To the Editor:

Racism. We hear about it from time to time. Just what is it? It is when one race says or performs acts detrimental to and hurts the feelings of another race.

Recently, a network show host made remarks about a sports team that took exception to them,

raising quite a stir. Even preachers demanded he be fired (which eventually he was) without allowing him to apologize.

Finally, the team reluctantly accepted the apology, but too late. The man was fired from a job through which he generated millions of dollars for worthy organizations that will now feel the brunt of that decision.

We hear that word &uot;racism&uot; at the drop of a hat. The idea was even posed that we should apologize for slavery. Neither race of this generation had anything to do with slavery. Whom would we apologize to, and would our apology be accepted as in the current situation?

Whatever happened to forgiveness? Whoever is not willing to forgive, their religion is vain. To be forgiven, we must forgive. Someone said yesterday is history, tomorrow is mystery; today is a gift, it is the present.

We cannot delete things from history, whether they are favorable or unfavorable, and race has nothing to do with that. We have to accept it. We can’t change it.

At the rate races are mating and intermarrying, if time lasts for many generations, there will be just one race. Who then will holler &uot;racism&uot;? We would have to accept the fact we are &uot;one people under God.&uot;

To the

ones shouting &uot;racism,&uot; it’s not the color of skin involved but the &uot;thickness&uot; of an unforgiving heart.

The Rev. Ashby Blythe

Franklin