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In answer to your e-mail questions, Troy, during the time all the above was going on, buying a house wasn't something that me and my husband, who were in our 20s, were interested in. We were more focused on having a cool, "freaked out" apartment with Danish Modern furniture, abstract wall paintings, geometric mobiles suspended from the ceiling and a hi-fi unit to showcase our Jazz albums and R&B singles. A house of our own complete with a manicured lawn, a white picket fence and a 2 car garage didn't excite us, mostly because we weren't ready for the financial responsibility or the dilligent upkeep these things involved. Paying rent and leaving all the maintenance to somebody else was our rationale for rejecting the America dream. But, I was aware that buying houses on contract was emerging as a popular alternative to being turned down for a mortgage by banks who were not receptive to black applicants. Ironically, the people pushing the buying on contract deals were unscrupulous black realtors who were a part of the block busting boom that enabled the white flight panic triggered by white home owners eager to escape the prospect of having black neighbors. Circumventing the restricted covenance codes designed to keep neighborhoods all-white, fleeing white home owners began selling their houses to clueless blacks eager to move into nicer areas and better homes, and contract buying was part of this equation. This was what was happening in my home town and this scenario was undoubtedly typical. Later, in our 30's, with a growing family, my husband and I decided to take advantage of available HUD houses, and his eligibility for a G.I. Loan, both of which allowed us to buy a house the conventional way. Over the years, however, he and I never really developed much enthusiasm for owning our own home. High interest house notes, property taxes, home repairs and yard landscaping neutralized the pride in ownership having your own home was supposed to inspire. But we persevered. The history of black people has been one of ongoing exploitation. We are consumers as opposed to manufacturers. We seek to escape the drudgery that seems to be our lot in life by pursuing our materialistic wants instead of our economic needs. But is this a crime? The argument can be made that life is too short to be on a permanent quest for the elusiveness of justice and the compensation of reparations. Life is not fair. Individual success and the acclaim this inspires are there for those who have the talent to earn it and are, perhaps, the most a black person can hope for in this racist country. And speaking of success and acclaim, I watched Caitlyn give her acceptance speech at the ESPY award show. There she was, in all of her transsexual splendor, gowned in a designer dress, her hair well-coiffed, her make-up skillfully applied. I listened as she made a plea for tolerance and compassion for those who are different. I found her gracious and eloquent, but I couldn't help but think that tolerance and compassion for those who are different is something black people in white America have been vainly demanding for over a century. Unfortunately, human beings have never been that big on embracing those who are different from themselves. So, lotsa luck, Girlfriend. Deep in my contrarian mode, I also got into an argument on FaceBook because while commenting on the ESPYs, I remarked that the football player getting an award for sacrificing his playing time in order to be there for his cancer-stricken little daughter wasn't that heroic because he just did what any caring father would do. Tragic situations abound in life. The world is full of people who are struggling but don't get to tell their stories on TV shows in order to boost their ratings. ...and so it goes.

Hello, I am the Author of Feelings Inside Of Me, A Collection Of Inspirational Poetry To Touch The Heart & Open The Soul. I am a Team Co-Host with Authors Supporting Authors-Independent Artist Magazine: http://www.feelingsinsideofjmavis.com/. I am a Creative Writer and Motivational Speaker. Welcome to my world everyone.

This was a great back and forth.