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Submit your comments on Forgotten Fires. Selected submissions will be posted here, so check back regularly and join the discussion. This TalkBack section is a free forum for independent thoughts and ideas. The views reflected are those of the individuals who submit their comments. They are not the opinions of ITVS or PBS, respectively. 05/24/01 I believe that a person can change if they are truly sincere and they have reconnected with God. Racism is a taught trait, no child is born in that nature. Mr. Welch has stated that he joined the Klan, because he wanted to belong to something. There's an old saying, "That if your friends jump off a bridge, does that mean you jump, too??" Time will tell if Mr. Welch is truly sincere and he must be aware that the Lord knows what you're thinking before you think it. 05/21/01 Clarissa Webb Columbus IN. I really don't think that there will be anything happening in the future with the black and white community. I really don't see why people have to hate because of a skin color. It is like Reverend Mouzon said, We are all the same. 05/21/01 John williams Griffith, Indiana Everyone says whites and blacks are equal. How could anyone say this. Blacks cannot live in the same area without killing each other. However in white neighborhoods you do not see this. So the liberals blame the rich because these people are poor and uneducated. Many whites are poor and uneducated too but do they kill each other. I think it is in a black persons genes to be violent or criminal. Most of you people who do not hate how many of you live with these people? And what is your neighborhood like if you do? Go into any black neighborhood, you can find drugs, guns, prostitution, violence. White neighborhoods are usually peaceful. Go into a store in a black neighborhood. Is there bars on the windows? Can you talk to the clerk without talking through a bulletproof glass? People need to stop being so liberal and look at the facts. Black people are dangerous. 05/14/01 well I feel that there should not be a world of hatred,but a world of peace. God has created us and we should all be treated "Equal".No matter if you're black or white . 05/11/01 annissia Tucson,Arizona It so terrilbe 2 even think that rasisum still escisits!! I think its horible as a young teenager .... to even think that we will never have world peace! Yes i know the KKK have been here 4 a while! but Just the thought alone breaks my heart....to think that they dont have any remorse, concience,or even self respect or respect to others!! they dont think before they act!! it pisses me off....so much to think that there is crazy people in this world like them!! they cant seem 2 understand that every1 is the same!! their skin color dosen't have 2 do anything with the person!! mainly they just shouldn't judge a book by its cover!!!! 04/26/01 Aurora, Colorado Hate is everywhere these days. Whether you walk down the street in New York City or, in a dinky town in Connecticut. Our society has focused on the hate around the world. When you watch the news at night, you hear about the hate crimes around the world. Part of this comes from the lack of COMMON SENSE. Whether or not you have been brought up around racism or not, any HUMAN BEING would have the sense and cares and feelings for other human beings. Some members of my own family are racist. Does it bother me when they insult minorities? Of course it does. Racism is not only directed towards African-Americans, but also Asian, hispanic and yes, also white people. There is SERIOULY not ONE person in this world that could say, they have never bashed another race. Racism is horrible, I do not agree with it. If you do, then you are NNOT human. 04/19/01 racism is the worst disease to ever exist because people tend to assume or come to conclusions about someone from a different ethnic background based solely on fear and ignorance.anyone who obstructs a human beings pursuit of life,love,liberty and happiness by physical means is a terrorist, and should be dealt with as such.remember AmeriKKKa does not tolerate terrorism. 04/18/01 Pittsburgh Pennsylvania As I grow, I face many obstacles. I am 18 years old, white, and I go to a very diverse High School. When I was growing up, I was taught to look at people for who they are. Not the color of thier skin. Do these KKK members truly believe that white is the supreme race? I think some of them actually do. But in my own heart, I think some of them are also afraid that thier (and mine also) race is in jeopardy. Not in jeopary of defeat, but of a challenge. People do not understand that this world is not about sticking together with your "kind". It's about taking care of yourself. People are finally starting to do that. Asian, Jewish, African-American, White;All of the races are doing for themselves. Horace King is not a good man. No matter what religion you believe in, that religion blatently states that killing is a sin. I believe this country is in serious trouble. A race war is very possible. Unless people start taking action and teaching good things, this world is going to be nothing but a Hell on Earth. I may not hve ANYTHING in common with the Grand Dragon of the KKK, but I do know this. He is right when he says there is going to be a race war. not because Whites hate Blacks or Jews or Orientals. It will be because people will be sick of being let down. Let down from the small hope they have for a better world. A world slowing dying from our own destruction. In hope of hearing from some positive responces, I urge you to E-Mail me back and let me know where you stand on the issue of a possible race war. One last thing. I don't care what religion you practice. Pray for our world. Please. 04/17/01 I know alot of people in my home town that are racist. I don't understand why they have to be that way. I know that I'm not racist and I never will be. But one question I would like to ask some people, "Why do you HATE people of the different race?" Thanks. 