Sometimes I write a story and I know it's going to get people fired up.

Other times I write things that seem innocuous to me, but end up opening floodgates like I never could have imagined.

On Friday, I wrote a story about a fund set up at the Putnam County Community Foundation in memory of an African-American teen who died last December as the result of an accidental prescription drug overdose. The fund will be dedicated to supporting causes and projects aimed at bettering the lives of African-Americans in the community.

This morning (it's Sunday), there are 24 comments posted in response to that story. As I read them, I was struck by a couple of things.

First, for as long as the community foundation has been around and for all of the good work it has done, one would think people would be better acquainted with what the organization actually does. Several of the comments decried the establishment of a fund that would benefit only African-Americans.

OK, people, here's the thing: Funds are more often than not set up like individuals just like you and me. The idea is that people can put funds in place to benefit causes that are dear to their hearts. If you take a look at the list of funds at the foundation's Web site, most of them are there to benefit a certain thing or specific groups of people. That's the nature of these funds, and everyone ... no matter what color their skin is, what religion they are or anything else ... has the same right to set up a fund at the foundation to benefit whatever or whomever they choose.

Secondly, it's not racist to take pride in your heritage, as it appears Dietrich Jackson did. I have no idea what my ethnic background is, and I wish I did. I applaud Dietrich for embracing the fact that he was a minority in a very white community and didn't make any apologies for it.

Lastly, I don't think anyone is trying to gloss over the circumstances that led to Dietrich's death, nor is anyone trying to glorify him for it. He made a mistake.

I make mistakes. I look back at my teenage years, and there are any number of times I could have died because of my rash decisions. Dietrich Jackson died by his own hand, accidentally or not, and everyone, including his family, is well aware of that.

I've also lost a child, which is a heartbreak I don't wish on anyone. That people would point fingers, criticize and make cruel remarks when a family is trying to heal itself after the worst tragedy imaginable simply boggles my imagination.