On Friday June 26, 2015, it was brought to my attention, while shopping at Food Lion, that The Sampson Independent published an article, written by Edward Faison, Jr., whose sole purpose was to attack me. I thank both of you.

Edward Faison attacked me for the article I wrote entitled, “Black Lives Matter, Really?” My article was primarily addressed to the ideal that blacks should concentrate on making that message clear and true to each other as opposed to making it a battle cry towards white America.

Thank you Edward Faison for proving my article’s major point. Your first response to my article as a black man was to attack another black man.

Thank you Edward Faison for proving another point in my article by displaying yourself and indicating to every person who read your attack, that every black person is a victim of institutional racism. Thank you for stating that to be black in America means higher mortality rates, lower levels of education, lower levels of occupational status, etc. etc etc. That is an outright lie and it comes from race-baiters like you who are full of hate and anger because of your limited study and readings.

I come from a black family who started out with an uneducated widowed mother with five children. My mother went back to school to get her education. All five of us have a minimum of a master’s degree. All of our children have college degrees, including two who are working on their Doctorates. My grandfather is currently 103 years old with a bright and articulate mind. We were taught about racism in America, but more importantly we were taught not to ever see ourselves as victims of that racism because, in America, you can pull yourself up by your own bootstraps with hard work and determination. Too bad you were not raised in our family.

Thank you for proving to people of real intelligence that when one black speaks the truth, other blacks call them out as speaking against their own people. You have failed to realize that it is the truth that will set you free. I know, probably better than you, the history of black Americans, but blacks should focus on living in the now and in the future instead of living in the past.

And by the way, being black in this country also means you can become President of the United States despite the obstacles you face before and when you get into office.

Thank you for inspiring me to further speak the truth.

Thank you for giving me another person to pray for. I will pray that your hatred for America will subside and that your knowledge of history will no longer make you one of the racists that you despise so much.

And I thank God that I live in a place like America, whereby, if I fail, I have no one to blame but me. And I am so grateful for God’s grace that will never allow me to see myself as a victim of institutional racism. I pray you will also find that grace.

I love you… brother

Pastor Gilbert Owens

Roseboro