Ethnically Speaking from Creators Syndicate

Farewell for 03/26/2011

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700

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 often wonder where personal responsibility has gone in this country. So many have their hands out, want to blame others, and want to bring race in ...

Updated: Sat Mar 26, 2011

Hate Groups for 03/19/2011

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700

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 will not remain silent and tolerate their presence.

A few years ago, neo-Nazis came to my town and staged a rally on the steps of the Capit ...

Updated: Sat Mar 19, 2011

Troubles With Raising Teenage Son for 03/12/2011

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0800

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 man/boss of the house. He wants to do things his way. The biggest thing we have disagreements about is his failure to follow my instructions regard ...

Updated: Sat Mar 12, 2011

How To Get Race Relations Back on Track for 03/05/2011

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0800

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 erupt into something ugly.

I don't know whether you've dealt with this question, because I just started reading your column recently. But ...

Updated: Sat Mar 05, 2011

Race Relations in the Age of Obama for 02/26/2011

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800

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 people in the minority groups.

Many of my friends are people of color, and my wife is Japanese. I also have two children, and obviously they ...

Updated: Sat Feb 26, 2011

White Woman Scared of Black Men for 02/19/2011

Sat, 19 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800

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 problem, and I wish I could get over my fear. I have been to a psychologist, but it has not helped. In fact, the psychologist said he understood my p ...

Updated: Sat Feb 19, 2011

Stereotype of Black Women in Super Bowl Ad for 02/12/2011

Sat, 12 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800

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 she threw it at her boyfriend. He ducked, and the can hit the white woman, knocking her out.

At work, everybody had an opinion. Some peopl ...

Updated: Sat Feb 12, 2011

Wife Says She's a Lesbian for 02/05/2011

Sat, 05 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800

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 has stayed with me, even when I was in jail and out in the streets. I will admit that I was not the best person in the world. It is obvious I had ...

Updated: Sat Feb 05, 2011

Ethnic Food for 01/29/2011

Sat, 29 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800

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 Food Friday."

It is a very special day to sample foods that you otherwise might not consider eating. We have a posted list of who is re ...

Updated: Sat Jan 29, 2011

N-word Controversies in the Arts for 01/22/2011

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800

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 that is the controversy.

A group of high-school students at a performing arts magnet school were given permission to re-enact this play by ...

Updated: Sat Jan 22, 2011

Black Students Who Are Afraid of 'Acting White' for 01/15/2011

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800

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 experiences both my husband and I have had in the school system with black parents and youths. I think that these examples support the premise of yo ...

Updated: Sat Jan 15, 2011

The Debate About 'Huck Finn' and the N-word for 01/08/2011

Sat, 08 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800

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 sensitivity to the N-word.

I am a 32-year-old white father of a girl in grammar school. I have taught her never to use the N-word in any c ...

Updated: Sat Jan 08, 2011

My Wish for Black America for 01/01/2011

Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800

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 continue the tradition, along with a few updates.

My Wish for Black America

I wish black fathers would assume responsi ...

Updated: Sat Jan 01, 2011

A Female Santa? for 12/25/2010

Sat, 25 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800

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't believe my eyes; Santa was a woman. Can you believe that? I was so outdone. After my children met Santa, I went to the mall management to compl ...

Updated: Sat Dec 25, 2010

Advice for Single Moms Raising Sons for 12/18/2010

Sat, 18 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800

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 not impossible.

I became a widow 16 years ago this Christmas. I was four months pregnant with my third child and second son. My other son was ...

Updated: Sat Dec 18, 2010

Actors Playing Different Races for 12/11/2010

Sat, 11 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800

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 her skin tone was too dark.

The director wants to make "The Hobbit" authentic to the book. The Hobbits are described as small wit ...

Updated: Sat Dec 11, 2010

Are Race Relations Getting Better? for 12/04/2010

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800

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 partyers, racist. The tea party was accused of being anti-minority and racist because it had ideas that were different from Democrats' ideas.

< ...

Updated: Sat Dec 04, 2010

Discipline for 11/27/2010

Sat, 27 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0800

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 Jim's father. It seems that Uncle Jim was mouthing off to Grandpa and saying some really bad things. He said, "Don't tell me what to do, you ol ...

Updated: Sat Nov 27, 2010

Single Parenting for 11/20/2010

Sat, 20 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0800

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-parent families and speak out against fathers and mothers who abandon their children."

It seems to me the issue is not single parenti ...

Updated: Sat Nov 20, 2010

Raising Children for 11/13/2010

Sat, 13 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0800

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. There are times when I just find a quiet corner in which to sit, cry and vegetate.

I know this is not good, because we are saddled with the ...

Updated: Sat Nov 13, 2010