The Banner on March 13 wrote a wonderful article about newly instated New York, Governor David Paterson. On one side of the article there was a quote in bold print that stated this, about Paterson, "He's a guy who has two handicaps: his blindness and his race. And he never made excuses for it." The article went on to attribute this quote to none other then Rev. Al Sharpton.

I am an African American Women from the Dorchester community. I did not know that I needed to make some type of an excuse for myself, because of the God given color of my skin or that the race that I was born into has made me handicap.

This article was poorly written and lacked consideration towards the population of people that the Banner purposes to represent. Even though they used a quote from another source, I believe that it is the editor's responsibility to know the creditability of the sources from which they choose to quote from. If Mr. Sharpton would like to own this quote, that someone being blind and their race can be spoken in the same terms as a handicap. As a resourceful person I should look to a more progressive man of color for information concerning the African American population.

As a person of color I cannot look to this as an attributing source for the advancement of my race. This quote should not have been used as a viable source, nor should it have been given stand out prominence on the top page above the fold. This is an offensive statement and is not true. It is an offensive to Mr. Paterson as well as an entire race of people.

The color of your skin is not a deficit and it does not impede you with a handicap. What are you really trying to insinuate by using that quote in this article and why use this type of a demeaning quote? What are you really saying here, should all people of color run out and petition the government for disability benefits? Let's, not be absurd, I do not think so. This is the type of subliminal racist messages that need not be projected, exalted, or even used in a resourceful, knowledgeable community newspaper.

The powers that edited and write the Banner need to be more socially conscious about their written work. We all know that there are many people of color that have what we call, "internalized racism." As a person of color I feel sad for Al Sharpton that he would make a statement like this. Maybe Al and the Banner have not heard of, Martin Luther King or one of his famous quotes in his, “I Have A Dream Speech.” That assures, "one day people will be judged by the content of their, character and not by the color of their skin."

Governor David Paterson has a number of other characteristics and achievements that could have well been bleared out in bold print with red borders. We as social conscious people need to be more aware of how we convey our messages to the public.

Some people will always see the glass half full instead of all of the possibilities that can be achieved because of people like Mr. Paterson. The color of an African American’s skin is not a handicap but a greatness that allows them to see and approach life from a prospective that is always striving against the odds. The old African American proverb inspires, “ it takes pressure to make a diamond.” Governor Paterson is a diamond purified by trails and tribulations and he has achieved powerfully.

He comes from a mighty race of people that have contributed a great deal to the social fabric making and building of America. The color of his skin is not a handicap but a part of his greatness. Mr. Paterson may be blind but his track record in life shows that he can see more clearly, than those that have eyes. I would like to think that the Banner would retract this offensive statement on their front page that was quoted by an unreliable source.