Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1998 11:47:44 -0500
From: Lolita Jackson <ljacks1 @ ibm.net>
Subject: [ILF] Thanks

I just wanted to publicly thank everybody who sent me e-mails of support
(I'll get back to each of you soon privately).  I normally can just blow
off something like that, but as folks in the US know, race is a touchy
subject.  Racial slurs are a very painful thing for me because my family
suffered through racial segregation in full force in the past (we are
from the South).  I have therefore spent my life studiously avoiding
situations where my race would ever be held against me.  Racial
deliniations aren't a part of my world - I hang out and date all kinds.
It shouldn't and doesn't matter, and that is what I so love about this
digest.  That is also why the message affected me as much as it did - I
haven't had someone call me any type of racial name in over 12 years,
and I remember how painful it was when it happened back then.  I'm over
all this now, but I typed my message to all of you right after I read
it, so it was still raw.  Again, thank you all for your support, and I
hope everyone has a great New Year.  I'll see at least 50 of you in less
than 30 days!!!  We're gonna party like its 1999!

Lolita