From: crr4574@zeus.tamu.edu (LARUE, CHARLES L.)
Newsgroups: alt.discrimination
Subject: Re: LARUE is not a racist!    (my apology)
Date: 11 Jan 1993 16:48 CST
Organization: Texas A&M University, Academic Computing Services
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: zeus.tamu.edu
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    

In article <C0pFIz.2Eo@cs.dal.ca>, kumar@ug.cs.dal.ca (kumar yelubandi) writes...
> 
>>(Stuff deleted.  Refer to post 7270)
> 

>>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

Apology accepted.  I also apolologize for the idiot remark.  It was uncalled
for.  I just get upset when someone makes statements about me that aren't true. 
I wish to see the same thing that many others (black and white) wish to see:  A
level playing field.  I don't believe anyone should have an unfair advantage
over anyone else.  

I do believe I understand at least the economic conditions of most poor blacks.
I grew up very poor myself.  I went to a predominantly black school until I
reached high school, where blacks still made up around 40% of the student body.
When I was in grade school, my school was in the middle of the "projects" as we
called them.  I was friends with many black kids.  I ate with them, played with
them, and grew up with them.  So it is not like I know nothing of the
conditions which are faced by them.  My whole point is this.  I didn't have
wealthy parents.  I didn't even have parents that gave a damn whether or not I
made good grades or not.  But I realized that an education was necessary to
achieve my goals.  I can't see where I had one advantage over the kids I grew
up with.  My parents couldn't afford to put me through school, but I dealt with
the adversity.  This is what I would like see more than anything.  Instead of
scholarships for minorities only, instead of AA, and instead of excuses.  You
just try to make the best out of your situation.  When people say that it is
impossible because whites have all the power, I say that this is an excuse for
failure.  I could have very easily ended up in prison.  I have done many things
for which my life could have been ruined.  I could have said, "It is because of
my surroundings that I stay in trouble", but I finally realized that it is not
my fault that I am poor, but there is nobody to get me out of the poorhouse but
me.    


Charles Larue






Newsgroups: alt.discrimination