Dear Twainians:

I wasn't going to comment on this matter, but I have changed my mind.
When I was a girl of eight, I attended a parochial day school for the
blind.  We were Integrated" for several of our classes with students
from a regular school, and thus attended school with sighted children.
We played together in the large schoolyard.  One day, someone knocked me
down.  I was privy at home to much negativity regarding "colored
people". "That had to  be a colored person", I commented, to the girl
who assisted me and repeatedly inquired if I were hurt.  "I am colored",
she replied, and I wanted to die.  With no exaggeration, that incident
changed my opinion of blacks for the rest of my life, and I have
repeatedly stated to my parents that without hesitation, I'd marry an
African-American man and could not imagine why anyone would think
differently.  What I am really saying here, is that if we are honest
with ourselves, all of us deal with prejudice to a certain degree, and
it would be ludicrous to pretend otherwise.  I am certain that Twain was
no different, and am also certain that he fought internally with himself
as we all do.  The NO word was used by Aunt Rachel about her own people
in "A true story.  I hope that is the correct  title correct, so I get
the impression that the word was used among black folks as well.
Forgive me for rambling on.  I have been awake since 2:00 this morning
and am perhaps not making sense.

Camy, who loves this list."