03/30/01 Jessica Nash Powell, TN I think that racism is an extremely narrow minded way of thinking. If racists had any inteligence at all then they would have figured out by now that WE ARE DIFFERENT!!! I also dont think you can fully understand the feeling unless you are a minority. I am an converted Jew and I am 14 years old. Until I became Jewish I had no idea how other races cultures felt. Now I do, THANK G-D. To all the racist people out there I would like to let you know that sooner or later whites are going to become a minority all over the world......So are you going to hate against yourself? I cannot understand this bull-headed way of thinking. I wish that the entire world could get along.......Wheather they are black or white, gay or straight, Muslim or Hindu.......WE are all beautiful, smart people..no matter faith, skin color, or sexual orientation. IF ANYONE HAS ANY OPINOINS ON THIS GOOD OR BAD. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO EMAIL ME......Jesssgd97@aol.com 03/30/01 NC It's this kind of crap that makes me racist. Everywhere I look these days, the black community is still crying and whining about this stuff, when they have it all these days. free housing, free education, free health care you name it. They wanted equality and now they want to seperate themselves from other races by having their own tv shows, pagents, colleges etc.. It's the racist black community that makes me racist. I work with many respectable black people but the ones ( yes, I said ones, they put themselves in their own category) I see outside of work show little or no respect for whites so why should I respect them. I hate seeing this crap on TV. It wouldn't be so bad if maybe I saw a " White History Month" documentory on TV, but how rediculous does that sound. 03/29/01 I think that racsim is the stupidest thing in the world! Its just a bunch of idiots that think there better then someone else because of the color of your skin. Im only 12 years old and am doing racism for a speech at school...Ive been to a few other sites and they are SO disgusting! All i have to say is STOP THIS ALL!!! My children when im older shouldnt have to deal with this so stop it all know. thanks 03/20/01 Is there a cure for hatered? 03/19/01 Vianna Henderson Madison,WI I read most of the responses,and to the people who are cool with the K-K-K, well, I wanna know seriously, are they really that ugly to show their faces?! I mean c'mon now. And to anyone who disagrees, PLEASE e-mail me at biratialchick@hotmail.com Don't Hate Appreciate!!!! 03/15/01 Ricky Bracero Philadelphia,PA I want to know why they could not get along don't hate someone just because they are not the same color 03/05/01 kkk rule england i think what the kkk do is right and i just wish there was a group in england that i could join im 16/m could u please e-mail me if there are any youth groups in my area thanks and keep up the good work! 03/05/01 I think this site is excellent. I am constructing a research paper for a college English class and this has been a great resource. The ideas are horrifying but displayed in a tasteful and fact like fashion. Thanks. 03/05/01 C. C. Goodman It is 2001 now. Poverty breeds many stupid ways of thinking. RE Race. Never Forget Reginald Denny. For the person who has not lived as a fair skinned minority person in the USA - Anti-white racism was a daily fact of life for me as a fair skinned person living in a non-white area. That is why I left the area and will never go back to that type of situation. 03/01/01 lisa hinds i think kkk is the worse thing anyone could do!!! 02/12/01 kerry murphy Edinburgh, Scotland i'm doing a project in modern studies on racism in America and I think your web site is very well put together and it gave me alot of information I needed. I am not at all racist and think if anyone one can treat another person that has black skin different from a white person, they should rot in hell we are all equals!! every one has the same rights!!! Kerry Murphy 13 from Scotland 01/25/01 natalie enumclaw washington i think the kkk did a bad thing. it is bad wright now for every one. i cant enagin what it was like for the blacks 01/16/01 Terri Freedman Penngrove, CA I was glued to my seat late last night (January 15, MLK Day) watching this documentary. It reminds me that my greatest passion is to address this issue and help our humanity to overcome hate and respect one another and ourselves. I am in search of full time work in this field. Thank you for forwarding any northern California organizations I can contact. (Unfortunately, Morris Dees and the SPLC in Alabama are just too far from the San Francisco/Bay Area!) Sincerely, and in Peace, Terri Freedman 12/21/00 Mandy Shell Cincinnati, Ohio ... I can't see how anyone can be so proud of their believes, but be so scared to show their faces. Being racist against all blacks is just ignorent. Or being racist against all whites. No one knows everyone of every race, so therefore has no right to judge all of them! Just like personalities ar not the same, or eyes, or hair...etc. niether is skin color. 12/07/00 carrie i think it is aweful having all this hate in the world and i cant see how people could do such aweful things to others that are just like you. Except they have different color, race or what ever. what would they be like if they were the race they hated. 11/28/00 Dale Stevenson Hi... Your web site seems heavily biased towards non-white groups, as if hate crimes are not committed against whites. I suggest a more equal and fair presentation on your site. You have knowingly and actively excluded incidences of hate crimes committed against whites because of their skin color. After a study of recent government statistics on the level of white on black violent crime and black on white violent crime, the differences (based on the proportion of violators to the population of their group) is very similar, though this site makes no notice of that. This could create an environment where hate is accepted, as long as the victim is white and male. I find that disturbing, but that is the accepted politically correct media presentation in the year 2000. Perhaps some of these acts of violence are born from an anger of a double standard in society. Much the way the Black Panthers reacted to unfair treatment. In order to have equality, you have to be inclusive and admit that every human is susce I do not believe it would be right to make racism ok, but just switch the colors of the victims and the perpetrators. I don't