The responses in this are just fantastic and this is a dialogue people need to have more often. I want to thank you Cary, and LW, just for bringing it up because I believe we have a lot of work to do.

I wonder what my younger brother would say. He is black and grew up in our all white neighborhood in a small town. I remember walking down the street with him and having someone shout the "n" word as they passed in a car. I wanted to hold him and tell him they were just stupid and they didn't mean it, but I knew that wasn't true. I wanted to pull that dude out of the car and beat his head in, anything to push it away.

If that word comes up now, it is only in some of the music I happen to enjoy for the beats. My friends do not talk like that probably because they have a larger world view. Does that make them snobs or the liberal elite? Words are powerful. Adults have a responsibility to the next generations and your friend is only perpetuating hate.

"Jive talk"? That would be funny, in a skit maybe.

I had a black woman on a bus tell me she hated my "white ass" and at the time I laughed because it was outrageous that someone would say that because a person reached over to open a window. I didn't touch her, but apparently she felt crowded by my reach. Racism is everywhere, it's disgusting and hurtful and kind of silly.

Cary, I want to be like you and be tolerant and open minded, even when someone is being ignorant... but I fail. I'm not there yet and don't know if I can get there.

Brilliant quoting a band that often illuminates or even mocks race and gender relations.

I like this one from "Root Down" too:

"Bob marley was a prophet for the freedom fight

"if dancin' prays to the lord then i shall feel alright"

I'm feeling good to play a little music

Tears running down my face 'cause i love to do it"

-B Boys

Who are you addressing here? All white people in the world? Do you mean to say that white behaviors toward other ethnicities are broken down into this:

"From denial to patronizing to out right ignorance the spectrum of white behaviors is endless. "

You sound insane Thrasher. Are you kidding? You are making it so much worse. You have officially joined the pool of racists if this is what you believe.

I am well acquainted with these feelings. Could I be your doppelganger? Your more evil doppelanger? I scream at whoever interrupts ( oh, only every 10 minutes or so ) but you seem quite polite about it.

I wish I could jet to Cary's workshop. Well, I wish I could jet anywhere right now... especially to write. It just doesn't seem to happen daily, which is important and sorely missed.

So what is the answer for those without the time and money? Without the room of one's own? I think Cary is right in every way and it means more because he is working as a writer, every day. I know a good many frustrated writers and artists of all sorts and one thing is consistent: If you want to write, LW, you too have to find your space.

I believe you will.

... are creepy.

Isn't that another word for archaic?

Love that book The Gas We Pass! Good call Tex!

Uhm, all this stuff about diet is probably off mark but it may hold truth. Who knows, there are intestinal issues in numbers we cannot imagine as non-docs. Dairy, wheat, beans, soy, nuts, stress, ulcers, allergies, IBS, celiac sprue. Heck it could be anything that sets your buddy's horn a tootin'. Fact is, you can't really say anything....

unless...unnnnlesssssss....

You joke about it. If it's a friend, why don't you just make jokes? Isn't that what guys do?

Sniff snort choke cough chortle (in that order),

e.m.

Whoever is writing to HH to take her meds, h*** no! I love the "rants", more, more!

And Heather, my condolences for having to sit through more than one evening of Nick (yawn) Lack-luster. He should keep those reps in the gym and avoid repeating embarrassing attempts at the croon.