The other day, a well-dressed, middle-aged African-American man approached me as I idled outside of Discount Den waiting for the rain to calm.

He wanted to know if he could ask me a question. I said, Sure. I was expecting a question about whether or not I had been saved by Jesus.

Then he caught me completely off guard with his inquiry he wondered if everyone in Carbondale was a racist.

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He had an angry look in his eyes as I proceeded to explain to him that I couldn’t answer for everyone, but I knew that I wasn’t racist.

He then told me that he was stranded in town and was low on money. He described how he had been desperately walking the streets trying to get enough money to be on his way, when he ran into a wall of discouragement in the form of a harsh remark.

Having to resort to handouts, he asked a white passerby for a dollar or two. He was answered with, Get a job, n*****!

As I stood silently listening to him weave his tale of misfortune, I couldn’t help but wonder why he didn’t beat that bigot down on the spot. I admired this man’s pacifist spirit, but I was once again reminded of the existence of society’s sickest crime against humanity.

There are some out there who recently have taken up arms against the Nation of Islam because the group has gained Registered Student Organization status. They claim that the Nation is a hate group, and that they are too militant.

What I have to ask the people opposed to the Nation of Islam is this after taking a serious look at this country’s history, do you blame any African-American for wanting to join an aggressive, pro-black organization? I have to admit that I don’t necessarily agree with a lot of what the Nation of Islam has to say, but I’m not surprised at its existence.

The United States has committed and continues to commit crimes against the minorities of this nation. Besides the occasional blatant news reports of race-related incidents, racism has now been candy-coated. It lies beneath the filament of this society in the form of police harassment and job discrimination.

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As a customer, I see how African-Americans are overlooked instead of serviced in stores. Accusing eyes will follow them as they try to shop (as a member of the Hip-Hop Generation, I often have to face some of that same treatment since I am labeled a sell out to my race).

Recently, I saw posters for the Outkast concert that was sponsored by a number of African-American organizations marred by racial slurs. It’s prompted me to wonder how many other posters promoting African-American interests also were scarred.

Every restroom stall that I’ve gone into on this campus has dehumanizing remarks scrawled on its walls.

I see the fear of African-Americans in people’s eyes, and I have to endure sick jokes and impersonations of African-Americans by the media and by my fellow students.

The government passes laws of pacification not laws of change.

I just can’t figure out where the hate comes from. It’s unwarranted and has no reason whatsoever for existing.

For 400-plus years, African-Americans have had to face unspeakable turmoil based on nothing more than ignorant assumptions of superiority. No, I don’t agree with the all that the Nation of Islam has to say and I pray that I will be judged as an individual and not as a member of the whole.

But I sure as hell don’t blame African-Americans or any other minority, for that matter for being a little pissed at this society. I know I am.

Namast (The God in me honors and respects the God in you).