think that has happened yet, but more and more, we are creeping towards that goal. I only voice my concern to nip this in the bud, although no real effects would be noticed until several generations have passed. Dale Stevenson 11/21/00 LISA ROWELL MANNING S.C. DEAR READERS . YOU READERS DO NOT KNOW GOD .IF YALL DID YOU WOULD KNOW THAT YOU SHOULD NOT JUDGE . I AM THE DAUGHTER OF HUBERT ROWELL ANDYOU PEOPLE DONT KNOW NOTHING!!!!!! AND TO THE IDIOT WHO MOVED TO MANNING AND GOT AN ALARM SYSTEM TO KEEP THE HALEYS OUT IHOPE ITS A GOOD ONE. LOVE LISA 11/21/00 Stephen S. Smith Sedro Woolley, Washington My wife is white and I am black. We have been a target of harrassment here in northwest Washington for the last twenty years. We are honest hard working patriots who mind our own business and only ask to be left alone. I believe that this problem is taught by uneducated, depraved parents that blame others for thier own personal problems and pass this "unaccountability" to thier children thus, repeating this cycle. The reason that this problem seems to be worse today is because of overpopulation which threatens the human race itself with extinction. When one is confronted with a flooded kitchen, only a fool reaches for a mop without turning off the faucet. Considering the "youth crisis" and the alarming growth of immoral parenting, I think that it is time to consider parental licensing otherwise , mandatory birth control and/or civil war are inevitable. 11/17/00 I think racism is retarted, c'mon guys, let's GET OVER IT! everybody's different! 11/06/00 Kristy Harris Harvey,Louisiana Hi my name is Kristy and i don't like racism at all i don't see how people can be so hateful and actually think God is on their side when they burn down chuches and burn crosses that is so wrong.I am only 14 and yes i am white so i really don't know how people felt when this happen to them but when i see it still going on to day i just can't help but cry .so i just wanted to send this saying how i feel and i am sorry for what happen and i'm ashamed of the people who did this to them. with respect and love, Kristy Harris 10/30/00 Janice Manning Sanford Starke, Florida Hate is not born in us...If a man hates it is because he was taught to hate. I was raised poor- ate sugar sandwiches- went bare-foot to school- and was taught to view every life as special. ( I don't know if it is true but Manning SC -I have been told-was named for Moses Manning. He is my great-great- great grandfather...) 10/30/00 missy robinson buffalo, ny i have to say i did not see the documentary for forgotten fires. but i did watch the special on HBO called hate.com, it was about the kkk and all the hate groups on the internet. i have to say that i am very angered by these groups. Also the feedback that i've read so far is just mean. First of all the NAACP (spell it right) s not prejiduce, that the only group black people have that stands up for us. Second of all black on black crime is not prejiduce , its just crime, like jeffrey domher, charles mason they were like the gangs out here, but only thing they worked alone. I like people of all races and i have not yet to experience face to face racism. It mostly only happens down south in the small rural areas, you dont hear any of that happening in NY because its to many black people out here that wouldnt stand for it. to sum it up before i get carried away, hate will never go away, this is not paradise, expect far more worst things than this. 10/18/00 Stephen West Milford, WV I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE GET SO MAD AT THE KKK FOR BEING AGAINST BLACKS AND OTHER RACIAL GROUPS, WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THE BLACK GANGS IN THE BIG CITIES AND EVEN NOW THE SMALLER CITIES KILLING EACH OTHER LIKE IT'S NOTHING AND NO ONE EVER HEARS ABOUT THAT, OR EVEN IF THEY KILL A WHITE PERSON. BUT IF A WHITE GUY KILLS A BLACK GUY IT'S CONSIDERED A HATE CRIME AND EVERYONE GETS MAD AND WANT'S TO MAKE A BIG SCENE. THERE'S BLACK GUYS KILLING BLACK GUYS EVERY DAY DUE TO THE GANG THEIR IN OR DRUGS OR WHATEVER ELSE, AND NO ONE SEEMS TO REALLY CARE. BUT IF A WHITE GUY KILLS A BLACK GUY, PEOPLE GO CRAZY AND THINK THAT A RACIAL WAR IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE. THAT'S STUPID, THE KKK IS JUST ANOTHER GANG SORT OF SPEAK, BUT I REALLY DON'T AGREE WITH THE CROSS AND CHURCH BURNINGS BECAUSE I AM A RELIGIOUS MAN, BUT I DO AGREE WITH THEM ON SOME ISSUES. 10/12/00 CHRIS NORTH CAROLINA I DON'T SEE WHY YOU LET THEM ATTACK OUR CHURCH. I AM KLAN MEMBER. YOU LET ONE ACCUSE ALL OF AS REDNECKS ETC... BUT THE NEWS DOESNT CALL WHAT HAPPEN IN LA,CALIFORNA A HATE CRIME AGIANST A WHITE TRUCK DRIVER BEAT DOWN IN THE STREETS .ALSO THEIR ARE OVER 600 DIFFERENT KLAN ORGANIZATIONS . WE ARE NON VIOLENT GROUP IN THE KLAN. I DO BELIEVE THERE WAS WHITE CHURCHES ALSO BURNT. PLEASE DO ME A FAVOR IF YOUR GOING TO LET OUR OPPOSITION,POST HATE TOWARD US DONT BE OFFEND WHEN WE ATTACK BACK.. I WAS ANGRY THAT YOU LET THE WRITTERS OF SOME THESE RESPONSES ATTACK US. IF YOU ARE NOT IN THE KLAN THEN HOW CAN YOU KNOW ABOUT OUR POLICIES.WHY DONT YOU HAVE A ARTICLE ATTACKING THE HATE GROUP NAACP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME , CHRIS 10/05/00 calvin flemming nashville,tn I don't think that there will be a race war on American soil ,but something needs to be done.Racism is why some have to sell drugs steal and rob.White people try to say they dont care about race ,but when the 'thuggish' looking black guy passes them on the street they clutch there purses and try to get as far away as possible.The only reason it seems that black folks always band together is there are no other races are standing with us.Though there will not be a war we will never be one nation under god. 09/18/00 Dr. Michael Campbell Irvine, Ca I think this show is important to demonstrate that there are people who are hateful and evil. However I have two criticisms of your approach, and the approach of PBS and the American Media in general to the issue of racism. Firstly, I am Catholic, and a Catholic church, St. Philips in Fullerton, Ca, was recently burned. Also, the exteme racist and anti-semite Louis Farrakan was invited to speak at Compton community college, a public institution. Where is the outrage against