Sgt. Leon Lashley, the African American police officer who defended his colleague James Crowley when he was labeled a racist by Harvard Professor Henry Gates and accused of “acting stupidly” by President Barack Obama, wrote a passionate letter to the president, in which he blasts especially Gates for creating the circumstances in which he, Lashley, is labelled an “uncle Tom” and a traitor to his race, only because he defended “a friend and colleague who happens to be white.”

The letter was given to Obama by Sgt. Crowley when he came to the White House for a beer with both Gates and Obama.

Hear Wolf Blitzer read the letter out loud on CNN:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP7ujiJ1Sjs&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

Lashley touches on something of great importance: the way African Americans limit themselves, and fellow blacks. Blacks who dare behave different are labelled ‘traitors’ and seen as ‘fake black.’ Ironically, this part of black subculture is one of the main reasons why so many African Americans continue to live in poverty and well below their abilities.

Americans have to become colorblind and their president should lead the way. Obama promised to be post-racial last year, but proved to be anything but when his friend Gates was arrested after he insulted an officer at duty.

He called this a “teaching moment,” which we can only hope it is.