Well - here is another topic which is very sensitive. Since the USA is a society which ranks ones race/ethnicity as very high on HOW one is treated and with a history of overt and covert forms of racism strongly directed towards minorities - there is also the spectre of racist actions by minorities. Here is one and let me know what you think. My nephew was attending Middle School three years ago - he entered the bathroom to go and was washing his hands. A black student came over and told him to get out.... my nephew said no... when I am finished. The black student then punched my nephew and threw him on the ground and called him a nigger. Is this an act of racism or is this simply an incident with a bad kid? When I asked my nephew why he didn't fight back - he stated that the other black kids there would have jumped him if he had fought back.

Just this year - two other African American boys started calling my nephew a ´fag´ and trying to pick fights with him. My nephew is ADH and is extremely introverted but he has told his teachers. They have written one of the boys up twice with two suspensions but is this type of harassment a form of "hate crime" that we see increasing in school systems but with a twist - its black on white victimization? Is there a problem with the socialization of children within Black America? With high rates of expulsions and alternative schooling, with disturbing rates of prison incarceration - what are some of the factors that would help us explain these problems (I'm thinking perhaps racial oppression, poverty, stereotypes, inferiority?)