TO THE EDITOR:

During the early part of the twentieth century, our national government commissioned the Swedish sociologist, Gunnar Mydral, to critique American society. In the resulting seminal study entitled An American Dilemma, Mydral found many major contradictions in the ideals of democracy and equality and the continued segregation and racial inequality that permeated society in the twentieth century.

His findings, along with the findings of the Kerner Commission, caused our government and the entire nation to gain acceptance to the need for the Civil Right Acts of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

In a similar manner, former News- Reporter guest columnist Arthur Danner in his writings, has begun a critique of Wilkes County culture and society. He, too, has pointed out continuing twenty-first century contradictions in the ideals of democracy and equality, and racial inequality that permeate Wilkes County. Many citizens of Wilkes County are grateful to him for our new level of awareness of who we are and the inequities involved in how we became the people we are.

The question now is whether we will go forth and create jobs and otherwise make the changes needed to bring about fairness and justice for our African American citizens. After all, there is a degree of truth to the rumblings about town that Wilkes County has in common with the country of Mexico the fact that we have failed to develop an economy and society that educates and employs many of its young people.

Therefore the youngest, best, and brightest African Americans migrate to greener pastures, creating a brain drain and human resource deficit in our county. Good luck to "Doc" Danner in his

new publishing venture and thank you Mr. Newsome for the publication of his articles.

REV. ED ANDERSON

LTC (Ret.) US Army