American woman at my job. Every time I see her, I get weak in the legs, tongue-tied and generally make a fool of myself. I want to go out to dinner with her, but she does not get my hints. ...

10/13/2007 Ethnically Speaking, October 13
Dear Larry: I want to add to your 10-point recipe for raising boys: Parents should set high expectations for all their children's behavior and academics. This includes boys and girls. These expectations should be made crystal clear so there ...

10/06/2007 Ethnically Speaking, October 6
Dear Larry: In order to get vanity license plates for one's automobile, the rules require that the word(s) cannot be demeaning, vulgar or profane. Just recently, the state of Oregon ordered a family to turn in their vanity plates because their ...

09/29/2007 Ethnically Speaking, September 29
Dear Larry: I am white and have been madly in love with a black man for years. We are not married because of his inability to make a commitment. I know he loves me because every day, he recommits his love for me with words of endearment. We have been ...

09/22/2007 Ethnically Speaking, September 22
Dear Larry: I have lived here in the ghetto more than 30 years and have seen it change for the worse over the years. It used to be a place where one could walk to the store to buy groceries. It used to be a place where my children could play football ...

09/15/2007 Ethnically Speaking, September 15
Dear Larry: I have often wondered why black voters are so tied to the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party fought the abolition of slavery, they fought voting rights in the South for years and have been the party responsible for keeping blacks "...

09/08/2007 Ethnically Speaking, September 8
Dear Larry: I am black and work for a large corporation that employs many African-Americans. When we have a lunch break, it is not uncommon to have 50 or more blacks in a room discussing many subjects. Now that we are going hot and heavy in the ...

09/01/2007 Ethnically Speaking, September 1
Dear Larry: I have a question I've been wondering about, and I figured maybe you could answer for me. I frequently visit a local karaoke bar and sing pretty much anything, from rock to hip-hop and rap. At times, a few rap songs I've sung have ...

08/25/2007 Ethnically Speaking, August 25
Dear Larry: I have read and admired your wisdom for several years and never thought I actually would end up writing to you. However, I am dealing with a situation now that could use some of that famous wisdom. My husband and I are both ...

08/18/2007 Ethnically Speaking, August 18
Dear Larry: Recently I was asked to participate in a survey at work about my experiences as a male in the nursing profession. I refused because when it asked for my race, mine was not listed. Like most of the United States population, I am a white/...

08/11/2007 Ethnically Speaking
Dear Larry: I am in a deeply committed relationship with a wonderful black man. I am white, 25 years old and have a little boy by another father, who also happens to be black. My parents do not like my current boyfriend, and they do not get along. ...

08/04/2007 Ethnically Speaking, August 4
Dear Larry: I do not know how far back you keep a record of your columns, but in the late '90s, I think, you did a column in which you refer to the March/April issue of Psychology Today that featured a study done by Dr. Randolph Byrd, a cardiologist ...

07/28/2007 Ethnically Speaking, July 28
Dear Larry: I have been doing some research about black-on-white crimes. One such case in my area was the brutal murder of a white couple. The accused were four black men and a black woman. Despite the murders being so horrific, the authorities,...

07/21/2007 Ethnically Speaking, July 21
Dear Larry: Not long ago you had a column about people wearing tattoos. I didn't write at the time, but now I have the time to drop you a line. I am a 27-year-old woman and I hate tattoos. My brother said tattoos on women are called "tramp ...

07/17/2007 Direct Anti-War Sentiment at Decision Makers, Not Soldiers
Dear Larry: My daughter attended an antiwar rally this past weekend. When she came home all excited about the experience, she decided to suspend college and work full time trying to prevent war. My daughter said some pretty terrible things about the ...

07/07/2007 Absent Mother Wants to Be a Part of Son's Wedding
Dear Larry: I am the youngest of seven boys. My father raised us without our mother. She ran off to be with her boyfriend when I was eight months old. Dad never remarried or brought any girlfriends over to the house. He made sure we attended church ...

06/30/2007 Separation of Church and State Issues Arise With Footbath Purchases
Dear Larry: I am writing to ask your opinion on a topic that has recently come to my attention. I have learned that several universities, most recently the University of Michigan-Dearborn, are using taxpayer money to install footbaths for Muslim ...

06/23/2007 Traditional Headscarf Makes Job Hunt Difficult
Dear Larry: I am a biracial female married to a biracial man of like parentage. Both of our fathers are white and Puerto Rican. Both of our mothers are African American. Therefore, we are obviously biracial and have Hispanic surnames. My ...

06/16/2007 Ethnically Speaking, June 16
Dear Larry: I own a retail store that sells foodstuff and casual items. I also happen to be a minority. My store is in a minority neighborhood, and I also live in the area. I see kids walking the streets, lost to the world. There is hardly a ...

06/09/2007 Ethnically Speaking
Dear Larry: When I read that letter about the nursing students failing their state exam and blaming it on the school, I just had to write to you. I am tired of the whining from some folks about not getting an education from this or that school. ...

06/02/2007 Students Struggling at Minority School
Dear Larry: I want your opinion of our local poor black university's mishandling of its low graduation rate within its nursing program. After four years of passing grades, all of the senior students were given a written exam to measure how well ...

05/26/2007 Compromising on College
Dear Larry: I am the mother of two graduating high school seniors who happen to be identical female twins. I raised them without their father being involved in their lives. I divorced their father because I found out he was involved in meth. ...

