Okay, I’ll admit…

I’ve written a few editorials in The DIGEST I hope never see daylight again.
Two in particular, I wrote Spring 2005 concerning the Confederate flag. Both of them pulsated with anger and in retrospect, I regret the way that I addressed the issue. By dealing with the subject in the manner that I did, I violated one of my most sacred precepts, which is to never write while I’m ticked off. Whenever I do, the words I use tend to be void of sound reason.
Anytime the majority of the sentences in one of my editorials are punctuated with exclamation points instead of periods, I’m not doing something right. The approach that I used in those particular pieces was absolutely wrong.
Don’t get it twisted; I’m still angered by the sight of a rebel flag. It doesn’t represent anything good in regard to racial equality. But it’s merely a symbol of the race problem and not the root, which is what we need to focus on if we ever hope to achieve racial harmony. It doesn’t matter how many Confederate flags I wipe my feet on and burn, or how many bigots I spit venom at in one of my articles, racism will still exists.
As long as I reciprocate anger in the face of ignorance, the cycle of hatred will be perpetuated. And as long as I or anyone else deal with racism in a reactionary manner, rather than utilize means such as The DIGEST to encourage dialogue among the races and promote the healing of scars incurred by centuries of racial prejudice, I’m the problem.
What we all need to remember is that anytime we use our words as bricks to build barriers instead of bridges, we are the enemies of peace.
Whenever we allow our words to act as bullets that tear people down rather than blessings that lift their spirit, we’re wrong.
Words are seeds given to us by God for us to plant and not stones to be cast. Each of us has been given the task of planting these seeds in the hearts of others so that their lives might be affected in a positive way.
Focus Only On Development.