Beautifully written, Saharag, and deeply moving. I hope that we'll see more of your contributions here. Thanks.

Black history may be constantly on your mind, but the question is -- who does that help? If we're never going to get past the evils of the past, the scars will never heal.

Vicious atrocities happened to white people in the civil war and both sides were guilty. The South was left in ruins by the North.

Chinese Americans were treated so horribly there are still remains of underground cities they had to build to protect themselves from whites in Western cities.

Japenese Americans were rounded up in camps in WWII.

Irish and Italians were 2nd-class citizens in the boroughs of New York.

We can point to any number of bad things that have happened to other races in America, but past grievances against blacks seem to be the only ones we can't get past.

One can understand your decision to maintain a hostile posture, but I would advise to at least try and let go and liberate yourself from those negative thoughts. They don't change the past, and they prevent us from ever changing the future.

Black history may be constantly on your mind, but the question is -- who does that help?

I would submit that we don't a have full perspective of our history in the United States; for example, most of us celebrate the fourth of July without a second thought that black men--some held in bondage and all with little or no rights--fought to make this country free. We shower praises on the men who fought at Concord, Yorktown and Valley Forge (among others) but do we know that black men were among those Patriots? We honor the men who fought in the Civil War again without second thought that black men--some held in bondage and all with little if any rights--fought to set themselves free and help preserve the Union. Those two feats in and of themselves are remarkable considering our history.

To illustrate how little we know about our past, the Daughters of the American Revolution finally this past May acknowledged the contributions of African and Native Americans during the Revolutionary War. In fact, the DAR is looking for additional Black Members. There were approximately 5000 Blacks who fought in the Revolution and only about 60 Blacks-- nation wide-- who have connected to them as DAR members.

We must remember and acknowledge this part of our history if we are to arm ourselves with the tools needed to recognize the ongoing perpetuation of bigotry. We need to do this in order to ensure we never again allow the processes and methologies that were responsible for enabling those who participated in bigoted acts, either by word or deed.

I understand there is nothing we can do to eradicate the past, but one way we can pay homage to those who were the victims of the bigotry and ignorance by pledging that everytime we witness these actions, we must Stand Up and Speak Out!

Note: After viewing 'Long Walk Home' I was in theater rest room, washing my hands next to a young black woman who I had seen sitting in the theater too. As we looked at each other in the mirror, I suddenly began crying and turned to her and said, "I am so sorry."

Without waiting for her reply I quickly exited. A few minutes later as my husband and I were leaving the building, I felt a hand gently touch my shoulder. As I turned, there she was with a sad smile and tear stained cheeks much like my own. She simply and graciously said, "Thank you" before she rejoined her friends.

This wasn't the first time I was overcome with emotions attributed to anger, sorrow and shame (for members of my race who participated) when confronted with reminders of how it was and in many ways, still is among us. And it definitely wasn't the last.

I always remember this young woman every time I confront a bigoted ignoramus or otherwise protest actions of bigotry. I can't change the past (before I was old enough to take action) but I acknowledge it and accept the responsibility of both my actions or lack thereof for today and tomorrow.

Marvellous post. Simply stunning. Thank you.

"Only the personality disordered narcissist insists on congratulations for not doing evil."

This sentence simply leapt out at me - so powerful.

Do you write for a living? I hope so.

I agree it is hard to love America as it is or as it has been, particularly hard for black Americans. Hard also for poor Americans, Asian-Americans, Latino Americans, but particularly hard for Native Americans and blacks.

However, it is easy to love America's potential and promise. To love what she aspires to be. When I feel that cloud of anger I do try to focus on her aspirations, her promise.

"What does that mean?"

"Are you suggesting that black politicians should run on platforms that state they will brutalize non-blacks as blacks have been brutalized throughout US history? That a couple of hundred years of de jure slavery should be imposed on whites for the misdeeds of the US past? What are you saying?"

You know full well that's not what he meant. What he meant was what he said. He has a hard time feeling patriotic toward America for all the reasons he detailed above.

It leaves a scar. It's a scar many Americans don't want to see, so they attack those like Michelle Obama who draw attention to it. They call it "grievance." In fact, it's just history--yours and mine. There are other scars in America's history, but few that are treated with such revulsion."

Well, maybe I as a black person have a scar, too. More and more, whatever I do have is beginning to manifest itself as indifference toward America. All I want is access and fair treatment under ENFORCED civil rights laws.

You know, I fully understand and empathize with those who are black not loving Old Glory or the other trappings of Americana that are symbols of oppression and of a genocidal history. But, I have noticed that some people seem to think they are speaking for all blacks and that's simply untrue. I know black people who are perfectly aware of the injustice of the past, who have worked in the civil rights movement who are flag-wavers and can't wait to get decked out in red white and blue for the 4th of July. Two of them, in fact, get quite gaudily red, white and blue for the 4th. Black patriotism has been a long part of our history - from Crispus Attucks to Barack Obama. That some blacks are troubled by the symbols of patriotism, that they are frustrated with our unfinished work toward equality for all, that they are impatient with how we dawdle along with excuse after excuse on the road to full equality for all, that's understandable. But that's not unpatriotic.

