There's reason for all to be proud of America

I have been reading lots of opinions in the newspaper lately on the subject of white privilege.

As a black American, I can understand my black brothers' and sisters' perception and strong disapproval of what is called white privilege.

As a Christian, I can understand my white Christian brothers' and sisters' perception of and pride in what they call their white ancestors' gift to the world - America. They were brave and determined white Christian men and women who came to the New Land to create a new kind of government.

It would be a government of the people. It would be a government whose trust was in God.

Before the Declaration of Independence was ever signed, many of the Christian Founding Fathers were working toward the abolition of slavery. In time, America would abolish slavery altogether. Wars would be fought to guarantee equal privileges to Americans of all races and religions.

My white Christian and decent non-Christian brothers and sisters have a right to be proud of their white ancestors' gift to the world. My black brothers and sisters have a right to be proud of all the many contributions that blacks have made to the building and maintaining of our white brothers' and sisters' gift to the world.

I think that what it all adds up to is that whites have a right to be proud of their creation and blacks have a right to be recognized for our contributions to that creation, which all Americans can now proudly call our country.

Charles Danyus

Round Lake Beach