05/19/2007 A Difference Between Snitching and Reporting
Dear Larry: You are right about this "stop snitching" garbage. I'm sick of hearing the word snitch — there's something about the way it sounds that I don't like. These rappers don't get the difference between snitching and ...

05/12/2007 Different Standards
Dear Larry: I am a fan of Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show" for its humor and satire, but something Stewart featured this past week left me far from laughing. It's the "stop snitching" campaign that's going on in the hip-hop industry.<...

05/05/2007 Tips for Keeping Your Kids Away From Drugs
Dear Larry: I am a 35-year-old mother of two boys and one girl. The two boys are 9 and 6. My daughter is 3. My friends with older children are in real trouble with their children. Many of their children are out of control, running the streets and ...

04/28/2007 Body Art Is a Personal Choice
Dear Larry: I am a 45-year-old mother of five and am about to become a grandmother. My husband has started to have a fetish for tattoos. He is decorating his body at an alarming rate. The only place he does not have a tattoo is on his face. He ...

04/21/2007 Double Standards
Dear Larry: I find it really confusing that people like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton call themselves civil rights activists, when they have expressed forms of prejudice and discrimination toward others, and then become indignant with others doing the ...

04/14/2007 Ethnically Speaking, April 14
Dear Larry: All heck has broken loose at my job regarding Don Imus's comments calling the Rutgers University women's basketball players "nappy-headed hos." I work for the state government, and my fellow workers are representative of all ...

03/31/2007 Some Racism Isn't Imagined
Dear Larry: I am a student in high school who is very concerned about history and current events, particularly my own history — black history. I would like to know why you make African Americans out to be the bad guys in many situations. ...

03/24/2007 The United States Isn't Perfect, But Still Accepting
Dear Larry: I truly enjoy your column, as it informs, educates and opens minds. A few weeks ago a woman named Martha responded in your column that Germany is so open-minded and accepting. I could not tell from her letter if she is a native-born German ...

03/17/2007 Ethnically Speaking
Dear Larry: A friend of mine told me the city of New York has passed a law that makes it illegal for a person to use the "N" word. If that is true, I am not sure I agree with that kind of action. What will happen if some comedian, ...

03/10/2007 Ethnically Speaking
Dear Larry: Far too many people think they need to go to college in order to be someone or to earn an honest living. Capitalist nations are built by and for entrepreneurs, most of whom provide some kind of service or manual labor. These ...

03/03/2007 America Will Change, Slowly But Eventually
Dear Larry: I lived in Germany for 30 years before I came to America many years ago. When I was living in Germany, one of my best friends married an African American man. They were immediately accepted by everyone — they never had a problem with ...

02/24/2007 Military, Blue-Collar Work Are Respectable Options
Dear Larry: I bet I know who wrote about the out-of-control students. If he is whom I bet he is, then he didn't tell you everything. First, this guy has a thing about kids getting blue-collar jobs instead of going to college. Second, he nearly ...

02/17/2007 Double Standards For Infidelity Are Unfair
Dear Larry: I am writing to you because you are a man and I am too embarrassed to ask my friends. I have a problem I am trying my best to get over. My girlfriend of long standing told me she had sex with a mutual friend. I was never so hurt in ...

02/10/2007 The 'N-word' Can Offend Whites, Too
Dear Larry: My four sons have many friends who are from all races. I've raised them to treat everyone as a person, not as black, Asian or Indian. Our city has a reputation of racial bias, and the CNN report from Vidor, Texas filmed in Beaumont, didn't ...

02/03/2007 Readers Weigh in on Out-of-Control Students
Dear Readers: I continue to get letters from teachers and others who are totally frustrated with kids in school who refuse to learn and are out of control. The anonymous teacher who wanted to invite military recruiters but was rebuffed by her fellow ...

01/27/2007 Classrooms Need More Discipline
Dear Larry: I am a high school teacher, and I can picture perfectly the scene painted by the "Keep Me Anonymous" teacher who was trying to make a difference with out-of-control kids. I recognize those students. Many times, what has ...

01/20/2007 Ethnically Speaking
Dear Larry: I am a white female, over 50, who has been a witness to all the effort made over the years by so many people of all races to eliminate prejudice, bigotry and injustice. On Saturday my local newspaper published a short article ...

01/13/2007 Ethnically Speaking
Dear Larry: I am a teacher assigned to a suspension site where kids are sent while on suspension from school. These kids do no work and spend their time abusing the teachers. When there's no teacher to abuse, they get into fights with one another. ...

01/06/2007 Can You Overcome a Racist Upbringing?
Dear Larry: I just wanted to convey that sometimes actions we perceive as prejudice or racism are not. I was raised by white racist parents, as was my husband. We grew up with racism, but as young adults, realized the truth. We've worked very ...

12/30/2006 Continuing Wishes for Black America
Dear Readers: Very early in this column's history, as a New Year's resolution, I wrote "My Wish For Black America." Since that time it has been my most requested column for repeats and copies. In celebration for the coming new year I would ...

12/23/2006 More Debate on the Race Box
Dear Readers: The issue of marking the right racial identity box on forms has caused quite a stir. I tried to define black and give our country's definition of a black American. As usual, there are those who think I don't think. From ...