Wright hurting, not helping, blacks

In his latest speeches at the NAACP and National Press Club, Rev. Wright continued to cause great harm to the African-American community. He promotes the cause of blacks as victims of a cruel American society. Instead of encouraging blacks to raise themselves up through strong families, education, hard work, discipline and to adapt to the "American melting pot" like every other successful ethnic group, he is telling blacks that it is not their fault. They are victims and society should adapt to them.

Every ethnic group has had to adapt to the successful American culture, and all others have done so successfully. All have suffered problems. Take the Japanese who were interned during WWII. But instead of being victims, the Japanese moved on and focused on family, education and hard work and now lead the U.S. in success as an ethnic group. Or like my father and grandfather who came here as Italian immigrants and suffered discrimination. Instead of being victims, they adapted to the American culture through hard work and education, excelled, and enjoyed the American Dream.

The true heroes of the black community are Bill Cosby and Juan Williams that promote education, strong families, hard work and self-discipline. Or Collin Powell and Condoleezza Rice who have achieved greatness by following that same American formula for success.

The problem is not what the American society is doing to blacks; it is what many blacks are doing to themselves. Reverend Wright, get out of the past and blame game and help address the real problems that blacks face in the present. Quit talking so much and listen to Bill Cosby!

One other point. Rev. Wright says that his earlier speeches were quoted out of context for "devious purposes." There is simply no acceptable context for his statements like, "God XXXX America," "the U.S. government introduced drugs to the black community to put them in jail," and the "U.S. developed AIDS to kill blacks." Those comments represent ignorant racism at its absolute worst and are inexcusable.

Randall C Rossi

Grayslake