Date: Saturday, January 05, 2002
From: Somet1999@aol.com
Subject: Letter to the Editor

Hello

I find your site interesting. I am not white. From my experience whiteness is not about the extremists that terrorize and murder the racialized others but more of a standard that is used to measure everything that enters this society. Its about having the privilege of dealing with the racialized others on one's own terms and on one's own turf. Because I am not white I would like to know how you feel about

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION:
We live in one of the most racialized society on earth. Since this country was founded, whites have and are running almost every significant economic, governmental, and educational institution. Whites, as opposed to the racialized other, have most of the high-profile positions (95% of all CEO's and every President is white) and consciously or subconsciously choose people most like themselves to work with them. Given this reality, how are the racialized others supposed "get into the door " of these white-run institutions without a conscious and concerted national program? If America is only about benefiting white people you can bet it will just crumble from within like the Roman Empire which was overrun by the barbarians.

Date: Saturday, January 19, 2002
From: allenamerica@mindspring.com
Subject: letter to the editor

While I wholeheartedly support the historical understanding and deconstruction of "white" history and identity, several things concern me:

history (that is, history-to-be-studied), a site for the repetition and reification of IDEOLOGY, is, always and ineluctably, a "history of great men". If seen as a BODY, what lies OUTSIDE history-to-be-studied (that is, outside of our bodies' historically-linked [white] "experience") must, from a perspective in the present, stretch backwards as a discrete, even if concurrent, REMAINDER. In short the act, in the present, of delineating a "white" historical body runs the risk of reifying that linkage we are trying to dissolve (whiteness).

I fear it will be futile, ultimately, to invite the participation of whites OR blacks in any endeavor that treats "history" as a foundational site but retains its racialist classificatory schemes, which instead must be blurred by the gradual emergence of a non-embodied history, not of "great men" but of DESIRE. Desire does not ASCRIBE linkages to an unknown past, but rather DE-scribes potentialities for connection in an envisionable future.

love, Allen America

Date: Sunday, February 10, 2002
From: Rainbowdharma@aol.com
Subject: Update on Rainbowdharma.com activity

Jeff,

I continue to enjoy your site and am happy to see my website Rainbowdharma.com affiliated with it. Thanks for carrying and excerpt from my site Rainbowdharma.com. Here's an update on my activity:

I've written a book of meditations from an African American perspective and have also written an article on world peace for the international Buddhist publication Snow Lion:

Meditation book is here:
http://www.snowlionpub.com/store/display.cgi?cart_id=&page=BUMEAF.html

Snow Lion Article, "The Path to World Peace" here:
http://www.snowlionpub.com/store/display.cgi?cart_id=&page=N57_1.html

Please circulate. Your feedback would be appreciated.

Choyin Rangdrol
www.rainbowdharma.com

Date: Thursday, March 21, 2002
From: Steve Beck [steveforyou1@yahoo.com]
Subject: Letter to the Editor

It really amazes me how someone can be so against racism and yet use racism as a tool to fight for their cause. I am a white American male. I come from a family who has been here in the United States since the 1600’s. I don’t associate myself and family from any other part of the world, regardless of race and background, I am an American and proud of it, not of my race. I am one of the only few people that went to college in my family and come from a family that has always been categorized as poor…and I mean poor, but very hard working! I wanted to break that trend and be able to use the freedom of capitalism to provide for my family and live a comfortable life. Being 25 years old now and starting my new career, I am now able to do that.

I never thought of myself as being privileged for being white, in fact in today’s society I almost feel persecuted for being white. For example listen to the news, look at all the web sites against the white race like yours, and yes all the web sites against all races…they are all destructive to humanity. I respect all cultures and live in a community that is very diverse. I say cultures, not race because it is the race issue that is the problem. I have been turned down for job opportunities after college because of my race, in order for these companies to meet their quota. I did not let that stop me and took advantage of the free markets and capitalism that allows all of use to survive in today’s world. I have friends and family from all different cultural backgrounds. I will be getting married to a woman of Spanish decent here soon. There may be people who try to use their white race to advance in society, just as there are other races who use their race to advance in society as well. It may be true that there are a lot of whites in a higher status in society, does that make all of them evil? I know you would say it is only those that use their “white status” to advance that is evil, but I really feel that it is mainly the hard work and motivational drive of most Americans that puts them in a “higher status.”

