[Mark Felton]

Ultimately, blacks must take responsibility for such perceptions.

If the general public has a popular image about a person or a product then it is the responsibility of the person, or product manufacturer, to change the perceptions and build a new image.

The image people have of young black men as criminals is not unfounded. It has a solid basis in fact. Therefore it is incumbent upon the blacks to change this image by changing the facts, and pronouncing loudly and continuously their full efforts to make the change.

O'Reilly's statement was a faux pas, and insensitive to the boys. But it was not racist or unfair. He cannot be faulted for having an opinion that is statistically factually credible.

As I was growing up in the UK I was often referred to as a Yankee and a Cowboy, I was neither, did it bother me? no. Were they racist comments? Only if I wanted them to be, but their was no advantage for me to consider them so.

[eddie willers]

O'Reilly's statement was a faux pas, and insensitive to the boys. But it was not racist or unfair. He cannot be faulted for having an opinion that is statistically factually credible

Good post.