It does not matter what race you are it is not okay to joke about race. Despite what Sherry believes, when she makes comments, which are stated more like facts than jokes, people with limited exposure to others of different races form notions based on what they have heard. For instance her comment about the way Black children behave in stores versus the way White children behave in stores is not mainstream. It promotes stereotyping. Frankly, I don't know any Black or White person whose child fits any mold. I would prefer to hear less about the differences about Black and White people and more about people from Sherry. There is more substance to most people. To perpetuate the way Black people are perceived and portrayed on television and in the media is to maintain a wall so high that people of all races still struggle to see past. Please present a more accurate and less narrow view of Black people; they are people like most Americans.Hardworking, family oriented Black people are not on the news, they are not singing or rapping loud obscene lyrics. We don't talk about our "man" or what we want in a "man", or that we look for "role models" to show our children what "they can do". We teach and expect our children "to do". Like many scientific studies show, as parents we have the biggest influence on our children and most of us take that very seriously. We take the responsibility of our children, we don't expect others to show them what is possible and we don't expect people to expect certain behaviors from our children, we expect proper, respectful, intelligent behavior from our children. Unfortunately, because of the promotion of stereotypes like the ones perpetuated by Sherry, our children have that much more to overcome, to be looked at as individuals who want "to do". Comments like I would like to see Barack Obama as president because he is Black demonstrates a lack of thoughtful consideration for what a person thinks is good for the country and is actually an anti-Obama stance. What a turn-off for anyone considering a candidate for the presidency. I am sure Mr. Obama would prefer your vote because you believe in his ideas and vision for the U.S. I am a supporter of both Senator Obama and Senator Clinton because of their positions on issues important to me not because he is Black or because she is female. I can only hope more people are considering issues and not race or sex. Sherry, please consider what you say and at least put it in a personal perspective so that the audience understands that you are speaking for yourself and not all Black people.

P.S. Thank goodness for Whoopi! Even if I don't agree with everything she says (because I am an individual) at least she has a reason for her opinion and it has logic behind it.

Race is becoming a word which is guaranteed to call attention to the speaker be-it negative or positive, people will listen if only to be given permission to argue one side or the other on the seed of evil which still infects our society. Traveling to other countries I never hear the off-handed comments or dismissive avoidance of ones existence which is endemic here in the 48. Has anyone ever wondered why Whoppi travels by her own private bus? Freedom! Whites never consider where they can or cannot go whether they are accepted or not, they expect and or demand to be accepted and treated with respect without regard to their behavior or personality, size or dress showered or not. No person just arriving in this country or those who are seen and counted as other than white can feel unconditional acceptance in their mingling with whites. Race jokes and race conversations will persist in the USA long after those of us alive to day are dead and gone.

TenFeet2Hands