During Black History Month 1997, I was working on an air conditioning unit at the Thomasville Heights Public Library in southeast Atlanta when in walked about 15 well-dressed, well-behaved, friendly, black kids who looked to be ages 5 to 7.

Unfortunately, for the next hour, these young innocents were given a powerful lecture about the ugliness and hopelessness of American Society.

Of course, these black kids were told of slavery, but they weren't told of the white abolitionists of the North and South who found slavery abhorrent and who worked legislatively to end slavery. No mention was made of the concerned whites who were an integral part of the “Underground Railroad” which helped slaves escape to free states or Canada.

Of course, these black kids were told of the lynchings and beatings, but no mention was made of the thousands of idealistic Union soldiers “who died to set men free” during the Civil War.

Of course, these black kids were told how difficult it is for blacks to succeed in the U.S., but no mention was made of the tens of thousands of blacks who voluntarily come to the U.S. each year from other nations to earn, learn and succeed. And on, and on, and on....

When these kids had first come in, they exuded confidence and friendliness. After 20 minutes of this “Hate Whitey,” “Hopelessness” session, they were becoming fearful and would glance in horror in my direction because I was the only “White Devil Honky” in the library.

I'd known for many years of the “Hate Whitey” classes (aka Black Studies) at Atlanta University and other colleges, but, to program young, impressionable kids by a hate-filled, historically-biased, bigoted lecturer, this was a form of child abuse.

If these children's parents had education vouchers or grants, their kids would be learning how to read, write, do math and succeed in an atmosphere of love and hope. As it is, these young black kids are being prepped by government-funded, university-trained, hatemongers to be the grifters, drug users, bank robbers, prostitutes, murderers and suicides of tomorrow.

How very sad for the black and white and Asian communities of these United States.

Bill Bryan
Peachtree City

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