this? Neither of these events have received any significant press, because you are so narrowly focused on white-against-black racism. To understand an issue, you must look at it in a global manner. But because, I believe, you are too afraid to offend so called "minority groups", you never give any attention to the sometimes terrible racism of a minority group against whites, or another minority group. An example of this travesty on your behalf, as the media, was your complete neglect of all of the racism inflicted on the Korean community of Los Angeles by some blacks during the Los Angeles riots. And this leads to my second criticism. In the case of Los Angeles, the media (you) were only concerned with understanding the anger of the inner-city blacks who beat a white man (Reginald Denny) or who terrorized Koreans. But I never hear such an approach against the Ku Klux Klan. I am terribly disturbed by your one-sided treatment of the issue of racism, and I believe to mitigate the problem of racism, we must look at it rationally, and not just emotionally as you do. Solutions to problems require rational thinking (which is exactly the deficit of racist thinking groups). Rather than only appealing to the emotions of the viewers, I suggest you take a deeper look at the problem of racism. In particular, you should try to interview former racists to understand the root of the problem, and when and why such thoughts started in these people, and what possible causes were. You should apply this to all races, not just former white racists. As a mathematician, I greatly appreciate the importance of rationality, and I suggest you begin to do the Hopefully, you and the media will begin to take such a rational approach to a terrible problem, whose solution demands such technique. 08/28/00 WHY DO YOU NEVER HEAR OF BLACK ON WHITE HATE BY THE MEDIA ? 08/28/00 Douglas Snyder Lemoore, CA I believe it is the people who feed off the minorities in this country who keep these fires going. Groups such as the NWACP whose only real power derives from keeping the division between races intact. The left wing side of the Democratic Party, who does nothing to increase self-esteem and self-reliance, but only increases their rhetoric to secure votes. (The same Democratic Party who made up the majority of the old south slave states political leaders, and who were the major opposition party to civil rights movement in the 1950s) And finally the media who distorts the truth for their own agenda. Lest you forget, it was the so called white right wing Republicans who fought and died to free the slave, who provided the votes to pass the voting rights act, who provided the votes to pass the civil rights act, and were the leaders on numerous other initiatives for civil rights. I am a conservative republican and have never discriminated against anyone on the bases of their skin color, rase or religion. I judge each man on his character and his actions, as do most of my party and my color. 07/27/00 It has come to my attention that you people are living in a wolrd that I am not. I believe in equaltiy for all. Tell me this though can you have a all white beauty pageant,or a all white team , neighborhood,job setting,or anything else, but we all know as a fact that you can and do have all black things with no admittance for whites like a black scholarship or beauty pagents and many others is this not racist against the white race why can they have a all black anything they want but let whites do this and it is racist or it will be drug into court to make it integrated. The state i live in buses children for hours to have diversity in the schools if the blacks had a school that was all black do you think they would go to court to make whites go to it no that is ok but have a all white school and it is illegal EXPLAIN THIS FOR ME AND I WILL CHANGE MY ATTITUDE 07/27/00 Ebony To: Richard Robinson So you are saying all blacks are racist? please tell me I'm wrong. not all blacks think that all whites are racist. you are just as bad as the blacks who think all whites are racist. 06/02/00 Richard Robinson Hampton Bays, New York Whites are constantly and unfairly being labeled racists. Looking at the FBI's "Uniform Crime Report" and the Justice Departments "National Crime Victimization Survey" will show who the real racists and culprits of hate crimes are! Every year, on average there are 1.2 million inter-racial crimes involving Blacks and Whites and of those, Whites are the victims 90% of the time. Also, Blacks are 56 times more likely to attack a White, than a White is to attack a Black. Indeed, there is more Black-on-White crime than Black-on-Black crime, yet it is Whites who are more likely to be charged with a hate crime. So much so, that the phrase "hate crime" is synonymous with "White racist"! We must keep in mind that the FBI's report is a bit flawed as they like to boost the number of crimes "committed" by Whites by labeling Hispanics and other non-Whites as "White" when they commit a hate crime, but as "Hispanic" or other when they are victims. Thus they become officially incapable of committing hate crimes. It's time society faced reality and spoke the truth! Whites are not the evil racists that the liberal media loves to protray them as and there are many racists non-White groups that the same liberal media loves to ignore! Please do not post my e-mail address, as I don't want to receive hate mail from liberals and racists. 06/01/00 Ben Frazier Texas We have seen a strange turn of events these past few years. Think back 50 years and you saw how blacks were treated and how the klan was celebrated. Add 10 years to that and blacks were still not accepted but the Klan was now wrong. Add 20 years and people treated ethnic groups different then ever before but thought horrible racial slurs in the back of their head on first thought. Why ? Because they were taught that way. Mom and Dad taught hate with no thought that what they were teaching was wrong. It was pumped into the back of that generations head. It's now time to change that.....What we must do is target our own children, our neighbors children and teach them what racism really is. Most people don't know what it is and can not identify it when seen. We must show the world why the USA is strong, we are diverse in culture and have the chance to put together a million great minds that know everything. No race is better then the next, we are all made of one. Ben Frazier Founder and Organizer Anti Racist Action of Texas www.geocities.com/araoftx 05/17/00 Malorie Edwards Pinckney, MI I am 14 years old and live in a very small white town. We have maybe 3 families of people of different races. Not too many of my classmates or others have racist views, but sometimes they say rude comments just to be funny. I am online a lot and most of my friends are black or spanish. They are all so nice, I just don't understand how you can hate someone without even knowing them. I understand we have freedom of speech, but there needs to be more to protect minorities. 