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"Combined, these people have a greater aggregate income than some third-world countries," Massie said. "How has America hurt them? How have they been injured by what's taking place in America? And where are their ideas and solutions?"

Peterson also criticized what he called the "so-called rally" in Atlanta to extend the Voting Rights Act.

"Whether this act is confirmed in 2007 is not going to make a difference whether blacks go out to vote," he said. "Blacks aren't voting -- not because of the lack of opportunity -- they're not voting because there's too much apathy."

Peterson charged that the real purpose of the event was for groups like the NAACP and the AFL-CIO to begin a campaign for the 2008 presidential election. He also claimed its organizers "have used racism to fatten their pockets and maintain power. And now, they're going broke. They're desperate to get back in power."

Gregory is also a hypocrite, according to Peterson, for castigating the United States while enjoying a successful career here. "Dick Gregory has done better in this country than he would have done anywhere else in the world," Peterson said. "I'd like to know where he could go and be able to do what he has done here."

Massie added that he believes the event was entirely unnecessary because "there's not one thing a black person cannot do in America if he or she wants to do it and is prepared educationally or skill-wise.

"To hear Jackson and Belafonte and these people talk, the only thing black people can do is shine shoes at a bus stop," Massie said. "If that's what they're doing, it's because that's what they're qualified to do, or they're not looking high enough.

"The civil rights battle is over," Massie added, "and we won."

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