[Gwen72]

I have a friend that I have known since the 9th grade (almost 20 years). I only see him once every few years or so because he lives in a different state than me but we email each other often to keep in touch. A few days ago I got an e-mail from him that was entitled "White Pride". It was talking about how blacks can call whites any name in the book but if we use the N word we are racist. It talked about how it's ok for blacks to have the NAACP and all black colleges but if we had all white colleges "blacks would riot and burn the whole place down." It went on like that. I was shocked and hurt. I sent him an email asking him what the hell he was thinking sending me this. I explained to him why there are historically black colleges and an NAACP and every other point that was in his email. He sent me an email the next day saying that someone had hacked into his email and sent that message not him. He said he was very angry at me because I should have known better and I should not have "reamed him out like that." For the record, I did not "ream him out." I did not call him any names or accuse him of being racist. I basically siad, "Here's the truth and here's why." Anyway, I replied that I was relieved he did not actually send that email and said that as a father of 3 he could surely understand that when you think someone is messing with your kids you will defend them. I appologized for upsetting him and said I hoped he could forgive me. He did not respond to me and I have called him several times to appologize in person but he won't answer the phone and won't return my calls. I feel terrible because we have been friends for 20 years and I should have known better. I should have known he would not have said those things. I had no way of knowing a hacker sent that but I still feel that I should have handled it differently. Has anyone else ever had a misunderstanding like this? How did you resolve it?