05/16/00 Virginia L. DeHaan Grand Rapids, MI Clearly, poverty and isolation play a big role. I worry that as the gap between rich and poor grows ever larger, the hate will worsen. It is unbelievable to me, how much has changed in this nation over the past 20 years, economically, and for the worse. It really has become a real case of "the rich get richer and the poor get poorer." And so often, innocents get blamed for this. Recently in my city, an abhorrent billboard was posted, which was anti-immigration in nature, and pro-white. There was outrage in the community and it was removed. But, it is troubling that it was even put up in the first place. It makes ME so angry when immigrants are blamed for the fact that whites are poorer- I'm white, of course. Where do white people think they came from?! Why do the people who are such haters, think their own forebears came to this country? Why do they think that people from other countries want to come here? These hating people are so uninformed...if they ever went to a 3rd world country, they'd be able to recognize in an instant why anyone would want to move here. I took a trip to Mexico in 1976, and believe me, after that, I had total sympathy for any Mexican who tried to cross the border. I still feel that way; if I was poor, and my children were hungry, I would do anything to try to make things better for them. I think about my own grandmother, and her family, who came from the Netherlands around 1900 in order to try to make a better life for themselves. They were very poor. They were simple, working people. They weren't denied. Why would anyone, no matter what the color of his/her skin, be denied? Are we Americans so selfish as this? Please, may it not be so. Well, this is about it for right now. Thank you for letting me express my opinions. This is a sorrowful topic. 05/16/00 Rachel L.J I think The KKK are Stupid as hell. They say they are so proud to be white then why to they hide behind Bedsheets? They act like they are so great and we are so low,When you know they are off screwin' their cousins and step-parents. I belive they are the low ones.I also belive back in the Day we won the war get over it.They are White trash nothing but. God can only judge us. They say black people aren't human or whatever and they preach about God when they are pretty much cutting him down,because we are all his Childern No matter what we are. So they can chill in the trailers and drink and preach but I hope to God no one will listen to their bullshit. 05/16/00 Weatherford, Tx Gee, here it is, 2000, and no race war. Could be the Grand Dragon was wrong. Maybe he was so blinded by hatred that he believed his own lies. We have so many things to deal with just to live in this world I don't understand the hate groups that pick on one people or the other. All of us, all races, are all different, but all the same. All human. At some point in time we have to look beyond the surface and realize we are all stuck on this little ball of mud together and if we don't ALL get along as a race we probably won't make it. Oh, yeah, jailhouse transformations are convienant, but when the s**t hits the fan people will say almost anything to belay part of the trouble, 'specially when he has to spend a large amount of his life in prison with black (and some white) men who strongly feel that what he did and believed in wasn't exactly the best way to make friends, but could sure influence enemies. We are all in this together. Let's start showing it. 05/16/00 Kristen L. Kocar Delavan, WI I am totally against racist people in our country. The thought of what they do makes me sick to my stomach. I can't believe that they get away with such filth. 05/16/00 Constance Winston-Salem, NC Our politicians have been guilty for playing on the fears of the misinformed, the underemployed, the disillusioned, the angry and the scared working class folks to gain votes. Politicians are experts at using certain strategies, slanting information to persuade people long enough distract them from the corrupt and greedy actions of powerful politicians and major corporations; instead, they begin to focus on small issues that causes people to blame one another and turn against their powerless fellow man. Affirmative action as well as welfare reform has been the big issue amongst the more conservative politicians. The scapegoats are the so-called "less qualified minorities" who are supposedly getting all the jobs because of affirmation action. What a laugh! Throughout my working life, I have worked in office environments where I could count the amount of minorities on not one hand, but two fingers! People have been persuaded to believe that anyone who benefits from affirma! tive action is unqualified, but they should stop to think how many "unqualified" people they have worked with who where not minorities. I can think of more than a few. Politicians have lead people to believe that only "unqualified" minorities benefit from affirmative action and this only throws fuel on the fire for those who already grimace at the sight of a minority. They become blind to the fact that affirmative action protects women--white,black,japanese, etc.--from being discriminated against also. Believe it or not, there are still racist people(just look at some of the postings) and chauvinistic people in the country and they could be supervisors who would kill their mother before they hire a qualified minority or female if affirmative action did not exist. 