Jeff Jared states “The power of money is stronger than the power of the color of skin” and that in 2010 he thinks that is so “throughout America.” Mr. Jared, please go for a long drive this summer through the rural southeast of America, take local persons of color with you into various small town businesses there and then report your experiences and the comments of the persons you take with you into the businesses. Until you’ve done so, you have only expressed the opinion of someone from the relatively well integrated West Coast. While you’re at it, if you observe any discrimination by a local business, please try to encourage local residents to “boycott, picket, film and humiliate” said business and report your experiences with those locals. I have family members who have moved from rural towns in the Southeast as recently as last winter due to their disgust with the level of discrimination they saw; it’s alive and well, just not as blatant as it was in 1964.

Brian Tucker, Kirkland