Generally speaking, I don't question people's patriotism and love of country just because they express it differently than I do. There's only one group of people who I would say are "bad for America" or unpatriotic and those are the ones who are satisfied with America as she is now. The "love it or leave it" types who think America doesn't deserve to do and be better than it is. That think a second class, ,second-rate education system, that third rate health care and bargain basement election systems is the best America deserves. Those people, they are unpatriotic. Anyone who thinks America is just fine the way she is right now doesn't really give a damn about this country.

Black history should be on all of our minds because the history of all Americans should be known and understood. Why? Because it informs our present condition. Like Bob Marley sang: "Know your history, Know your Destiny. For in the abundance of water the fool is thirsty."

I taught African American History and Women in US History to seniors at an elite private school in Manhattan. They were outraged that their parents were spending close to 30K a year for a college prep education yet, so much of American history had been omitted from their traditional American history classes.

By the time they finished my courses, they had a much greater understanding of America with all its successes and failures. Since I taught from the perspective of history being a dynamic relationship between groups and events, they felt more ownership of their American identities and their roles in forging a future America and as such it also informed their sense of citizenship.

For most of the white students and male students, learning the history of other groups (I tried to integrate the experiences of Native Americans, Chinese Americans, Mexican Americans, etc.) encouraged a respect for these groups they simply did not have before. For students of color and female students, it encouraged a sense of pride in the accomplishments of ancestors that they didn't know they could have.

In the end, my sense is that it made them all better Americans and excited in them a desire to make America better. And this happened because they learned the truth not because the ugly was hidden.

How the truth shines through. I especially agree with the "you can't handle the truth" aspect of your piece. (I think otherwise known as the even more inexcusable re-victimizing of the victim by those unwilling to take a hard look at themselves).

I feel the truth of everything you say until I hit last two paragraphs.

"And there's the rub. America is asking black politicians to prove that they will not use African-America's brutal and humiliating historical experience to guide their behavior."

I take issue with this. Who is America? I know I hope Obama will use all his experiences to guide his behavior and guide this country to a better place. And a black politician who can put that experience to use is probably essential for us to overcome the residual effects of that history. The fact that we have never had a black president with that key in his hand could well be reason that although we outlawed slavery and passed the Civil Rights Act, we still have many inequities and hostilities. I think the majority of Americans would want him to use that experience to help us become a more strong, just and united society.

"I guess they just want to make sure that black politicians don't treat America the way America treated blacks."

Again, who are they and who is America? I don't know what they think, but I want to ensure no politician, whatever the color, is destructive in any way to anyone. How does your notion of they here square with the fact that many of all colors in America have worked tirelessly to put Obama in the most powerful office in our country, before they have one iota of proof about what he will do with that power? If "they" were really worried about this, do you really think Obama would have had the support necessary to win the nomination? Obama may be the most intelligent and gifted politician I've ever seen, but votes are necessary for legitimate success in the US political arena.

Bear with my white perspective:

People of all colors share in the nightmare of slavery and racism as we do in the existence of any evil. Hearing about slavery as a child was a terrifying assault on my spirit that I still remember. There is no way for me to know what the black experience was or is, but I do know that when people demonstrate the capacity to be so despicably insane they also victimize those who are not the direct target.

When I made this discover, the fact that I was white was no comfort. The fact that evil existed at all had just happened to me, and the fact that someone else had the power to force their evil into the space of others was devastating. Perhaps the pain of this assault instructed me that although evil changes form, it does not really discriminate; most people suffer because of it. That is not a claim that I have suffered as any black person has, but I do believe suffering is often shared. And if at least some of the white abolitionists did not feel deep pain and revulsion about evil in their midst, they would not have been driven to risk their own lives to abolish slavery.

So for the record, this white American says Obama's success is not only as it should be and well-deserved, it feels like a healing, not any sort of threat. I guess that is partly because instead of feeling disillusioned about the problem of the evil called racism, I feel hopeful and proud of Obama and all his supporters. It inspires me to think that healing might be occurring in the black community as the world embraces this leader of their community who seems destined for the sort of greatness we read about only in history books. And I love the the sense i have that the multi-colored support for Obama has caused much of the distrust or discomfort between whites, blacks and others to dissipate. I also think Obama is positioned to put most American presidents to shame, and I have to say, the rebel in me sees some real poetic justice in that playing out to the best end.

That said, there are disparities today that linger and we're all responsible in some way. I think many Americans do not really understand this due to lack of exposure and the media. There's plenty of proof that most Americans can't even recognize what is in their own interest or help themselves, so the right leadership and guidance are essential to overcome this.

So we disagree about who "they" is. And I think it is really important to acknowledge that although legalized slavery in this country ended for many reasons, it did not end because there was an overwhelming revolt by slaves. Part of the reason it ended was because so many whites found it intolerable and unjust enough that they were willing to risk their own lives. That further supports what I already know, which is that everyone who is not black does not deserve to be labeled a "they."