Well, in my HO, there's overt racism, and there's invoking racist attitudes. The latter doesn't necessarily have to be deliberate, and that's what this cartoon is really all about. You can argue that it was, at the very least, ill-conceived and very low on the "get-it" scale. Dumb, in simple terms. But the broader take-away, in part due to societal conditioning, was racially offensive and/or insensitive. Again, IMHO, carp is only half right. Yes, we can and should move on, but only after there's been enough discussion and examination to have framed the issue at hand properly. Once dissected, understood, and properly cataloged, it can be put on a shelf. But to just shove it behind a couch because it seems unimportant from a that was then this is now POV just invites similar and possibly escalating events to follow.

Once dissected, understood, properly cataloged & come to terms with

can it be put on a shelf.

Maybe Darwin was right!
It must be shear bliss to have grown up in
such total isolation that only Filipinos
are looked upon as Monkeys.

The time has come to put it on the shelf in the far back room.

Some folks like wallowing in misery. Heck, some make a career out of bringing up the past's wrong doings. You talk about societal conditioning? Move on!!!

maybe we can stop teaching about the Holocaust and other tragedies altogether.

"Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it" -- George Santayana

i will teach my kids about racism and how it manifested itself. not in a way to encourage them to use it or practice it any more than i want them to become the next Hitler. i am curious as to why you believe that to do so one must "wallow in misery." i actually enjoy studying history and enjoy reading books about world history, even when the story isn't pleasant. it is what it is. i don't wallow in it and i am not wallowing now. maybe Sharpton is, but like i said, i haven't paid him any attention.

marg, I couldn't disagree more. In order to know where you're going, you need to fully understand where you've been. Granted, racial intolerance is of of those inconvenient nuisance subjects — something we'd all like to see go away and stay away — but it's an issue that effects us all today and future generations tomorrow.

When racism has been literally "discussed to death" we can put it on a shelf. Until then, it's on the table. Moving on is a personal choice, and on this issue, I intend to stay with the dialog.

My wife and I opted to NOT sit our kids down and teach them about racism. Instead, we are indifferent to race, never bringing it up when discussing or interacting with people. We figured setting an example was far more important. And the lesson seems to have taken. They're old enough now to be aware of racial differences and the past but I've never heard them utter one single derogatory word about someone's race or treat anyone differently because of it. Much different than my childhood when I threw the n word around liberally and never hesitated to crack a joke about someone's race.

There is nothing wrong with teaching about racism within the confines of history class. People should know about our past. I do mean ALL. Both sides, all sides.

There are indeed many who wallow in misery. Instead of being crippled with a giant heavy chip on their shoulder, perhaps those folks should take a more positive view on life. Many people from differing backgrounds have gone on to become good world citizens even though their roots aren't always the best. Why do some make it and others don't? They focus on the future, not past doings.

There's far too much focus on what our ancestors did or didn't do. If there was more forgiveness and placing the past FAR in the past we'd have less wars in the world. "Tribal" warfare goes on and on because people wallow in "what was" instead of moving into a better world.

Mike, good for you!! I raised my daughter the same way. She has friends from every background you can think of. She judges people on their merit, not what colour they are or where they are from.