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 by white people, white government and anything that is white-related.

What I don't understand is instead of complaining about what is wrong, why don't blacks tell us exactly what it is they want? What are their ultimate goals, and in what kind of society do they wish to live? Do they want a society with opportunity for education? Do they want the freedom to walk around and not worry about soldiers with machine guns on every corner? Do they want to have a family and live comfortably without living from paycheck to paycheck or worse? Do they want to have plenty of food available? Do they want to have the right to say things about their government without being jailed or hanged for it?

If that is what they want, then they need to open their eyes and notice that all of those things are available to them. If they want all of the above, all they have to do is take advantage of the bountiful possibilities. It doesn't make sense to reject the possibilities simply because they are provided by the "white people."

I think instead of whining about not being treated the way they want, they should try to offer some suggestions in a constructive manner. It worked for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement.

We have come a long way, and yes, perhaps some things still need to be fine-tuned. The Rev. Wright is not being constructive. He is just making the situation worse. He never will get rid of the "whites," so he should work with the situation. He should make some lemonade for once. — Julie

Dear Julie: Your letter and questions are powerful. Regarding the Rev. Wright, I am convinced people like him are caught up in the process of complaining. If you made them king and gave them the authority to set things right, I would be deathly afraid of what the result would be.

The answer to your questions is black people want everything you mentioned. The solution to solving the problem is much more difficult. The primary problem with blacks is the breakdown of the black family, the lack of education, the lack of jobs, and the belief the door to opportunity is closed.

People must speak out and say this is the problem and be prepared to suffer the wrath of the so-called black leaders and the whites who look at blacks as if blacks are misguided children.

The Rev. Wright causes a lot of harm because of his fiery rhetoric, but it pales in comparison to the whites who allow blacks to get away with thinking their problem can be fixed only when whites think and act differently. Blacks have the major responsibility to fix their problem. It is time to say it and stop the blame game.

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.

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