One Ugly American

I'm going to tell you about how I became a chemically dependent person throughout my life. I'm also going to tell you about how I was using girls and the way I was using them to make money and how I disrespected them and their bodies. I had put girls on street corners as prostitutes. I also took them from state to state, getting money.I'm going to tell you how I worked a lot of meaningful jobs and made good money at it. I'm going to talk about my point of view, about how Black people shouldn't be in the military for the United States. I don't consider myself an African American. I'm a Black American. For those of you that don't know, there is a difference. I want to talk about how I went to prison in Minnesota and how they also railroaded me and how I got locked up for things I didn't do. And the part that hurt me the most is that these people of the justice system knew I didn't do it, but they didn't really give a damn because of the color of my skin. The most important thing is, this book is not about Black and White. It's more about right and wrong. I'm telling you my point of view as a Black person and how I see things and my feelings that are involved. I also want you to know as readers that this looks like it's about a Black-and-White thing. It's not. I want you to know it's more about right and wrong. The things I tell you about are true in the best way I remember them. I am sixty-four years old, and I have no reason to lie. At this time, I don't have any shame in my game at this age. Yes, it's things I'm shameful for, but I got to chalk it up as that was part of my life at that time.

-- La Dale Floyd