
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 14, 1991                   TAG: 9103140405
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-13   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

AVOID WHITE WOMEN/ BLACK STUDENT AMIABLE,

I AM A STUDENT from Africa. When I first arrived in this area a few months ago, I was matched up with two white Americans as housemates. In the first few days, we were cautious in our dealings with each other, but soon learned that we were not that different after all.

Sometimes we order pizza and invite a few friends over. On one occasion, the police knocked on our door and advised us that the music was too loud. I then requested a guest to please quiet down.

He replied, "No black man will ever tell me what to do," and all those around him laughed at me. These are people at my house, eating my pizza, and they feel that they have the right to ridicule me just because I have a different skin color.

Another example: After inviting me to a party, a white friend called me the next day and said that his other guests had found me quite amiable. He added that if I really wanted to be popular, I should stay away from the white women, as my talking to them makes the other white males mad. He said he was telling me this in good faith since he was sure I would be able to understand this local culture and also because he did not want to see me "black"-listed.

I had always believed that in America, all people would be treated fairly; but now I realize that some are not treated as fairly as others. MERVYN LOBO BLACKSBURG

by CNB