a note concerning the controversial nature of this topic >

Please permit us a departure from our Mission Statement and Standards of Credibility to offer our conclusions. If you are offended by any of the facts contained in this section on Racial Issues, this message may be of interest to you.

First and foremost, we would like to state that we reject and disdain the notion that any particular race of people is superior or inferior to another. Secondly, we contend that this list of facts proves that the intrinsic differences between races of people are insignificant and superficial. We look forward to a day when the word "race" is used simply in reference to a contest of speed.

With that said, it is understandable to us how an individual might be offended by some of these facts. Especially if they were to look at certain facts without the context of others that we have also listed. Facts interrelate to one another, and if you consider only one fact at a time, you may miss some important points. For example, here is a fact that has the potential to offend someone:

* As of 1999, blacks with incomes between $65,000 and $75,000 have a higher percentage of people with poor credit histories than whites with incomes of $25,000 and below.

If you look at this fact alone, you might conclude that the implication here is that black people are irresponsible with their money. Actually, the point here is that the ACLU and NAACP are misleading people regarding the presence of racism in the banking industry. With the help of the press, the NAACP and ACLU have propagated the belief that racism is widespread and rampant in the United States. If you are black and get turned down for a mortgage, they would have you assume it's probably because of racism. The fact is that both blacks and whites are rejected for mortgages at a rate consistent with their rate of poor credit histories. Banks aren't charitable institutions and don't sell mortgages for the sake of kindness. They do it to make money, and the more money they can loan you and receive back with interest, the more money they make.

We're not saying the banking industry is totally free of racism. What we are doing is listing facts, and the facts indicate there is not a mass conspiracy of prejudice. People are rejected for mortgages predominately because of poor credit histories.

Half-truths proliferated by organizations like the ACLU create animosity between people who should be working together and enjoying one another's friendship. We're talking about people who share common principles, ideals, and ambitions - even people who share a common faith. You may be a member of one of these organizations. If you can show that we've taken them out of context or misrepresented facts, we'd like to hear from you to set the record straight. If you discover that the facts we have listed are accurate, relevant, and in context, consider your allegiance to these people.

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