05/14/00 I have not seen the show, but would like to comment on the subject of hate. It seems that evry time that we hear anything about the kkk thier spokesman want to try to itemidate with threats and bravado. I would be ashamed of any relitive or aqantance thatwould admit to the membership of such an organization. Thehate shown towards the blacks is really fear and ignorance, affraid that the black may indeed be thier equal if not thier superior. Mr. King threatens that a race war may very well start in the year 2000, I don't think so, for there aren't enough sheets to go around. For one there are more americans that understand the constitution and know that to hold on to the thought that any particular race is better than another is dead wrong. I know there are people in this country that feel the same way I do and believe me Mr. King all the bulling in the world will not do the trick that you are dreaming about. There was another social order that thought the same way back in 1940 only they found out that the 05/13/00 Misty Edmonton It really makes me mad when people don't like me because of my skin color. I mean I breathe and feel just like everyone eles. I guess some peoles are just to stuborn to see for who they really are. I just wish people could see me for who I really am. 05/13/00 Mary Karsten New Light Media located in Denver has produced a documentary entitled Journey to a Hate Free Millenium. The film explores Matthew Sheppard, James Byrd and Columbine. It is very well done. This last year has been filled with hate inspired violence and it is time to fight back and strengthen our communities. How? by our families, our schools and our churches learning how to answer the two basic needs of ALL individuals - The need to feel that we belong and the need to feel that we contribute significantly. Gangs and hate groups currently do a better job at this than our families, schools or churches do. It seems as if our lives have become so frenetic that we have forgotten how to stop, listen and communicate important truths with each other. We have forgotten how to acknowlege the good work and deeds of others. It's time to slow down and reconnect with our families and our neighbors, our children, our students. It's time to start meaningful dialogs with the people around us and to become sensitive to the presence of negative and destructive ideas. We have to begin to listen and then to discuss the values and ideas of our young people before the gangs and hate groups do. 05/11/00 ReGina Salers Perez de Givens Little Rock, AR I think poverty has a lot to do with fear and hatred. People who are poor tend to be fatalistic and live one day to the next; I should know, I used to be that way. Poor minorities, especially, are not taught that they CAN succeed, that there is another way of life, and tend to see white people as the enemy. Poor whites, on the other hand, tend to see minorities as getting "breaks" and become angry because they don't qualify for the same "breaks." They think that although we suffer from discrimination that we do not deserve recompense. But while discrimination is not as open as it used to be, it is still there. The inability of the government, both federal and state, and civil rights groups like the NAACP to really listen to one another and compromise makes minorities look bad, and the culture of poverty continues this trend. I'm American of Mexican descent and my husband is black; however, many whites have told me how disgusting I am to be in love with a black man. "They are different." And I think previous attitudes from poor whites still infect us today. Hatred is taught. After all that I have seen, it is easy to see why a black person would feel they can't succeed and it is easy to see the rage many blacks feel towards whites. Most whites don't live with racism and thus don't care about it or are honest with themselves; many so called liberals are racist in their manner of thinking. Which one is worse? People who live in poverty cannot simply pull themselves up by their bootstraps. This world has told them they cannot succeed, so all too often, they don't. And that is the danger we live in. PAGE 1 | 2 05/04/00 Lindsey My thoughts on this are that Horace King wants a race war because it would give him and his members the chance to kill other races freely and I think by him saying that there is a chance for this war was his way of trying to put it in to people's mind because now they will manifest on it. Usually, if an idea is not brought up to thousands of people, they would not naturally think about it, but now that he has said it, that is what is on all of their minds. But I don't think there is a possibility that this war will take place any time soon, because although there are many people out there full of hatred, there are also just as many, if not more, caring, and loving people. As for Timothy Welch, I can't give an exact opinion because I don't know the whole story. However, I do think that someone like him can change. If a person goes their whole life living in sin and committing awful crimes, they can still ask for forgiveness from the people they have hurt and God. The people may not be as forgiving as God, and he/she can not change what they have done, but they can change the way they choose to live. So yes I do believe one can change, but I don't know if Timothy Welch, himself, has changed. Only he knows that and through time he should be given the chance to prove that to the world. Only then can one know if he has truely changed. 05/01/00 Canada Hate groups manipulate and pull in vulnerable youth. They give false promises and before they know it, they are in too deep. KKK Grand Dragon Horace King does not realize how ignorant he really is. Get an education Horace!! 