I feel that if people like you would get off the race trip, and focus on how we can accept cultural differences then we all just might get somewhere. America is a country that thrives off cultural differences, not different races. When you add in the race issue, you are doomed for failure. Instead of your movement to abolish the white race, you should focus on abolishing all races, white, black, brown, yellow, & red. The only positive thing I have to say about your sight is that at least here in America, you have the right to have a web sight like this. If the “white race” is so evil and in control, then why are you still allowed to run this sight?

Cheers,
A concerned American citizen

Date: Tuesday, April 30, 2002
From: Sarah Smith [heather_sims02@hotmail.com]
Subject: Letter to the Editor

Your letter is one-sided to your view and you should take into account that racism is beteween all races, including whites. Blacks are allowed to form their own organizations but when whites want to form organizations for all whites; it is described as discrimiantory. There is equal racism from coloreds towards whites. The only differnce is you are allowed to get away with it.

Date: Saturday, May 04, 2002
From: Kevin Lane [kwlane@inreach.com]
Subject: One man's perspective

I like the concept of your website. However, I believe that the problems of racism, at some point, need to be addressed from within respective communities (whites talking to whites, blacks talking to blacks, etc…); a concept that can be likened to the "team meeting" in the sports world. A "team meeting" excludes all outsiders, including the coaches, so that issues can be addressed in a true "round table" format. How unfortunate it is that such forums so often get caught up in issues of "superiority," or "victimology"

(It is my conviction that if you think you are superior you probably aren't; and if you think you're a victim you probably are).

The concepts of "superiority" and "victimology" both have basis in the interpretation of the methods of domination and control that Europeans imposed on peoples of color worldwide; and yet one has only to read "The Prince" by Niccolo Machiavelli to realize that the evil that was born of selfish power/control desires was not only visited upon peoples of color, but also on the very closest of family. One need not think too hard to imagine the insane dement ions this phenomena could reach when applied to peoples that look and act so distant from the familiar.

That having been said I think it's important we properly interpret these actions as belonging to a clearly defined past (pre-emancipation, pre-civil rights act of 1964, etc…), and make sure that the injustices which occur today are properly evaluated:

John McWhorter (Prof. Linguistics/UC Berkeley) Losing The Race, 2001 (p. 26)

"Victimology stems from a lethal combination of this inherited inferiority complex with the privilege of dressing down the former oppressor. Encouraged to voice umbrage on one hand, and on the other hand haunted by the formers oppressor lie that 'black is bad,' many African Americans have fallen into a holding pattern of wielding self-righteous indignation less as spur to action that as a self-standing action in itself. Because I detract attention form the inadequacies we perceive in ourselves by highlight those of the other. An analogy, partial but useful, is the classroom tattle-tale. We all remember this kid, ostensibly committed to keep everything on the straight and narrow, just as Victmologist blacks are ostensibly committed to rooting out injustice. However, we all knew that the tattle-tale was ultimately motivated less by a desire to improve student conduct than by personal insecurities, especially since the ill he pointed out were almost always minor one that weren't hurting anybody ('Mrs. Montgomery, Jeffery is licking the eraser again')."

Thank you

Kevin Lane

Date: Sunday, May 12, 2002
From: CRDL2THEGRVE@aol.com
Subject: Being a euro american in L.A.

I live in Los Angeles and am Euro-American. I live in a mexican-american community that has a lot of gang violence. The other day I was riding my bike and 2 white southern raised Sheriffs pulled me over (in my own neighborhood) asking what i was doing there. and said "aint no whiteboys around here" but as they finished threatening to "beat my ass" they found my ID and drove off trying to alert a group of gang members who already were aware of my presence that i was in the area with loud sirens! I am actually mixed but i look closer to an anglo. I find it hard being this way and sometimes i feel sad i cant live here and get any respect. I have lived here for two years and most of the time when i buy food at the stand they never look at me and never say thank you. I also get a lot of stares and laughs. It really makes me mad that a slight difference and hair and skin color seperates us. its funny how LA is, on the west coast in places such as NYC race is not as important. here that is all that matters. I think a lot of white people are ashamed of their history because of how the schools have raved about how opressive all white people are to the youth. White youths often dye their skin and shave their heads because they are ashamed of their white straight hair and light skin, it is strange. people should not have to feel that way at all. I was listening to this ridiculos speech in venice about how the white male was once from africa but moved away and became mutants, making them MAN KIND and not HU MAN...because hue means color and white people are not HUE-MAN. i disagree with that.

