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I completely agree. Mr. Obama should have said "it stops with me" and walked out of those surmons. What was said does not bother me, the jerk (I mean Pastor Wright) is entitled to his opinion. But what does bother me is he said it from a position of power, and he said it with children in the audience. I assume that this would include the Obama girls. That is something that cannot be forgiven. You can show me your ignorance, but if you try and instill that in my daughter, we're going to have a problem.

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Yes.

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Your sin of silence column was beautiful. I remember well reading Mike Royko, author and columnist for the Chicago Tribune, the day after Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot. I don't remember the title of his column but somewhere in the text he said, and I am paraphrasing, it was the nodders who shot Dr. King, those of us who keep quiet when fellow workers, family members or friends spew their racist hatred and ignorance. It is not always easy when one does not 'nod' but the feeling that one is doing his part toward peace among men can be gratifying. Mike was and you are so right!!! Congratulations. Your way sure beats silence.

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I found Connie Schultz's column on racism to be self-righteous and somewhat hard to swallow. She is clearly speaking on white racism towards blacks, but she fails to point out black racism towards whites. I am a white southerner and I can tell you that black racism toward whites is alive and well and frightening, and no one dares mention it. If you believe that Rev. Wright's remarks are a rarity, you would be wrong. A complete dialogue on racism must include this, also. Yes, some who read this will label me a racist, but I speak the truth.

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Thank you, Connie, for stating it so well. You are right - the racists are in the minority, but they are vocal and they are relentless. And when they spew and we do not speak up, it is assumed that we agree with their narrow, intolerant positions. I find it so interesting that it was not during Obama's speech, but rather during the reading of your column, that I recalled my Mexican relatives in Detroit who were raised with the racist perspectives of my uneducated grandmother. I was about 22 years old at the time of my first visit to see them without my mom or dad (I come from a mixed family - my mom is Hispanic and my father was white). I was stunned to hear them bandy about the "N" word like it was nothing. I was embarrassed for them and ashamed that they were my relatives - but I said NOTHING to challenge them on the matter. I like to think it was because I was young and had not yet found my voice. To be sure, if the same thing were to occur today, I would take them to town. But I was a college graduate. I am a writer. I had a brain. And yet I was terrified of ostracizing the people who were hosting me in their home because of their racist comments, conversations, and beliefs. I do believe that racism still persists - sometimes to dizzying, mind-boggling extremes. But the single most important thing Barack Obama said in his message was that it's high time to have this uncomfortable conversation, because, if not now, when? Thanks for the inspiration. I actually came to your site to look at the Starbucks column - and am so glad I did. Best regards - Laura