I agree with Eric Holder.
You blame the black community for the shortfalls in it's standard performance as if you are blind to all American history. Been enslaved lately?

This article expresses exactly how I feel. I would also point out for the sake of Ernest that blacks aren't the only people who have been enslaved. Take Jews, for example. There were whites who were enslaved in America as well. Is there a statute of limitations for slavery or not? Thank you, Linda, for not being a coward.

Ma'am;...Eric Holder is absolutely correct.... We are a nation of cowards... I was in a Trade Union with some of the bravest people on the planet; and all social cowards... We don't have a melting pot here... We have an acid bath... People come out of that soup like every other: homogenous clones... With my people the fear of diversity was patent... Everyone was looking for advantage, so to hell with insight, perspective, creativity, or difference of opinion...Look at why we have had a creative advantage....We have imported it, or it has been from our blacks who simply could not blend in... Given a chance, I would bet they would all be white in a heart beat... I bet they do not have the courage to face being black every day... I bet it gets frustrating to be behind Mr. White on the ladder of life every single day...But do you think they would ever have had to bear the violence they have,  if not for fear from white people... When you drive through black town the door locks go down... No!!! Now they go down automatically to spare you the guilt.... We fear the bad negro.... And we fear diversity.... I think we fear to admit how much we benefit from the fact that there is not enough of jobs to go around.... We fear to admit that victors thrive on victims...When we look at primitive societies; they were fearless and they were democracies.... No man was free outside of his group... Ethics has the meaning of bringing credit to the character of your people, and that meant a rigid restraint of behavior... But inside of ones community, all restraints were removed.... Read about your Native Americans.... Did you want another wife??? Take up with her, and stand by while everything you made with the old wife was trashed...Do you want to change your name??? Feel free...Want a mate of the same sex, or want to dress and behave as the opposite sex??? Well go right ahead.... The reason we are cowards is that we know we are not free... Our whole well being sometimes rests on the opinion of our neighbors, and it can curse many with failure... And it has cursed many with failure...Think of it: was it really so long ago that we were cutting pieces out of people's brains if we did not like their behavior, or sterilizing them if we thought they should not breed??? Ma'am; you do not know history.... Long after slavery was illegal, black people were lynched... Does it mean now that they are not often in the wrong??? All it means is that until people are free to address those issues they cannot hide, and to not hide those issues they prefer not to hide they are not free...You are more free than others, but not without your terrors; and no one group so feeds the feelings of terror as the right... The fact is that most of the fear the right suffers from is of justice or is simply paranoia... Look at your emotions... You preach hate like many of the right... What is hate but the other side of fear???People only prefer hate to fear... I prefer to deal with my fear because hate takes too much of my life force...But then, what is diversity to some one who has risked his life for a living??? I know the freedom I give is the equal of the freedom I deserve, so I give you freedom... But I see you abuse your freedom, and I warn you off...No one wants to send you on a guilt trip...Guilt is not preferable to responsibility. Only act responsibly, and the past will be forgiven...Thanks...Sweeney

I am embarrased and disheartened that a person of your stature would do such poor research, leading to such poor conclusions. The literature is replete with information regarding the culture of poverty, the legacy of slavery and racism. The stats that you list are indeed tied to both racsim and poverty. Listing those stats without bothering to research why they occur, is journalistic malpractice. It's like treating yourself for abdominal pain without getting medical advice - you can miss the cancer lurking.

I personally think white guilt is a misguided phenom, if it exists at all. Walk in my 61 year old educated Black woman shoes for a week, and you'd be shocked. The conversations I am exposed to are equally as shocking.

Ever hear of Willie Lynch?

Re: Ernest

Have you been "ENSLAVED" lately? Unless you go to Africa where blacks are enslaving and killing blacks I don't think you can find a "WHITE" person enslaving anyone.

