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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 …Read more.
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.…Read more.
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 peers.…Read more.
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, …Read more.
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Ethnically Speaking, September 19Dear 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 Obama. I now have some major problems with his policies and feel it is my right to disagree with him. I resent anyone who tells me I am a racist when I know what is in my heart. What proof does Jimmy Carter have to say someone like me is a racist? More and more people are throwing out the race card without any proof, and I think it is bad and hurts race relations. How do you deal with a person who falsely accuses you of racism? I would appreciate your addressing this issue. — Richard Dear Richard: You cannot stop anyone from accusing you of being a racist. People will continue to call you a racist as long as it is effective and it causes you to react by backing off. People will hurl the race card when they run out of rational arguments. Do not be intimidated by this charge. Do not respond to the charge, because that debate is nothing but an endless circle, with nothing to be gained. You never will convince the accuser. You didn't ask, but I agree with you that these false charges of racism will dampen race relations. People will become more and more tired of the charge, and it will lose its impact when there is something truly racist. Remember the story of the little boy who cried wolf? Former President Jimmy Carter and all the other criers should reread the story. Dear Larry: Can you stand one more letter regarding why business do not hire American teens for jobs? Our family has owned — and worked in — small businesses for more than 10 years. We owned three pizza delivery outlets and employed mostly high-school students. They could not do the math to add up the totals correctly, even with the assistance of calculators. They gave away freebies to all their friends. The drivers used the company gas card to fuel their own vehicles and their friends' cars, too. The final straw was the string of speeding tickets collected by our drivers. We sold out all three locations at a loss. We now own and operate a bakery and a florist. We employ mostly Hispanics who are legal residents and citizens. We have almost no theft or loss and no weekend sick leave. We now are making a profit, which goes to support all our families. Larry, we will hire teenagers when we find some who are honest and have good work ethics. — Marcia Dear Marcia: I am sorry to say that almost all of my mail agrees with you and is overwhelmingly against hiring American teens. The most common stated reasons are they will not work; are not worth their salaries; cannot follow instructions; get attitudes if they are criticized; are not trustworthy; have terrible attendance; and have little or no interpersonal relations with fellow employees and customers. It is no wonder teens find it so difficult to get jobs. If this trend is not changed, the future is bleak. To find out more about Larry G. Meeks and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2009 CREATORS.COM
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