"--unless you're promoting the idea of some kind of brainwashing technique."

             Melissa - Brainwashing is what they are vicitms of now, I think, and I don't know what to suggest as for your aversion to clowns. I think Al Sharpton is a clown, and Jena would probably be better off if he went away.

             I think the concept of a "hate crime" is self defeating. I don't think you can punish people for their thoughts, and hanging nooses simply isn't a crime. I would agree it's provocative, and bad form, and should be punishable by school officials but not by agents of courts.

             By education, I guess I've noticed that people who seem to drift into racist groups seem like the very least educated people I've run across, and people who do not are usually more aware of what's going on around them.
             It further seems to me that with all of the anthropolical and genetic information that's available to day, not to mention all of the scientific findings that become public every day, I just can't imagine how anyone in this day and age can continue to believe in terms of "superior and inferior" races.
             It would have been more believable with Hitler in the 1940's, and probably understandable with Columbus in 1492, but not now.
             I find the same disbelief in people who continue to follow various ancient superstitions, given all of the knowledge that's out there today, and I doubt very much if you could find an atheist who is a racists at the same time. I think there is a connection here. Find someone who will happily believe in fairy tales, and you'll find a person who can be molded into racism.

             I doubt if "work shops" will do it, but if you can get people to simply deal with reality, I think you'll be well on your way to stamping out racism.