Two wrongs don't make it right

To the editor:

In response to the Speak Out comment "Look to the future"; I am an African-American, and I agree people of my color should stop saying that blacks have been oppressed and mistreated by the government and/or white people. Slavery and unequal opportunities are injustices of past and should be left there. Our nation has moved on, and those racial statements should not be used as justification. Your co-worker was wrong for her comment, but so were you for lashing back with your statements about blacks. Yes, there may be a higher percentage of problems among African-Americans, but these are problems that exist in every nationality. You too pulled the racism card. It would have been acceptable if you had just addressed the situation, but instead you directly insulted African-Americans.

SHANIKA NEWSOM, Cape Girardeau