Racist, How does "respect every one" become racist.

I understand situation, but I do not confuse it with color. Being poor and from a broken family is the most common cause of poverty. That is not to say that racism and other factors do not contribute, Of course they do. I have no doubt that in many situations that was a root cause for the parents. But, to say to a kid, you are poor because you are black, is a diservice. To say, you are in a cruddy situation, life is unfair, what do you need to succeed is what should be said. To look at a poor white kid and say, well , you are white, so you don't need help is laying the roots to turn someone into a racist.

All, people, and I mean all, should be given the tools and help to succeed. My own child has a disability. I have no idea if colllege will be a possibliity for him. I pray daliy that it will, but also realize that each day he struggles adn fights an almost epic battle to succeed. When someone tells me that to succeed you need a college degree, yeah, I get pissed off. A young man I knew had alcohol fetal syndrom. At seventeen he could not read. I was a little older, and since he had basically no parents we talked about his plans one day. He told me had entered a apprentice program at school for autobody work, but felt he had to quit when they gave him a final written exam. He had quit and was working at a shop under an apprentice program there. Last I heard was when he was about 20. He was engaged, making a good living, and way more established than any of his freinds. Was he suceeding? I have more respect for him than most people, I will tell you that much


Lastly, how did I say I did not respect education. I said I do not respect people based soley on education. Many great people never are given the opportunity to get an education. I never assume that the lack of a degree assumes stupidity, nor do I assume a degree necessarily means intelligence. I think to do so is elistist.

A young man in my sunday school class was in a very poor situation. He would come to class each sunday, occassionally bringing his freinds in full gang colors along. An older guy I know went to his family and convinced them to move. Helped them get an apartment in another city, worked with him. One day I was working with at the church when he came in very distraught. He worked with the corner and had discovered the young man laying dead on the table with a gun shot. He was a very hard man, and for the only time I knew him I saw him struggling not to breakdown. His words were, I thought he made it, I thought we got him out. no blame, no hatred, only compassion and sorrow.

Hope, love, compassion, belief, charity, and understanding. I hope and try each day to live with them.

I have no doubt that most of you try to do the same. Hopefully someday we will all get there.