Ethnically Speaking by Larry Meeks

Dear Larry: I am a young adult librarian, and every year, I take part in a program designed to teach teens leadership skills. One of the classes we stress is how to prevent discrimination.

The class is always a very ethnically diverse group, consisting of students from white to black and all shades in between. One special exercise requires the students to line up according to different arbitrary labels.

For example, we will tell them to line up according to their birth months. Once they have lined up, they are asked where the start of the line is. Of course, the one who was born in January raises his hand.

Next, we tell them to line up alphabetically according to their first names. Then they are asked where the start of the line is. The one whose name is Aaron, Arlene or Adam raises his or her hand.

Finally, they are told to line up according to their skin colors. Once they have lined up, they are asked where the beginning of the line is. That person raises his/her hand. Then they are asked, "What do you notice?"

What is noticed is an eye-opening experience. They line up with the lightest kids at the beginning of the line and the blacker ones to the rear.

Just thought I would share. — Laura

Dear Laura: Wow, this is powerful. Thanks for sharing.

This is an example of how people receive the subtle message of our society's "pecking order." The real question that must be answered is: How do we make a change?

I believe the only way to make color irrelevant is for everyone to be held to the same standards and live according to the same values.

Dear Larry: I am a white medical doctor who is retiring after 42 years of practice, and I voted for President Barack Obama.

In fact, I registered to vote for the first time in my life in order to be sure that he got the opportunity to deliver on his dynamic message of hope and change. At the time of his election and inaugural, I told my wife that racism would rear its ugly head to stymie whatever he tried to do for us. And I believe that current events back me up on this.

When have any of our previous presidents ever been victims of such cruel, loathsome barbs and hatemongering from the "other side"? It's not just right against left or conservative versus liberal. It's some ultraconservative extremist individuals who spew such racism that it makes me sick to consider them "fellow Americans."

And though I consider these extremists to be a minority of this country, they are so vocal, so vehement that it appears they are speaking for the rest of us. They are not speaking for me. I believe they may be finding or unearthing some very deep hatred some have held for a long time. — Bryson

Dear Bryson: It is good for America that we challenge all politicians and their policies.

I do not believe President Obama has been criticized unfairly. I also believe the put-downs and criticisms against former President George W. Bush were far worse than anything that has been hurled at President Obama. I believe you feel the sting of criticism because you agree with the president and his policies.

It is time we stop blaming every disagreement on race. Let's look at the merit of each complaint and stop avoiding the question by plastering the racism label on the inquirer.

To find out more about Larry G. Meeks and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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