I am once again stunned at the naivete of the intelligentsia and this article - as good as it is - drives this point home. Imagine - these pundits say - after decades of drumming the allegedly positive effects of "diversity" into young minds throughout America, constantly reminding anyone who is white that their lot in life is undeserved and the product of the horrible subjugation of blacks two centuries ago, excusing every form of black misbehavior, celebrating every form of degenerate black culture (read the lyrics to any Snoop Dog or 50 cent CD), calling any effort at white self-defense "racism", admitting unqualified minorities to elite educational institutions of every kind, kids in high school STILL self-segregate and want to be withtheir own kind!

Where have these "experts" been for the last 30 or 40 years? What American high school does not have its "black" table in the lunchroom, its "black" section of the football stadium? None! What's more, there is no reason why there should not be. The same pundits agitated about the white tree in Jena, support all black residence halls, clubs, and "cultural organizations" at colleges throughout America.

Hypocrites...all of them. It is clear that is only white efforts at separation are to be condemned, only white efforts at cultural preservation are "racist", and only whites that are capable of racism. Hogwash.

People want to be with their own kind and should be judged on their merits as individuals - not as "victims" in some preferred group. Until this happens, Jenas will continue---and multiply.

Don't forget its "Black Student Union" or whatever the school would wish to call theirs.

Are you blind!

If you take into account the place of the US in world history, you have been provided the greatest advantage in the history of the world... and it is based solely on the color of your skin.

You are a simple person... stop trying to sound intellectual... you just don't like black people. It's OK. There are plenty of you out there.

Sorry, but where are the "White Student Unions" at schools?

FOJ - respectfully - I'd say being born white in the US is more rightfully a lack of a disadvantage than an advantage. Unless you are rich or otherwise connected - not all that much is handed to your average white American. On the flip side - there aren't that many added barriers to being succesful either. I'm not saying racism doesn't exist or that white people have it as bad or worse than minorities - those are clearly false statements.

Relatively speaking I realize that it is more advantageous - but I'd stop well short as to say that it provides the greatest advantage ever.

True. I don't live in a bubble where I think the road of white people is paved with gold. Advantage or none, life has it's peaks and valleys for all.

Anyone who has gone through the education system in the US since the mid-1960s knows that anyone black is given every break and special consideration for no other reason than skin color. Ability, intelligence, competence, and performance are ignored. We have created a class of professional victim/crybabies who blame all of life's vicissitudes on the color of their skin. Indeed, the greatest racists today are blacks - as the Jena beating shows!

Whites, on the other hand - with the exception of those born rich or well-connected - have had to work twice as hard during this time frame to get half as much. Why" They are being punished for racism that occurred before they were born and was perpetrated at a time when their ancestors were not even here!

This is bullshit. I am actually shocked at this kind of racism, to be completely honest. I have never encountered anything like this as a teacher here in Houston. I don't remember anything like this when I was in high school, and I grew up in a small Texas town.

If anything, kids are much more hip to progressive attitudes than their parents. Teenagers tend to be much more tolerant of homosexuality than adults, I think, and there are many biracial couples among the students.

This thing at Jena is an anomaly, and most certainly not a result of "multiculturalism."

I think you need to take another look at your school's lunchroom---and your experience in a small Texas town could harldy be viewed as representative of much. Go---today---to any lunchroom in Philly, DC, New York, and their respective suburbs. Yes, you will see some interracial couples - probably more for experimentation and "shock the parents" purposes than anything else. I am not certain that the fact that these couples exist is indicative of anything, let alone "progress". But once you get past these few couples - you will find that most people stick with their own kind.

It is not racist to want to be with people like you - and it is foolish to think otherwise.

GaryDL:

Anyone who has gone through the education system in the US since the mid-1960s knows that anyone black is given every break and special consideration for no other reason than skin color. Ability, intelligence, competence, and performance are ignored. We have created a class of professional victim/crybabies who blame all of life's vicissitudes on the color of their skin. Indeed, the greatest racists today are blacks - as the Jena beating shows!

Whites, on the other hand - with the exception of those born rich or well-connected - have had to work twice as hard during this time frame to get half as much. Why" They are being punished for racism that occurred before they were born and was perpetrated at a time when their ancestors were not even here!

Maybe Gary has a point. He was clearly disadvantaged by not learning about the concept of irony, despite the fact that it self contained in the post I'm quoting here.

The real irony here is the failure of those with education - like you - to see and understand how the tribunes of the professional victims have disadvantaged you by filling you with guilt and self -loathing to the point that you cannot see what is obvious.

Gary, I agree with you. It is not just in schools, it is also in the workplace as well. I work in a large government building and the blacks and whites segregate there as well.

Actually Gary, it is quite the opposite. I don't feel guilty about being white, or what white people have done in the past. I can't atone for what I didn't do, nor would I try. That doesn't mean that I pretend like everything is cool now, and that racism doesn't exist. The thing is, until we fix the perception that the deck is stacked against African-Americans - especially in the justice system, black people will continue to mistrust white people. The first step to fixing the perception is to change the laws, and the enforcement of laws that are most likely racist. I realize that race is not always the only factor, but it seems to be at least a partial factor in many instances.

Along with not being guilty about being white - I'm not irrationally afraid of black people either. I'm not afraid of them as neighbors, as girlfriends, as brother-in-laws, as co-workers or as competitors. I don't see every black man as a potential mugger or expect them to harm me. I don't view race relations as a zero-sum game. White people don't benefit from the oppression of black people. Nor do blacks necessarily benefit from instances where whites are victimized. There is enough for everyone who is willing to go out and earn it. It's getting better for black folk as far as the American dream thing goes, but we still things to work out. Most of the black people I know don't what white people's help so much as for a fair shot at it. I'd say we all benefit from it.

As far as a lunch room breaking off into cliques - yeah - I know that isn't racism per se, but that doesn't mean race isn't an issue there, either. The instance in Jena appears to be that way.

As far as professional victims go - eh - I call things as I see them. I have a few work friends who are black, and since I am one of apparently few white guys that will talk frankly about race, we have disagreements. None of them are professional victims, but sometimes they see racism where I see other causes. The discussions are always healthy, and I think that all parties are better for it.

As far as your claim that white people have to work twice as hard for half as much - I don't know your experience, but that has certainly not been mine - and to be honest, on face - it appears to be extremely far-fetched.

Good points evil_robot. This would be my experience also. Gary seems to dislike educated people as much as he dislikes African-Americans, so other issues seem to be in play here. Quite frankly, his whining makes him appear to be the poor me "professional victim" he loathes.