I'm a lily-white guy born in Jasper, Alabama March 11, 1954. I remember, as a 9 year old, the grainy pictures
on the TV, live, of Bull Connor's dogs and fire hoses in Woodrow Wilson Park in Birmingham. I asked my folks
what the big deal was. The reply: "Them n****** just wannna make trouble". Hey, I was 9, so I accepted it.

Not long afterward, the 16th Street Baptist Church was bombed. 3 young black girls were killed. My Mother
cried. Remembering the dog and hose incidents, I asked: "Ain't they just n******, wantin' to make trouble"?
Holy crap, I got the whoopin' of my life. She explained that children are just that. As a child myself, I took
it at face value. However, my ass hurt for a week.

As I grew and matured, I came into contact with people of various races, ethnicities, religions. I learned to
respect people as human beings, just like me. Just a bit different. Different skin color, different religion,
different culture. But human, just like me.

Today, at the ripe old age of 54, I have a confession. Have I ever uttered the N word? Yes. What white,
or for the matter, black person hasn't? That word is offensive no matter the skin color of the person
uttering it. Have I laughted at ethnic (Black, Polish, Mexican, Irish, Redneck) jokes? Yes. And so have you.
See, we're human, and can celebrate our differences, even find humor.

In closing, my small hometown in Walker County, Alabama had, um, n***** quarters. Today, nobody calls it by
that name, but African Americans in Carbon Hill, Alabama still live in that particular location. Segregation
still exists, just not by law. I tried talking to a couple of ministers, but all I get is "don't rock the boat".

Is this 2008 and I'm 54, or 1963 and I'm 9?