Date: Thursday, June 20, 2002
From: Joseph McGowan [mcg@seattleu.edu]
Subject: Appreciation for you

I am African American and privileged to minister in the Roman Catholic Church, in which, in America, the majority of members are White. I want to be supportive of the different European communities' emotional and spiritual growth. I choose to be affirming, supportive, and stay out of leadership with them... just as I would hope members of the different European communities would support and participate in Black culture, but not try to take over.

That is really hard for me... there are times when I would want folks to focus, stay on task, work together, be proud of themselves and of each other. So often I find hurting people who spend a lot of time seeking appreciation or power...

Many African Americans are in need of appreciation and power too... for different reasons, though, deep inside some Black people I know are very uncomfortable being people of color and angry because they do not have the money to feel secure and valued.

I feel powerless at times when I want to help people with debts that keep them from meeting bills or helping their children to go to school. I am fairly comfortable with myself but I have to reach out to other Black people often to make sure that my judgments about myself or about our country often seem strange..., out of sync with the majority...

But I believe in what you are trying to do... helping people to accept their own weaknesses and strengths and not use doors that are closed to those who do not look like them to feel comfortable in America...

what I want to hear from different members of the Euro communities is how I can support them and from people of color how I can be a whole and healthy person..

Anyway I can support your efforts, please let me know

Father Joseph McGowan, SJ

Date: Friday, July 12, 2002
From: Chris M. Forte [Forte@Virtualitalia.zzn.com]
Subject: There is No White America

Your site is blatantly incorrect and ignorants. There is no White America and there is no White American culture. There is, however, a White-Anglo-Saxon-America. Other European groups that were not English in origin, like the Irish, Italians, and Slavs and other Southern and Eastern Europeans were not considered "White" or "Aryan" when they first immigrated here. In fact, they faced the same kind of prejudice and discrimination that today's Latino and Asian immigrant groups face. I am not a "White American." I am an Italian-American, and unlike Anglo-Saxon-Protestants, my Italian-Catholic ethnic group did not have much if any power or dominance in American society until quite recently. Before you go around saying that all Whites are "privileged" and have always been accepted here and had all the power, please conduct some real research. You'd be surprised and not as naive.

Date: Thursday, July 18, 2002
From: Victoria Wilson [aradiasmoon@yahoo.com]
Subject: Letter to the Editor

Hi there,

Upon reading through several dozen letters to the editor, I discovered an alarming tendency of those visiting your site to equate any suggestion of multiracialism replacing a wholly white-controlled society to somehow a "hatred" of whites or those of European ancestry. You were accused of trying to "tear down" the white community, of being "evil" (!?!). I was stunned by the venom and hostility of the majority of those writing to you. Talk about paranoia! It is obvious to me that we, as a race, have tremendous issues! These letters reveal perhaps an even more insidious problem than white guilt - the problem of white reactionism to anything remotely resembling criticism of our race. In a way, "the lady doth protest too much"; we might come to the conclusion that those with such vehemant hostilities toward any sort of analysis of what it means to be white are perhaps the ones who harbor the most fear about confronting the meaning of the privilege being white affords. I was born into a working-class, "decent" New England family, and even I, if I'm being honest, have to claim the privilege of never having had to confront my "whiteness". My husband is non-White, and I can assure those whites who don't want to acknowlege it, his experience is extraordinarily different from mine. Education and work have taken me to Asia (an eye opening experience - being a member of the minority!), L.A., and far away from my white, Yankee, working-class roots, but this has only reinforced my belief that never having to think about my "whiteness" at home here in the U.S. is indeed a luxury. I don't understand why it is so difficult for other whites to at least consider that desiring to live in a multi-cultural world does not have to mean that we hate our own people! Now, if I could just escape having to think about my femaleness every time I walk down the street, perhaps we could truly make some progress!

Leigh

(grad student, NYC)

Date: Thursday, July 25, 2002
From: jrrrr@comcast.net
Subject: Euros, Afros, Latinos, Asians and Indian Chiefs

Dear Euro-Idiots,

Value choices are the exclusive incentive for all human action, therefore skin colors do NOT determine _any_ value choices or _any_ human action. Since that simple fact is irrefutably true neither you, nor the stereotype driven bigots behind today's AffirmaNazi era, can utilize irrelevant color differences to accurately predict any individual's personality characteristics or economic circumstances. Just because you've very likely been taught the exact opposite, that color judgements are superior to character judgements as a source of human knowledge, doesn't actually alter your racist color judgements into a remedy for racism (nor does it alter American style racial indoctrination into an "education.")

