"You must realize that the priceless gift that African-Americans gave us musically is now almost the only reason many foriegners still tolerate us."

I’ve read all of the letters, and have laughed and cried and laughed some more. The article which spawned them may have been a pointless and piss-poorly written disaster, but the responses to it, both pro and con have made this slow day at the office slavin’ away for the man go by just a bit faster, so thanks to all for that.

In reading the few posts which deign to defend Ms. Dickerson’s article, or exhort “go on, girl”, I am struck by those who seem to consider her some sort of Sassymamma Soulsistah Superheroine for calling on OJ to kill himself, like that is somehow some radical notion. I’m afraid that y’all got to help a brotha, cuz I just don’t see it. Ok, the woman wrote an article that said “we’d all be better off if OJ killed himself/big ups to Judith Regan for exploiting her own experience as a victim of abuse for cold hard cash for herself and not a thin dime to her supposed sister in suffering’s family or the Goldmans/oh, and by the way, I’m bitter as all get out because I can’t find a man who can bear my harpy screeching and overinflated sense of entitlement and overall lack of any damn sense whatsoever for long enough to help me raise these kids I got”, and she deserves some cookie for that? Where’s the heroism in writing a crappy article? I for dang sure cant find it. I don’t think anyone who isn’t related to OJ would shed a tear if he removed himself from the premises, but I’m not going to say some sistah with obvious personal baggage is Alice Walker 2.0 because she stated the obvious in the middle of a solipsistic rant.

This is one Black reader who would be very pleased to see Salon find some Black writers who can actually, um, write, and who don’t use every article that they submit as a forum in which to air their frustrations with finding a frickin’ date.

Speaking as one of those who teased King about his quote, I have to say that I agree with his conclusion that the miraculous Appalachian State victory over Michigan doesn't refute his point, which I also agree with. Those of you whom are talking about how people should've anticipated that Appalachian State was gonna be a tough opponent for Michigan are being absurd. I don't care how many I-AA-or-used-to-be-I-AA championships App State has won, they're still I-AA! Cinderellas like that don't happen in college football, as evidenced by the fact that no I-AA school had ever beaten a ranked I-A school before Saturday. One of you dredged up the tired "if any given Sunday" quote, which is in no way applicable here. Yes, on any given SUNDAY, when professional teams of roughly equivalent size, speed and talent meet, sometimes "upsets" occur, but the Cards beating the Bears or Colts is not even close to what just happened over the weekend. Boise State beating Oklahoma isn't close! They're both 1-A! I agree with King: One fluke does not a fact change, and it's a fact that there is no impetus for the power schools to schedule patsies, therefore we don't get nearly enough Tennessee-Cals, and way too many Oklahoma-North Texases.

I continue to see invalid comparisons of App State-Michigan to other upsets. The fact is: USC's third string would beat Appalachian State by 60. DeSean Jackson would take at least two punt returns back for touchdowns. Even Notre Dame (I'm a suffering fan) might've scored a touchdown. All this upset proves is that Lloyd Carr is incompetent, and should be fired.

Joan,

The question is: why wouldn't a Black man of Jeremiah

Wright's generation feel the way that he does about America?

You express shock at his attitude and words, and remind us

of your leftism, but, frankly, your reaction demonstrates a

lack of exposure to the true thoughts of many Black people. As Obama

pointed out in his speech, Reverend Wright's thoughts are expressed

all of the time in Black barbershops and beauty salons, in other churches,

in conversations amongst friends. I have heard America "damned" so many times

that I am not sure that I would be able to count the occasions. Many of my people

do not share your general optimism that we are stumbling, slowly but inexorably, towards

a "more pefect Union." Why do you think that so many of us celebrated when OJ Simpson was

found innocent? I will be honest: even though I believe in my heart that he murdered Nicole, I

joined that celebration, because I was fed up with the sanctimonious attitudes of many of the White people

around me that didnt bat an eye when Rodney King was beaten by policemen, when Black men and women are murdered

senselessly on a daily basis. I felt this way, and I'm no radical. To borrow from Chris Rock: I don't necessarily

agree with the totality of Reverend Wright's worldview, but I understand.

I will also put it out there: to many people, if Barack Obama has the nomination "stolen" from him by superdelegates because

they become convinced that the Wright issue makes him unelectable, the Jeremiah Wrights of this world will be proven entirely

right. What sound does a Democratic Party with no African-American support make?