The best way to honor or recognize history is not to merely reflect upon the past but to strive to make the present and future better.

The Black community understands that symbolic gestures, holidays, and the like, may be nice, but mean absolutely nothing. Conversely, good paying jobs and careers have tangible meaning and can change a person's life.

Did the great Black leaders of the 19th and 20th centuries ask for symbolic gestures, holidays, or related nonsense? No. It was not important then and it is not important now.

The 40 acres and a mule - well, yes. That was the promised compensation for descendants of Black slaves. The promise represented not just money, but an opportunity for descendants to begin providing for their families and accumulating wealth (if given land with good soil). But the measure was never implemented. Instead, Black former slaves were forced to go into debt as sharecroppers.

Please stop giving us (Black Americans) things we do not want or need! We want what you want: a fair opportunity to compete, to be evaluated and rewarded fairly, and to have our laws enforced. That's it!

Asking to monetarily make up for the wrongs of slavery and the broken promise of 40 acres and a mule at this point is not practical or realistic.

Most descendants of slave owners will attempt to justify the actions of their ancestors. Former Senator and Dixiecrat presidential candidate Strom Thurmond who once filibustered the Civil Rights Act said to me........

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