04/25/00 Virginia L. DeHaan Grand Rapids, MI Clearly, poverty and isolation play a big role. I worry that as the gap between rich and poor grows ever larger, the hate will worsen. It is unbelievable to me, how much has changed in this nation over the past 20 years, economically, and for the worse. It really has become a real case of "the rich get richer and the poor get poorer." And so often, innocents get blamed for this. Recently in my city, an abhorrent billboard was posted, which was anti-immigration in nature, and pro-white. There was outrage in the community and it was removed. But, it is troubling that it was even put up in the first place. It makes ME so angry when immigrants are blamed for the fact that whites are poorer- I'm white, of course. Where do white people think they came from?! Why do the people who are such haters, think their own forebears came to this country? Why do they think that people from other countries want to come here? These hating people are so uninformed...if they ever went to a 3rd world country, they'd be able to recognize in an instant why anyone would want to move here. I took a trip to Mexico in 1976, and believe me, after that, I had total sympathy for any Mexican who tried to cross the border. I still feel that way; if I was poor, and my children were hungry, I would do anything to try to make things better for them. I think about my own grandmother, and her family, who came from the Netherlands around 1900 in order to try to make a better life for themselves. They were very poor. They were simple, working people. They weren't denied. Why would anyone, no matter what the color of his/her skin, be denied? Are we Americans so selfish as this? Please, may it not be so. Well, this is about it for right now. Thank you for letting me express my opinions. This is a sorrowful topic. 04/20/00 Rachel L.J I think The KKK are Stupid as hell They say they are so proud to be white then why to they hide behind Bedsheets? They act like they are so great and we are so low,When you know they are off screwin' their cousins and step-parents. I belive they are the low ones.I also belive back in the Day we won the war get over it.They are White trash nothing but. God can only judge us. They say black people aren't human or whatever and they preach about God when they are pretty much cutting him down,because we are all his Childern No matter what we are. So they can chill in the trailers and drink and preach but I hope to God no one will listen to their bullshit. 04/20/00 JENNY BEASLEY DEERLODGE, TN IF YOU DO SOME RESEARCH IT ISN'T ONLY THE BLACKS CHURCHES GETTING BURNED DOWN, IT'S OUR OWN AS WELL. I THINK THAT THIS RACISTISM STUFF IS JUST A BUNCH OF CRAP AND PEOPLE NEED TO GET OVER IT. 04/13/00 I think that it is wrong to judge someone by the color or race of a person. For it is not the color the matter it is the heart. 04/11/00 Jason Walker Winnsboro Texas I totally disagree with mr. king and his beliefs. You all need to think about what your doing because it is bad and one of these days you'l have a black president and then what? 04/11/00 Doris B. Lockhaart Obviously there is hate in SC. 03/20/00 The kkk does not have a right to say that they're better then blacks and that they need to get out of the white people's country! All whites were not the first people here in the u.s. the indians were but yet the kkk does not like them either. But still they try to tell people that this in a white country. So when they mess with the wrong people that wouldn't take there crap our constitution will protect the members of the klan but they will not protect the people from the klan. 03/20/00 Everyone who goes to jail both black and white are repentant. So repentant many go back twice. I love America, that's no question, but if our own government can't answer a question as simple as should they apologize to african-americans for atrocious acts; then who's surprised about the open hostilities shown today not only against african-americans but against your own children as well. My mother has never had to verbally ask me to apologize to anyone when I am at fault, because every since I was a child, if she made error she apologized to me. This was the beginning of my ability to learn compassion. How can we expect our children to show remorse, if we don't. 03/19/00 What really bugs me is,I've read the material that the klan has on their web site. They say they live the white way,they say the klan don't like colored,catholics or jews. But let me enlighten you folks,our good Lord Jesus was a Jew,our Lord died a Jew & resurected a Jew.The klan say they are going to set the white man straight. Bad example for our kids.(you think?) 03/17/00 B. Charles New Orleans, Louisiana After reading the story line to Forgotten Fires, I had to wonder to myself when will the hate stop. I suppose it never will, if not White on Black or Black on White... we'll find something to hate. I also think that proverty plays a part in it as well. Both Black & White whom happen to be poor in this country, look at the rich getting richer while we can barely make ends meet. That's when we start looking at the other side and we see what we want to see. But I also blame the goverment for not doing more to bring the races together. Stop dividing us up into groups of their choose. Hate can feed a lot of young minds, maybe we can try Love. 03/10/00 brian thomas crawfordville,flordia It plays a big role in peoples lives. Because everyone judges everyone.In Matthew 8, it says "Judge not, lest you be judge." 03/10/00 salt lake my dad is racist and he came along way from hating other races BECAUSE I AM JAPANESE SO HE REALLY COULD NOT HATE OTHER RACES . I DATE ALOT OF DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES. I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF GREAT RACES OUT THERE AND WHITE PEOPLE ARE GREAT AND NO RACE IS BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BROWN POWER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 02/24/00 Donna Alexander I have read the Timothty Welch story. I hope and pray that he is truely repented. I know that sometimes that when you have a chance to sit down and think about a situation without outside input that the whole thing takes on a different look. I think that he has had a chance while in jail to reckon within himself that what he has done was wrong. You see he doesn't have people feeding that spirit of hate around him so I am sure that he has awaken from the dream of unity within the Klan. I would bet if I were a betting person that the Klan doesn't look so good to him anymore. Now he sees the realness of the situation. Here they (the Klan) has promised loyalty to him promised to be what ever he had need for them to be but when the chip had fallen where were they (the Klan). I hate