To say that Dr. King was responsible

for the Watts riot is akin to saying that all white people were responsible

for the oppressive, segregated laws of that time and the lynching of blacks!

It is simply not true.

Ms. Wander states "there

is a long list of black Americans more deserving of hero status than Martin

Luther King, Jr." Being a Christian, I think Dr. King is the universally

recognized leader of freedom for black Americans because he did preach

the Christian doctrine of love and forgiveness. He said that only love

could overcome hate. She further states that everything Martin Luther

King did was to further his political career. What political career? He

never held a political office in his lifetime.

I write this letter because

it is important to set the record straight and to let our young people

know the truth. It's also important to recognize that many white people

marched, fought, and died to earn the freedom for black Americans that

is guaranteed to every American.

Also, I must take the editorial

staff of The Citizen to task. Following the horrific events of Sept. 11,

I sensed a unity in our country that was unprecedented. For months, we

weren't black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Democrat, or Republican. We were

simply Americans. However, printing Ms. Wanzer's letter and Bill Bryant's

letter only serves to turn our focus away from our shared goals to things

that separate us. So sad.

In closing, Ms. Wanzer states

that Republicans supported the Civil Rights Act while the Democrats did

not. I think that people of goodwill one towards the other supported this

act. Regardless of political loyalty.

Grady M. Scott

Fayetteville

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