This has been, to me, a "feel-good" thread. Despite some disagreement on the nature and effects of racism, we can all come together in denouncing the idea of condemning a person, to invert a phrase of Dr King's, for the color of his skin rather than the content of his character. Where the lines become more clearly drawn and the disagreements more pronounced is in the realm of personal responsibility. Is an individual ultimately responsible for his own actions, or are his actions primarily determined by his environment? Is the black drug dealer a bad person because of his lack of regard for his fellow man or is he merely doing the best he can in an environment where only the strong survive? Is the southern white racist a selfish, hate-filled ogre, or is he also the victim of the constant negative input of his family, friends, and the tainted nature of his own institutions and language?

I introduced the Jena thread a while back, and the conversation became argumentative very quickly. When dealing with specific scenarios involving race, our tendency toward general statements about racial harmony and even racism begin to erode, and underlying anger and frustrations often begin to emerge.

But I have to say, both kinds of dialogue are vital in our attempts to unravel a very complex and thorny issue. We need threads like this to reinforce the fact that we do care very much, about the issue and about each other. We need threads like the Jena thread to air views which are divergent, and often confrontational. In both cases, the act of participating in such conversations is in itself a step forward, and a world away from the static and stratified views of the world we grew up in.

Like all of you, I'm still learning.