--Well done Linda, Holder has his head in the sand.
--It not cowardess that prevents meaningful, constructive and frank conversation on race related issues, but "frustration". If your dialog contains any negative issues involving any particular ethnic group of people, however statistically indisputable the facts may be, you're called a racist. Keep quiet because of this frustration, and you are a coward. It's a no-win situation.
--Bill Cosby years ago tried to champion "personal responsibility" as a way for average African Americans to rise to the challenges in todays society. He railed against the lack of support at home for school children. He also talked of single parents, parental involvement in schools, and simple responsbilities like helping the child with his/her homework. he talked of "personal responsibility" just as Linda has. This was a remarkably important dialog to have, and even came from a well respected African American. Were his views embraced or at least considered? Were they a starting point for further dialog and discussion on the disparity that exists in our schools with white and asian school children performing better than blacks? No! He was branded some kind of traitor to his race. He was chastised for speaking the truth and trying to encourage better performance in school. Just think had he been white and offered those conclusions as part of this disparity analysis.
-- Holder is taking a play out of Al Sharptons playbook, which reads; "my race right or wrong". That is the frustration I speak about, not cowardess. When Bill Cosby can't instigate intelligent discussion on family and education that includes race as a factor, how can the rest of us? Mr. Holder should look in the mirror. Bill Cosby had the courage to speak the truth about some negative factors in the African American community that are hurting their youth and there futures. Does he?

Re: lil_txn;.... Hey World...Presented for your amazment: the last yahoo on the planet who has never heard of wage slavery, and he probably is a wage slave.... He may not know history enough to realize that long after England ended slavery in England that it was still shipping guns to Africa, and importing from Africa labor intensive goods like Rubber... Have you ever read: Heart of Darkness???? But then, what difference does it make if you import the diamonds and gold from a land or the living bodies of its children???We have been rather easy on ourselves for importing the necessities of life from countries, and wondering why they so much resent dying.... Thanks for being such a big target and moving so slowly... Consider yourself stuffed and mounted.... Sweeney

Jesse Jackson wanted to emasculated President Obama when he was uncowardly about race. I wonder what Mr. Holder would have to say about that?

I walked with a black former prison inmate for a couple years, as he filed applications for a job, and saw white former inmates called for an interview, while he wasn't. He finally despaired of getting a job, turned to drugs and crime, and committed suicide by cop, leaving behind a wife and two children. I firmly believe he was a victim of racism. In the state of Wisconsin the legislators constantly juggle the state aid to school districts in complicated ways, and it always comes out with less money per student for the poor blacks in Milwaukee, and more money per student for the whites in the suburbs. This is racism on the part of legislators, and complicity in racism by the citizens who elect them. Ours is complex culture, in which all the problems of particular groups are interconnected in some way. Rev. Kenneth F. Smits.

Re: James A, Sweeney. Get bent and get lost. I have trouble understanding why you keep returning to read conservative columnists again and again.

Re: kenneth f smits. You worked with ONE black prison inmate "for a couple of years," and he had trouble finding work. Then you say that black people, who usually live in poorer neighborhoods (and therefore generate less money in property taxes) have less money per student to spend on education. You take two "facts," conclude that the problem must be institutional racism, and proceed to indict the entire system. Sir...it is attitudes like yours that are preventing minorities from getting ahead in this country, particularly blacks. I think what bothers me the most about what you've said...is the observation that blacks have a lot more social problems today than they did back when they faces REAL racism - Jim Crow, legal segregation, and before that, actual slavery. Witness also the fact that other racial minorities (Asians, Arabs, Pacific Islanders, Hispanics) don't seem to have anywhere near as many problems "getting ahead" as black people do. Tell me sir...why do you think that is? Do you think it might have anything to do with those people refusing to make excuses and blame other people for their problems? Most of them came from "the old country" within the past few generations, know what real persecution is and are thankful to live here. Maybe you should consider their example instead of screaming about racism.

Re: Ernest. No, I haven't been enslaved lately...and neither have you. Time to grow up, pal.

I wonder what American Indians must think when black people start whining about racism. They probably shake their heads and smile, considering what happened to many of their ancestors.

Re: June Garvin. When YOU are a Senior Fellow at a respected think-tank and a highly credentialed economist, maybe then you can think about chastising Williams for "poor research." Meanwhile I don't see you offering a speck of your own.