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 still under way, along a parallel course with white society.

I believe that exclusion is the source of many of the racial tensions we experience today and will continue to be so until all races belong to one society. It only gets worse as we add Spanish, Asian and other cultures to the mix. We need to speak one language and act with one set of values. No one can be left out, nor can we allow people to opt out.

We have made much progress, as we see interracial marriages, schools with rich mixtures of students of different races, voting for everyone, shared love of foods from other parts of the world — any number of small signs of melding together. I am encouraged.

As long as we allow anyone to preach divisive thoughts, practice racial bias, or impede the progress of any group that only wants to share the dream, we will struggle.

I believe that you are right to say that white guilt doesn't help. It paralyzes us. However, how do we say, "I'm sorry"? — Bob

Dear Bob: In my opinion, there has been enough apologizing. This country lost 625,000 men in the Civil War fighting the cause of freedom for the slaves. We went through the ugly years when Jim Crow ruled the land. All those laws, rules and regulations have been struck down and/or replaced. In fact, laws, such as affirmative action, were enacted, making it an advantage to be a minority.

Countless programs, such as Head Start, have been put in place to make amends for this country's past sins and bring about equality.

As someone said, "Enough already." I believe there are no more programs that will make a difference to the black race. The problems that now exist must be dealt with and can only be dealt with by the black race.

As I have said many times, the major problem with the black race is the out-of-control number of births to single mothers. In excess of 70 percent of all black children are born with no fathers.

The next major problem is the failure to make education a priority. It is a shame black children are called "acting white" and ridiculed for achieving in school.

The third major problem is the high unemployment rate. The problem is not that jobs are not available. This country has allowed government subsidy to replace an honest day's work.

The fourth is our society is paralyzed, because of our past, to hold blacks to the same standard of excellence it expects from other races.

This feeling of shame for subjugating blacks in the past causes us to treat blacks as we would treat misbehaving children. This emotion makes us tolerate blacks who spread hate. If those hatemongers were white, society would strike them down with a righteous indignation.

We need one system and one standard, and everyone should be expected to rise to that level.

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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