[johnco]

I haven't met anyone, black or white, that was ever denied an education. The difference between my white friends and black friends that went to the same schools is not the education, but what they do with the education. you have to apply what you learned, learn a trade, go out and work, not sit at home waiting for the welfare, SSI, and food stamps to arrive. The black, 6 yrs of college, educated guy that pushed wheelbarrows for me doesn't have a car, electricity, running water... nothing. I can pay him $100 or $1000, he's broke the next morning. I, on the other hand, work hard, taught myself many trades, and hire people like him... when I can get them up in the morning. it's people that want to work and do something with their lives that should receive a leg up in life, not the the ones that expect a handout because of the color of their skin. I was not able to afford college and get any assistance because #1. I was told because I was not a minority. #2. my father made too much (although I had not lived with my parents since I was 15), even though I was qualified for advance placement in several courses because of my ACT test scores. My father lived his childhood on a 1 room houseboat with 3 siblings, quit school in 7th grade. But because of hard work and ambition, went from a yard welder to running a multimillion dollar fabrication yard before opening his own shop, becoming a real estate broker, owning 150 houses and apts, boats, barges, airplanes, etc.. he never once received any government help. neither have I. I wonder what would have happened if I had a different color skin. would I have blamed the white man for keeping me down, or gone out and done something about it? for sure I would have finished college with some of that grant money being handed out back then. why is it that some people can start with nothing and become successful, and others just wait around for the handouts, all the while blaming racism for their lack of ambition and drive?