Submitted by Monica, Aug 17, 2007 13:31

I have nodded in agreement, many times, after hearing some of Dr. McWhorter's compelling analysis on race in America. The questions of cultural norms should be consistently raised. For example, as a young, African American (I still like the term, J) teacher, in the mid 1990's, in an urban district in central NJ, I would often ask myself, "When did prison become a rite of passage? An achievement? Why is prison culture from dress (sagging pants) to values ("you better get cha weight up, boy"-- a means of survival-- being able to fight) so prevalent in our communities?

That said, my only real criticism of this piece is the omission of the arrest/s/ made in connection with the brutal murders of the college-bound teens in Newark. The main suspect (he, apparently, turned himself in to mayor, Cory Booker) is Latino (my assumption is Central American). Do the issues of fatherlessness and welfare still apply here? Certainly, in this particular (heart-wrenching, I might add) case there have been references made to persistent gang activity in Newark, so this could be a factor. Admittedly, I haven't followed the case for days (I am an at-home mom of two small children, nightly news is both an anathema and a luxury). Again, however, I raise the question about the ethnicity of the alleged murderers.

We all know that no one culture has a monopoly on homicidal behavior. We also know (recall Nelson George's analysis circa mid 90's) that "ghettocentricity," is everywhere (K-Fed, "Who's Your Caddy?," etc.). I just think that a reader can be misled by your analysis into believing that this is simply a "black thing." Often in inner cities, cultures converge and share space and limited resources. How does this fit into your paradigm?

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