Racial Sensitivity Training for All: Barack Obama's Solution?

Michael Richards, who played Kramer on the hit TV show Seinfield, was doing a stand-up routine at the Laugh Factory in Hollywood when some black men started heckling him. He blew up and said to "throw his ass out, he's a nigger." The black men responded by calling Michael Richards a "cracker-ass." Don Imus, a national talk-radio show host made some insensitive remarks towards the Rutgers women's basketball team calling them "nappy-headed hoes." Jesse Jackson strongly suggested through media outlets that they go through racial sensitivity training and Reverend Al Sharpton pushed the issue.

I'm not saying that what Imus or Richards said were right, but is what Reverend Jeremiah Wright said not equally disparaging toward a white man? Why aren't Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton not urging him to go through racial sensitivity training as well? Why aren't they saying anything at all? Basically, the only thing I've heard Al Sharpton say is what else do you want Obama to do that he's not responsible for anything his supporter's say.

Reverend Wright's statements fuel racism that is in direct conflict to Trinity United Church's mission statement, which plainly states that their mission as servants of God is to address and eradicate the problem of the color line. The Black Value System that Wright teaches is supposed to help his congregation define themselves, not to make them look down on others as being inferior or make them feel that they are superior. Do his remarks, such as when he said that rich white people rule America sound like he's teaching black separatism?

In response to Reverend Wright's statements, Obama said that he was like the uncle that said embarrassing things. That I can relate to, but then Obama referred to his grandmother as a typical white person because she reacts how most white people act when they see a person of color walking down the street towards them. Personally, when I walk down the street and see anyone that looks like a thug, whether they are black or white, I will move to the other side of the road.

Jesse Jackson referred to Obama as acting white because Obama didn't jump all over the Jena 6 assault case. Although Obama wasn't silent on the issue, the things he did say were after Jesse Jackson's son gave him his input. Al Sharpton is stated that strategically it is better for him to publicly acknowledge that he is absolutely supportive of Obama, but not to officially endorse him. Would endorsing Obama hurt him if Al Sharpton felt the need to defend a black man against something the white people did? Did Al Sharpton decide that it was okay to give his support because of the remarks the other side, namely Bill Clinton, Ed Rendell and Geraldine Ferraro, had made against black people?

Is it okay to make remarks that could be offensive to white people, but it's not okay to make remarks that could offend black people? I'm confused. Is it really a racial issue or does it just happen to be that race is a touchy subject and gains more publicity and attention? Is this race turning into being a black or white issue? I don't think it's going to be something that either side can sweep under the rug so they can go back to the major issues of the campaign. Maybe they would all learn something from racial sensitivity training.