All you are saying throughout this website is that _all_ those of similar color, think and act so much alike that it is possible to presume color specific racial characteristics. What exactly do you think the color judgements of racism are, but this SAME presumption that superficial color similarities are an omniscient source of information regarding the value choices, characters and action of people ONE DOES NOT EVEN KNOW.

Judy Helton
American-American (snicker)

"If you don't know me, don't judge me."
Tupac Shakur

Date: Thursday, July 25, 2002
From: Maggie [mcastillo888@excite.com]
Subject: Letter to The Editor

To Whom It May Concern;

I have just finished vitising your site, and I must say that I blown away by some of your facts. I happen to agree with most of them and I am not White. I am of Mexican descent. I am a Hispanic and female to boot. I am presenttly researching for a project in which I have to give a presentation on an ethnic group's educational learning styles and other various characteristic that can be traced in a educational format, and I have been assigned "White". Why White? Why not European? Do is mean White American? Does it mean European Influences? Which group? German? Irish? English? French? I don't have an answer. I cannot possibly imagine how hard it must be to be always labeld. No, wait I do know! But, why is it that when people of a minority group need to feel justified they tend to label. You people (Sorry, I just had to throw that it!; for I've heard it all my life) are as label and abused as the rest of us.

I have always hated the terms for the color issues as "WHITE or BLACK". Why is that Hispanic have no color? Why not Asians? Ok, I know that sometimes we are brown ( ok all the time),but why is the issue made up by two colors? I agree with one of the letters sent to you. Why should "white" people feel bad about slavery? Hell, that happened decades ago, and it was no the majority of white people. Why do Black people now feel the need to keep remainding everone of their ancestors suffrage? What about the Aztecs? Maybe I am wrong,but I once learned in a couple of history classes that "White" people did not enslave Africans first. Supposedly, the tribe warfare evolved into abducting natives from an enemy tribe and selling them as slaves to other tribes and outside the country. Why continue the guilt trip on White people? I absolutely believe that Black people are the most racist people in our culture. You see they forget that when the make a call anywhere, their color isn't seen, while Hispanics and Asians have to spell their names over and over.

I greatful for you site. I may not be White, but I can appreciate the necessity of it.

Sincerely,

Margarita Castillo

Date: Thursday, July 25, 2002
From: Amberly [amberlyrenee@buckeye-express.com]
Subject: Skin Color

Why is that this "study" of European-Americans based on the color of skin. I find this offensive because white people do have seperate cultures between each of them for example, their are Irish, Geraman, Polish, Welsh, and so on.

I believe if African-American studies were called Black studies it would be equally offensive!

Thank you for your time!

Date: Tuesday, September 03, 2002
From: Bill [bill_rankin@yahoo.com]
Subject: Whats a "w"hite boy to do?

I'm not an African American nor Chican nor Asian nor American Indian. I'm a working male "w"hite American. That's with a small "w", because apparently my culture doesn't matter much, at least on your site.

I came to your site, from the Freeman Institute site, where yours was one of three "w"hite culture sites listed (sic).

I work and pay taxes that go to support diversity and ethnicity other than my own, some of which is against my religous beliefs. My children, all "w"hite, attend public schools where everyone else, racially/sexually/etc, is celebrated.

I live in a temproarily "w"hite majority country. (see the 2000 census).

I see being a "w"hite person as living in an ever increasingly hostile environment towards "w"hite people. Not a good image for my "w"hite children, nor a good future. But if I voice my concerns, I'm racist.

I feel as if I'm in a wrong race, accused of so much impropriety, losing the survival of my culture, and expected to like it.

Does anyone wonder why a person could feel angry at all the anti-"w"hite sentiment? Not very PC, but contrary to popular thought "w"hite people are just that - people.

I never owned a slave. Only have a degree because of the G.I. bill, with a myriad diversity of other veterans (we earned it). Was only able to buy a house after turning 41. I attend church, support my local public schools, vote.

BUT - All my beliefs are being questioned. All my culture is viewed as wrong. As a "w"hite, I have no special rights. No quotas. No right to represent myself or my culture. No nothing (intentional double negative).

Just an opportunity to work and pay more taxes to support things which do not help me or my family, that are often than not against my religious beliefs and moral standards.

So this brings me back to my subject line question, "Whats a working "w"hite boy to do?"

