One hundred and fifty one years after the most costly war in American history eliminated slavery, no one still alive was an American slave or the child of an American slave. Nor is any living American an American slave owner or the child of an American slave owner.

Seven generations after Emancipation made us legally equal, and two generations after Affirmative Action made nonwhites slightly more than legally equal, the thing holding black Americans back isn’t their past, it’s their present.

To white Americans and my African friends, white and black are adjectives. To black Americans, black is a belief and behavior system. As long as black Americans continue “being black” they’ll continue failing academically, economically and socially.

Contrary to what I think you believe, precious few white grannies sit down to their dinners of cat food thinking “I don’t mind eatin’ cat food an’ givin’ up my Social Security as long as they use the money to keep them niggers in jail.” On the contrary, most white Americans would be overjoyed if black Americans would quit dropping out of school, quit committing crimes at a rate 7 times higher than any other demographic group, and quit absorbing far more of the country’s resources than they contribute or deserve.

The brass ring is out there, waiting for you to grab but, until you give up the anti-intellectual, anti-responsible, anti-social behavior you call “being black” the brass ring will elude you, no matter how much we non-black Americans wish you’d grab it.

Quit blaming the consequences of your life choices on the long distant past. They’re your choices, be honest, accept responsibility for your actions and, understanding your future is in your hands, move onward and upward instead of stewing in your excuses.