I suppose I would like to comment, just to weigh in. I didn't have time to ready every post carefully, my apologies if I am terribly redundent.
I would be a fool to suggest I have the proper few, or comprehensive understanding of all racial issues, particularly those between black and white people in the US. But I would say that comment applies to most anybody. Here is what I am realatively certain of.
Racism certainly still exists, and the racism of the past has molded the black communites and condition of today. The racism towards African-Americans was particularly brutal and irrational, and existed in our very recent history.
Many white people feel a certain sense of outrage that black people complain about the effects of racism because they feel it is either unjustified, of that there is a double standard in regard to addressing racial issues with black people.
It is my belief this outrage is unfounded. However, unjustified as it may be, it also perfectly acceptable to hold any opinon one pleases. What is not acceptable is attempting to somehow rationalize your dislike or opinions about any certain racial group, which is something of a social construct at this point anyways, rather than just say that you don't particularly care for them.
Many posters initially complained about being upset by the "superior" or arrogant attitude they felt they had observed in black people. They used these experiences to make broadly sweeping judgements about black people in general, using personal experiences and impressions to characterize a diverse and varied group of individuals. While not overtly racist, attitdues like this are the seeds of racial discrimination. Black people suffer racial indignities on a much wider scale than white people who are offended by their inability to complain about black people holding, or displaying equally racist opinions. Few (or any that I am aware of) white people have been beaten to death by black police officers who have previously displayed racist tendancies. There are no black hate groups that distribute propaganda calling for race war and extermination. They are very few black CEOs, far fewer black millionares (and I am referring to per capita), and a ghastly amount of young black men will be imprisoned at some point in their lives. The playing field is not equal. While some may feel that black people have at times displayed some hypocrtitical or otherwise unfair practices in regards to race relations, this is hardly a justification of writing off the amount of abuse, former and current, that blacks have suffered and will likely continue to for some time.
Seeing a race display an attitude or behavior that one feels they would recieve more sever penalties for reciprocating is no reason to suggest that the amount of racism towards black people is insignificant. If certain black people do not like white people, or as some have suggested, regard tham as inferior, then that is in fact their right. But understand that what you are observing is more of a culture clash than racial. White America has never been victimized by black people, that is statement does not hold true when reversed.
The resentment towards African Americans runs strong and deep, almost latently, in many individuals, many who would not even consider themselves racist. We all hold certain prejudices, assumptions. I for one, am excited to see black culture step to the forefront of entertainment, athletics, and hopefully other fields of public perspective. While the hegemony of any race over any field is probably neither good nor bad so long as it is not artificially instituted, I believe that the true face of America is a cultural and racial melting pot. One would be hard pressed to deny that the typical WASP class (of which I am a member) has long dominated the face of the country. I for one hope for a future, idealized as it may be and often has been, when our various cultural standards have merged to an even greater degree. This is not to forget history, write off the past, or supress the vibrancy of any unique culture and group, but rather to embrace the future and human brotherhood.
