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Coming to the defense of radiohead is inded admirable; chivalry is not dead. I don't know what schools you went to, but one of the common complaints many of US Black People voiced over the years is "where do we fit in history, American or otherwise?" My instruction in American history was very white-washed, with the great accomplishments and vision of our (?) Founding fathers, (many of whom owned slaves), our captians of industry, our great explorers, topped off with our great savior and emancipator, Abe Lincoln. Sorry, I forgot to mention Fredrick Douglass, possibly the greatest manifestation of integrity and strength in the entire American 19th century. Ol' Freddie got a few lines, here and there, along with G.W. Carver. What about the rest of the population? Voting? Land holding? Education? INTEGRATION?
ACCUMULATION OF WEALTH? Get the idea?
THAT was MY personal experience.

I had ONE teacher who lost a few friends in Viet Nam who REALLY told it like it was: the battle in this country is for the young person's MIND. Once controlled, you can do what you want with him/her.

I added that statement to say to you, yes, you make your own decisions. You are indeed the product of your own decisions. Any one of us who has accomplished anything knows this. Many of us who have nothing know this also. My point is that you like any one can only make a decision based on what ever knowledge you have acquired up to that point. If, like the author of the original atrticle stated, the only exposure to education or advanced learning has been delivered by skill-less or uninterested teachers, in places where the standards have been tremendously lowered, or has been regarded as a waste of time, many of the old thought processes have to be stripped away before any real progress can be made. Remember when it was common knowledge that YOU COULDN'T GIVE A WHITE PERSON A BLOOD TRANSFUSION WITH A BLACK PERSON'S BLOOD? or When Black people just didn't have the intellectual capacities to perform higher mathematical functions? Times changed as information became available. Times changed as the subtle messages to the various ethnic groups were refuted and disclaimed. BUT: That doesn't mean that the messages that were sent did not exist, and that the repercussions of some of those those messages still don't exist today. Ever ask a cop friend if racial profiling actually exists?

One thing I notice about this site: anytime someone wants to say something derogatory about Black people, the racists and handkerchief heads come out and applaud the clear vision of the poster. RARELY, if at all, do i see any refutations. Why is that?

As Always:
"K"

One thing I notice about this site: anytime someone wants to say something derogatory about Black people, the racists and handkerchief heads come out and applaud the clear vision of the poster. RARELY, if at all, do i see any refutations. Why is that?

The smart-assed answer that immediately comes to my mind is that you don't see it because you don't pay attention.

There are those of us who do take issue with those who make derogatory comments.

I can't speak for everyone at FR. But what I can tell you is that like any community, there are all types of people on FR. There are those who paint all blacks with a broad brush, and those who are more inclined to deal with indivduals as opposed to generalities.

There are some people here with whom I choose not to converse with on a regular basis, due to their proclivities. As long as I stay upwind of 'em, I don't have to deal with 'em.

There are some windmills that I refuse to battle, and other points that I take issue with regularly.

And while we're at it - the term "handkerchief head" that you use (ostensibly to refer to blacks who refuse to take issue with what you percieve as racist comments), is, in and of itself offensive and racist.

Personally, I'd prefer that you not use it.

Getting back to some of your other points, I was lucky enough to have parents who emphasized history, in and of itself. In my home town, black history was pushed. Of course the primary focus was during "black history month" (i.e., February), but my teachers made sure that we knew that OUR history was part of AMERICAN history.

There are important milestones in American history that were fostered by blacks. We should be proud of those moments, just as we should be proud of milestones that are not tied specifically to blacks.

Does this mean ignoring our "cultural" heritage? Not at all. Much as Americans of Polish descent take great pride in the contributions of Revolutionary War hero Cashmir Pulaski (for example), so should we in the accomplishments of blacks throughout history.

This does not, on the other hand, mean that we should wallow in the bad times and misfortunes that our forefathers endured. That is one of the biggest mistakes that black America perpetuates today.

Unfortunately, due to that overall "mistake", many of today's youth; including those in primarily black schools; have no clue as to who some of the American accomplishments belong to - even if the person in question is black. There were many scientists, businessmen, farmers, educators, or in other words, many people who contributed (and contribute) to the American experience who are black. They should be celebrated as Americans.

Do racial problems like profiling exist? Certainly. Are there individuals who think of terms solely based upon race? Absolutely.

But that does not count for most of America. Progress has been made. But to hear some tell it, we are just as bad off today as we were 150 years ago. They prefer to wallow in their inadequacies as opposed to acknowledging and continuing the progress already made.

I believe in the good in people -- all people. Good is not a racial construct. It is not limited to one race or another.

And I do my best to be good - to be as Christ-like as I can - to, and with, all people. I want my children to have more than I had. I want to leave this world a better place than when I entered it. I want my children to understand and know where we as a people came from and how far we have come. I want my children to be a positive part of the America to come.

In terms of education, this means that I - as a parent - must take an active part. That is my responsibility. No one else's. And I expect no less than that from any other parent.

Now, if that makes me a bad person - a "handkerchief head" to use your description - then the problems in America run far deeper than any addressed here.