Osama is just one weed in a very over-grown garden. We could pull him out by the roots, but we shouldn't expect the garden to thrive until we've addressed the majority of those other weeds.

Mike O,

I'm a large man, I scowl outside because the sunlight bothers my eyes, I buzz my hair pretty close because it grows way too fast. I am told somtimes by close friends that I can look very scary. I have had people cluch purses, watch me in stores, been hassased a couple of times walking the streets at night by police, and have seen concern in people as I passed by many times.

I'm a single father of two little girls who works hard to provide for them. I'm curtious and polite. People who do know me see me as a protector and a big softy. I'm nothing like what people assume I am.

Stereotypes are hard to ignore for some people. That doesn't make those people bad just uninformed.

This is why this is a hard subject to discuss; people take it personal
when it's a global discussion.

I'm not suggesting anyone to be sorry they're white or hate whiltes,
but race relations will make a quantum leap when we get to a point
where we can acknowledge the realities of the race-structure and
reality of the system without getting defensive and angry.

We're all so trained to react to the word "racism" that we do and we
fail to understand the meanings of the situations and problems.

It would be a great thing if we stopped trying to defend ourselves
and worry about the actual issues at hand.

What are some examples of doing it passively?

I will admit the fact that where I live there is not alot of ethnic diversity, there are some natives and asians very few blacks.

Is it as global as we think? I think race is a much more prevalent issue in the United States than some other places. It seems more raw.

I don't take it personal, the issue doesn't anger me and I hope I don't sound defensive.

They only way to understand others views is through discussion, questions and debate. Anger is introduced when personal attacks are introduced.