Sincerely,

Bill

Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2002
From: Arturo Nunez [arturonunez@onebox.com]
Subject: The Black/White dichotomy is DEAD and OUTDATED

Interestng website.

I am a former PH.D graduate student at UC Berkeley and, believe me, I've seen my share of upper middle-class liberal solutions that fail to reflect reality. I am a liberal as well, I suppose. But I am also a Latino whose experience in participating in 'solutions' for equity has seen the almost completely ignoring of Latinos in the US. In reading over many of your articles I cringed over and over again while many of your 'inspired and enlightened' CONTINUED to view race as a black/white dichotomy. Now, perhaps it's true that the Census Bureau has deemed me to be an "ethnic' and not a 'racial' catagory. Fine. But racial or ethnic categories in America were NEVER a neat and tidy black/white entity.

Keep framing racial issues in this erroneous manner and after awhile you'll find yourselves with a whole new paradigm that addressess whiteness, yes, but also denies other voices that have historically been oppressed by whiteness as well.

C'mon. I expected more. In that regard, you guys are way, way outdated in your approach. As far as what your tackling--whiteness--yes, I think it's fresh. Great job! But many of your participants RELIED and LEANED on OLD and AGED notions/and or approaches to race that grew out of the 1960's civil rights movement (I'm 43).

Hello???? That was 50 years ago!? The US has not stayed frozen in a vacuum but has instead worsened in its white-supremacist-based treatment of Latinos, Vietnamese, Cambodians, Mien, poor chinese, poor middle-easterners, and working-class peoples of all colors and sizes.

If you want to exercise your ability to 'stretch' the terms of your white cultural assumptions, then 'stretch' beyond the black/white dichotomy, for starters, cause that paradigm is dead and outdated and is virtually guaranteed to form a 'closed discussion' between whites and blacks. Somewhat heroically self-centered, if you ask me, and I've been hearing variations on that closed-discussion ALL my life as a Latino.

Population by race of California public school children, K-12, (Oct 2000)

Latino 47%
White 37%
Asian 12.2%
African-American 9.2%

Again, you are all to be commended. Great job, in fact. I have high hopes for the outcome of your work. AND----Black IS relevant. It IS oh so crucial to understanding race relations on MANY levels in the US. But to trood down the same old dichotomous road IN THE FACE OF California's huge demographic changes/growth is coming dangerously close to outright dissing and alientating some very politically potent populations that HAVE ALSO suffered at the hand of white oppression.

Yours truly,

Arturo
Working-class bum turned scholar

Date: Monday, November 25, 2002
From: AUDREY EVERSON [audeve@msn.com]
Subject: Letter to the Editor

I just wanted to send you a poem I wrote after watching a documentary on the black and white fight in America that still continues.

Same Fight

I’m not black, but as a white

I believe I still have a right.

To fight and be proud.

Along side my brother not allowed,

To unveil this past and present shroud.

I feel for my brother regardless of color.

It doesn’t take a scientist to discover.

That the black man has been maimed,

And the white man is to blame.

Shut the fuck up, you should be shamed!

So, stand up and be real.

Open up, step out and feel

What your fellow brothers can’t conceal.

The hatred and the doubt

For being all that they’re about.

They must stand up and shout!

We cover our ears, and deny our eyes sight.

So, they continue to fight

for what is their human right.

Sometimes I wish I lived as one of them.

As to own my pride of being righteous against such sin.

Such ignorance rages and burns within.

I know, I see, even though its not completely about me.

But it is. Its about humanity!

I cry for not only the black man,

But for all those still fighting to make a stand.

I say -- Put your pride aside and lend a brotherly hand.

Maybe its my own claim.

Maybe its my own shame,

But, I still feel the pain.

Knowing I don’t fit with the rest

That’s considered all that is best.

How do I challenge this test?

I believe what I have to present

is my endless discontent.

That separateness equals pride is still present.

Help those God who need to repent.

For dividing what is human nature,

and denying what we know is for sure.

That no difference can detour.

That we are all as one - forever!

Date: Friday, November 29, 2002
From: The Matthews [thematthews3@knology.net]
Subject: Letter to the Editor

Hi,

I was researching "what is an American" and came across your website. Do you have any opinion as to what classifies an "American?" We could use some help with gathering some credible data on that topic.

