Racial Problems Plague South Philadelphia High School

Now, here's an unfortunate story. Several Asian students have been the victims of attacks from primarily Black students at South Philadelphia High School. What makes this story even more unfortunate (other than the premise) is that the Philadelphia school district has not been proactive in trying to solve this problem.

I keep hearing people talk about this "Post-Racial America". The naive among us that thought that just because we in America have elected an African American head of state, that somehow we would wake up and this country, and the people in it, would magically have their attitudes change. The problem was not in the electing of our first Black president. The problem is with the general lack of education of our people.

Everything this nation has done in the name of "racial unity" has fallen flat. Granted, there have been ENORMOUS changes in the attitudes of people of the years. My daughter will NEVER have the problems that my mother had (she could only go to the rollerskating rink on Sundays, which was "colored only" day). But she will have problems (I am black, her mother is white).

I went to a predominately White grade school and high school growing up. And I can't say that I had it easy. I heard the word "nigger" uttered more times than I'd like to remember. When I think back to those days, and look at the way things are now, it seems like a lifetime away. Not that 20 years is a lifetime-- far from it. But it's amazing how in that short a time, many things have changed. I remember when MTV would not play videos by Black artists. You turn on MTV now, that's all you see (and crappy reality shows, but I digress).

When I hear stories about young Black kids beating up this Asian kids, it sickens me. It makes me think of, back in school, the young Jewish kid that called me a "Black Ape" after I pushed him away from my cousin (he was hitting her). At the time I thought "are you kidding me?" We had literally been studying the Holocaust not long before that incident...and to see your own people maligned and disrespected...and MURDERED...you would still put those attitudes onto another person? And that's what I think about these Black kids. Are you kidding me?! You, more than ANY OTHERS, should know what that feels like. We've all heard the stories from our parents and grandparents. WHY would you put another group of people through that same garbage?!