Field got mail!

Let me start this post by saying congrats to the people of Egypt. You deserve your freedom. You took to the streets and sacrificed your time, blood, sweat, and tears for it. I guess a revolution can be televised after all.

Now to the mailbag:

I never usually post the e-mails that I get from readers. Primarily because most of them are just the usual hate filled rants about N*&&%r this and N*&^$r that; with a few choice curse words sprinkled in between.

But every now and then I get one without the usual cursing that I can actually publish. I will publish this one and attempt to answer some of the writer's questions.

"Hello,

Somehow I stumbled upon your blog "Field Negro". I must say that although you state that you are a lawyer you are very good at playing the black victim status/role and pandering to others who want to keep this fraudulent stereotype alive.. Go ahead and refer to yourself as a so called field Negro (as if you really know what it is like to work in the fields) play victim to the mean WHITE society that's keeping you down. Sir this argument is growing older than dirt and you know it. A Merry Ca as you refer to it is the place where people from all over the world come to seek a better life. I consider myself lucky to have been born here. Some people (like yourself) just don't appreciate the freedoms and the sacrifices made by Americans of all colors so that you could be free to write the drivel that you do.

By now I'm sure you've heard this all before and I'm quite certain that you have a steady and consistent argument in place in response to folks like myself. You mentioned in your profile that you were born in Jamaica. I just don't understand people like yourself who come here from other parts of the world only to spit on America and the privileges that are offered to all who really want to invest themselves. Invest not in harmful racist banter but with positive contributions to a country that right now needs less hate and more people to stand up and do what's right.

What is it that makes you hate America and white people so much? Do you realize that other's who come here, Chinese, Latinos Indian. etc etc are passing the black race by? Your failure to move forward is what is making this happen,sir. Your belief that slavery and victim status is the way to go is only holding the black people back. I don't see many Chinese complaining and bad mouthing America after arriving here from communist China.

Let's face it, America is not perfect. There will always be hate and racism and injustices done to some people of all races but why fuel the fires of hate and pain? Why not put that time and energy into helping others who need a hand pulling themselves up to possibly become an attorney like yourself or whatever dream they may have other than drugs and guns and a certain death on our streets?

In America today we are all free to come and free to go. No one is cracking a whip at our feet in the cotton fields. America needs your help,sir. You can either dive in and help out or you can keep spilling your negative hateful America bashing day in and day out. Just remember that you are free to make that choice. You are also free to go back to your country of origin if you really find it so bad here in A Merry Ca.

Sincerely,

Ralph Jones "

Well Ralph, first, let me say thanks for writing. I appreciate that fact that you tried to keep your tone somewhat civil. That must have been hard for you.

Anyway Ralph, let me start with your somewhat xenophobic premise that somehow you are entitled to claim A-merry-ca and I am not. Sir, unless you happen to be a Native American, you can make no such claim. I came to this country legally, and my status here affords me all the rights of citizenship. You happened to have been born here. Great. But remember, we have an equal claim to this country. You sir, by virtue of your birth, have no more rights and privileges than I do. (Unless, of course, we both decide to run for president)

You also fall into the trap of believing that everyone who comes to this country was living a miserable Third World existence. Nothing could be further from the truth. I can assure you, sir, that I did not come to this country needing a hand out. I know that throws off your narrative, but sometimes you just have to think outside of that xenophobic box. Also, I did not come here to spit on this country,--- my very A-merry-can wife would not allow it.

Ralph , you can't run away from your history, and the conditions that your history has created for generations of people (black and white) in A-merry-ca. There might be a day in A-merry-ca when uppity Negroes like myself wont post "drivel" on the Internet on a daily basis, but sorry, we are not there yet. There are still too many folks like you who are in denial.

I have contributed in many positive ways to this country, and, in spite of your red white and blue blinders, I am not so sure that you can say the same. I have also "moved forward" in my personal life. The difference between the two of us is is that I want others to move forward with me. You have deluded yourself under a cloud of white (or house) privilege, so you do not. I care about people not A-merry-can people. Just people. That might not be the A-merry-can way, but I am a human being first, not an A-merry-can.

So sorry Ralph, I will keep "bashing." Because no one (as you so conveniently reminded me) is "cracking a whip" at my feet. My job is to constantly remind people like you what A-merry-ca is capable of ,and if folks like me aren't always vigilant, she just might resort to her old ways.

Still Ralph, you are right about one thing; A-merry-ca does need help. But folks who are in denial like yourself won't be able to do much. In order to help A-merry-ca you have to first help yourself. The only way you can do that is by crawling from under that flag you conveniently use to shield yourself from the problems in this country. Problems, I might add, that were created over time by folks just like you.