Also, the whole "white" thing has us a little confused. We're accustomed to thinking "white" is more of an appearance thing moreso than a geographical thing. According to Ben Franklin "white" people are the Saxons and those of English descent? So the Germans and others that fit that light features "white" stereotype aren't white? What box do they check on all of those forms we have to fill out. What if you have an Italian and English wed and have a child with brown hair and blue eyes, what are they classified as? By general standards, he/she would "look white," so who knows. What about if a black person marries an Asian or "white" person, then what would the child be classified as? Someone once told me it depends on what physical characteristics the child comes out with---that's ridiculous!!! We haven't seen any multi-cultural boxes to check yet? What about the other non Sax/English people like from Spain or South America that have light physical features where anyone at a glance would think they were "white," but if they speak Spanish/Italian/French etc. they are not "white?"

Our Arabic friends don't have a box to check on those forms, are they "other?"

"White" has completely lost it's initial meaning and considering the original description of what "white" was, I can't imagine that it's possible for there to be 75% pure "white" people in the US. Just out of principle, we choose "other" because that whole system is screwed up.

Look forward to your feedback.
The Matthews

Date: Thursday, December 05, 2002
From: Donna Houghton [nuttygirl1@activemail.co.uk]
Subject: My L+T lesson

Hi, Im Donna and I am doing about American culture in my leisure and tourism class, your website did naf all to help me learn. thanks forthat

Date: Wednesday, December 18, 2002
From: Jeremy Perkins [jpintampa@hotmail.com]

While surfing the net I stumbled across your site. It's got some interesting ideas, but the letters to the editor were the most thought-provoking. Some agree with you about trying to define white culture. Others seem to be of the opinion that well, I didn't enslave or oppress anybody, so why should I get into this whole liberal commie naval-gazing? Still others seem to be saying well, this country's mainly white and those durn minorities should just get used to it, so bwa-hah-hah-hah!

Well, I'll write. You likely won't agree. There's isn't any "white" culture, or "black" culture, or "red" or "yellow" culture, any more than there are white or black or red or yellow people. Before you hang me from the highest tree, please let me explain!

Go to Upper Egypt and talk about "black" culture to the Nubians there, and they will look at you as though you are a lunatic. In other African countries, you will find Nubian culture, Zulu culture, Xhosa, Igbo,etc. If you look at somebody of African descent, you will notice that their skin is not black. It is brown. Dark brown, light brown, and various shades in between. What most of the tribes have in common is that they wholeheartedly despise each other, which is the reason for a lot of the ethic scuffles on that continent. If you had stood in the center of the Rwanda bloodbath and told the Hutu and Tutsi combatants, "Well, you're all black, after all," you would have likely gotten a machete in your ear.

In this country, confuse a person of the Hopi tribe with the Denay or vice versa, and he or she will not hesitate to correct you. They don't get along, it seems. Cheerfully remind them that they're all Native A-MER-ee-kins. Make sure you pronounce it in the usual nasal, irritating, clueless manner described above.

A Chinese lady of my aquaintence turned up her nose in disgust when someone asked if people in China sit on the floor at dinnertime. "Of course not!" she bristled. "We are not Japanese!" She is a mild-mannered woman, but I don't think she would have taken kindly to anybody saying, "Well, yeah, but you're all yellow, right?"

Europeans are not white. They're varying shades of brown, beige and pink and they have as many cultures as Native Americans, East Asians, and Africans. There are Italians, Germans, English, Russian, Scottish, Icelandic--the list could go on forever. Telling Serbs, Croats, Irish and English that they all look the same would an act of suicide. It's rude and brainless to lump them all together, just as it is to do it to anybody else.

Are there differences between cultures? Of course. Is there racism in this country? You bet. Do a lot of people of European descent have good reason to be ashamed of themselves? Oh, yeah. But you're not helping the situation by starting up a chat about "white culture".

What say we just knock off this whole silly discussion about race? What say we all quit pigeonholing each other, copping an attitude about our great-grandparents? The person who keeps blabbering about his ancestors, be they glorious or evil or somewhere in between, is admitting that he is like a potato--the only interesting part of him is underground.

Sincerely (because I really mean it),

Heather P.
PS--Oh, you want to know my race? Human. Otherwise I wouldn't be typing this, now would I? I will now grasp a spoon with my fingers and opposable thumb to go fix dinner.

Date: Thursday, December 26, 2002
From: chalres [art21cn@online.sh.cn]
Subject: Letter to the Editor

There are several cultural regions in the United States.Pick up one that you believe to be most representative of American culture,traditional or modern.