that this ever happened not only to the church because the Church wasn't the only victim in this. The two young men that thought that their elders were telling them right they to are victims My personal belief on this matter is that if you can't worship with people down here how do you expect to go to an eternal heaven of which will be all manner of people worship and live with them there. I hope that when Mr Welch gets out of his natural and spiritial prison that he will go and aleast contribute to the community to talk to others about hating other people and how wrong that it is. 02/23/00 Susan Harrison I do believe racial tensions will increase in the future as there is more disenfranchizement of the blue-collar white worker as well as more wealth polarization. I think the blue-collar worker's economic and social power is waning and they are ill-equiped to handle it and our rapidly changing society. They are being neglected for a better educated more racially mixed work force. I believe that racism is a social and spiritual disease that has been created and used for political gain since time immemorial. It is heartening to see us unite and address the issue of racism and its devastating effects so that we can work toward healing and becoming the one people we were created. As for Michael Chandler's comment, I believe education and opportunity are not distributed widely enough. Without them we cannot achieve the potential of ourselves and in this absence fear, hate and scapegoating are going to flourish. I believe we have an individual and personal obligation to help the poor in whatever means we can. We need social services to help with the task. It is a sign of an evolved society. It is not a sign of an evolved society to ignore racism and classism, which are at the root of poverty. 02/23/00 Topeka, Kansas Topeka Kansas is inflicted with a hate group that masquerades as a church but is as virulent and violent as any KKK group. They focus on homosexuals and picket any business, church or funeral where they THINK a homosexual may be attending or being mourned. They carry huge signs with gross depictions and hateful comments and make children of 10 or 12 stand in the cold, rain, and heat for hours holding them. Though they have been violent, the courts have been powerless to control them. 02/23/00 Karla There's one thing I'd like to know.. why isn't kkk illegal in the States? or is it? Is it like a Mafia? and are all white townspeople in it? Its practices sound ridiculous, considering it was the white man, the race they promote, who brought in those poor black slaves who would have much preferred to stay in their native Africa. I wonder why they are so ignorant of that fact. 02/18/00 Houston Texas In the USA, we act like racism doesn't exist. It does. I'm afraid for my four sons. I want them to become godly and upstanding citizens, but statistics say they will either be on drugs or killed. I won't claim that on my Sons. With prayer and effort my four sons will be quality men. Please don't ignore the racism that is taking place. It starts with the governor's house into my house. 02/18/00 Nicholas Smith Cypress California What about the fact that more race crimes are committed in America today by blacks against whites, than whites against blacks? Now you probably won't show this message because you would hate to have to realize that you are not as oppressed as you think you are. Why don't you wake up for a second, and try to realize that this is not going to get better if you keep making the "whites" the oppressors. Blacks are NOT oppressed. One last thing, think about this, if we, the "evil whites," did not bring Black Americans over to America, where would you be today? With your tribe in Africa? Probably. Why don't you realize that you are not slaves anymore. Neither were your parents, grandparents, and possibly even your great-grandparents. So, wake up and smell the coffee. Oh, yeah, by the way, don't sit here and call me racist. My girlfriend is black, and I love black people. I just hate niggers. 02/17/00 Kelly Corcoran Victorville, CA I am a High school senior and at my school we are required to do a Senior project in our Senior english class I chose to do mine on Hate Crimes. One of my good friends is also doing it on HATE CRIMES, and I found this web-site to be really helpful. At my school we have A LOT of different races and form time to time they get on each others nerves and there will be a large fight between one race and another or one relgion or another. I personally feel that not liking someone for the color of the skin is stupid! I have been treated differntly because I am a "white girl" it isn't fun at all. People don't change over night from hating people and burning crosses etc. if they ever do change they don't change completely and it would take forever to do so. I agree with the Grand dragon when he says if things don't change there will be a race war on american soil because there is so much hate between people and if things don't change that is exactly what is going to happen BUT I don't beleave it will happen by 2000 because we are already here! I don't beleave that guy changed because I just don't BUT I didn't read or hear about his story so I really can't say. I don't think poverty has anything to do with hate groups or any of that other stuff. Does being rich have something to do with it? 02/14/00 Mary Flaig Pacific Grove, CA Thank you! For all our sakes we must understand racism in all its complexity and horror. I couldn't stop hearing George W. Bush's voice defending the principle of States Rights as I watched the good citizens of Manning struggle against racist bullies. This privileged product of American higher education imagines himself leading the country, yet lacks the spine to stand against racism and with the good people of Manning, who so richly deserve the support of the powerful. If this country is great, they are the reason why. Timothy Welch's actions will demonstrate the genuineness of his transformation. Time will tell, l but I felt that he was facing himself. 11 years may not seem like a long time to him today but his future self may not agree. I hope he's able to become a better man. He's immeasurably fortunate to have the forgiveness of his victims. |