No American is truly free. Free means no cost. We all pay the cost to be Americans, Black, White and otherwise.

White American's pay the cost of their ancestors. Sad but true a lot of times their stereotype may not be as degrading as other races but they are still looked upon as superior. They are expected to be the "leaders." Caucasian men and women account for over 90% of all completed suicides according to the online statistics of www.usna.edu/MDC/Clinical/suic ide/racefacts.htm. Could this be caused by the high expectations and inability to succeed? In some cases, I would say yes. Your skin color does not determine your abilities or lack of.

Since the invention of the television back in the 1930's Blacks have been portrayed as illiterate, not well spoken entertainers. Although I am a fan of some rap music, others continue to build on this stereotype. In the black community the "N" word is used to describe that group. It's not a term of endearment. It's a derogatory term to separate the Black American from the ghetto stereotype. When used in the white community it is equally degrading.

The American Indian is portrayed as a quiet pipe smoking easy going unaccounted for breed. We're told daily they are becoming extinct. Though the black man killings of one another is the reason for there void, the Indian's plight is the pipe he smokes.

These three racially charged assumptions shows that we are not free. The white American is not free to say publicly, I hate "N." The black American is not free to say, "I hate white people," publicly. The words of others go unnoticed.

We do not have freedom to smoke in a public place! How can we truly say we are free?

Learn more about this author, PC Marks.
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