From: kumar@ug.cs.dal.ca (kumar yelubandi)
Subject: LARUE is not a racist!    (my apology)
Organization: Math, Stats & CS, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 19:30:34 GMT


>(Stuff deleted.  Refer to post 7270)

>I guess I would pretty much agree with everything you said until your second
>point.  So, I am a racist?  From where do you get this stunning relevation.  I
>wish to discriminate against no person.  I think companies which do should be
>fined.  And, as you say, there are ways to guard against this.  
>As for my being a racist.  I see this as a major problem.  I say something you
>disagree with and you call me a racist.  You say something that is the biggest


		Your word is good with me.  If you say you are not racist, 
	then you aren't.  That does not mean your understanding of 'black' 
	socio-economic circumstance is a good one, however. 


>crock of B.S. that I have ever read by saying that blacks can't afford to play
>tennis, but I will try to avoid calling you a racist.  Let me tell you about
>when I started playing tennis.  I bought a racket for $12.00.  I could have


		Don't make me laugh...You know as well as I do, that only 
	those with money can afford the private tuition, and the expensive 
	gear ($200.00 racquet) that almost exclusively determines if someone 
	is going to make any money from the sport...or even rank in the ATP 
	top 1000.   Even those 'blacks' that make it appear not to have 
	experienced the ghetto conditions experienced by many African 
	Americans.
		Basketball, on the other hand, relies solely on the 
	recruitment process of colleges, ie. only those that are talented 
	and lucky enough to be spotted by scouts are admitted, and unlike 
	the tremendous variation seen in the price range of tennis equipment
	 - ie. the rich buy quality racquets and the poor, less than 
	adequate ones -  the price variation of basketballs (not that 
	great to begin with) does not determine if one player is better 
	than another.  I could go on, but...you get the drift. 



>gotten a used one for less than that, but what the hell, I splurged. 
>Practically every city I have ever been in has a park(s) which have tennis
>courts.  My small hometown of 7,000 had 2 parks with several courts. 


		How many have their nets up?   You can still shoot 
	through netless hoops...but it takes a working imagination to 
	lob balls over 'pretend' nets.


>hand the number of times that I saw blacks out there playing (although I have
>played with them on a few occasions).  Maybe they didn't realize that the
>courts were free.  Maybe they thought that they had to buy a $200 tennis
>racket.  Or maybe, (my opinion) you are simply an idiot.
						^^^^^^^^	

	Perhaps.  But I'd rather be an idiot than being wilfully ignorant of
	socio-economic circumstance.


>Let me give you a piece of advice.  If you disagree with me fine.  
>If you don't then don't scream racist or racism.  I have posted nothing 
>which I think supports your claim.  Or maybe you don't know what racism is. 
>Regardless, when you make this unjustified accusation, you destroy your 
>credibility with many people.  I hear unjustified screams of racism all 
>the time.  I also hear justified screams of racism.  The unjustified cries 
>(such as yours) really tend
>to make people pay less attention to the ones which are justified.  Did you
>ever hear the story of the boy who cried wolf?


	Yes...I was wrong...racism is a strong word to use indiscriminately.
	I accept your explanation that you are not a racist.  I hope you
	accept my apology.  I would like to say, however,  wilful 
	ignorance is not a virtue.

>>		Kumar
>>Ps:    ...racism of all kinds, against all peoples, is WRONG.


>Charles Larue


		Kumar

Ps:	By the way, if IYHO, I am an idiot, then by logical extension,
	my opposition against Affirmative Action is an idiotic one as only
	it could be...now you say you agree with me...hmm...*input any 
	conclusions here*    



	
-- 
                                ********************************************
   Kumar Yelubandi               **  A wise man learns more from a fool  **
   (good wines = good times!)    **  than vice versa...or so they say    **
   ...in the year 2525...        **           -  Drink up -              **