Well said, Louis. - Jason Toney

I'm afraid to like this post but I like you for writing it. As you know, I'm much more cynical than you so I really wasn't really shocked. But still sad. We have come a long way, but have a long way to go still. It takes time. More than a lifetime, sadly. - Robert Seidman

It was horrible. As I said earlier, I actually came back here to read FF,with the interview in the background. The chat was so distracting that I couldn't keep up with the conversation. At first it was one or two and I could keep up with you and Shel and the others, then it became too much, like a magnet for scumbags. - Victor Ryden 美久太阿

That's horrible, and I do find it surprising - guess that's probably naive. - Patrick Jordan

Good post, Louis. Racist behavior happens every day on the web. In Hawaii, it's everyone vs. everyone else. - Bill Sodeman

not surprised. the web is only a function of the society we live in and many elements within our society are simply ignorant and incorrigible when it comes to race issues. anonymity afforded by the web to many just provides an extra incentive and set of tools to let their hatred spread. perhaps that's a defeatist or cynical way of looking at things, but many people have to deal with this kind of disdain day in day out. - Cee Bee

This is brilliant. Well said. - BISQ

It's atrocious, but not necessarily surprising. Many like to think we've come along way. We have in some respects. But as Louis said, there is an underbelly, but I'd venture to say it's less secret than most think. That being said, I don't think Feldman fits into this category. I put his video in the category of extreme social commentary. I respect that some view it as racist, but to me he's satirizing a subset of society that does exist, not just in African American culture, but American culture. - Seamus Condron

Anyone that's gamed can tell you the same... spend an evening on Xbox Live. Now, about that Cluetrain Manifesto..... - Eric Rice

agree - well said louis - mike "glemak" dunn

Awful - Mike Doeff

What's interesting is there are so many areas around the country that treat racial issues differently. I noticed a HUGE gap from the East vs West Coasts, North vs South.... Some people are too sensitive while others are too desensitized. - Mona Nomura

I've been careful not to wade into the Feldman/1938 nonsense. So far, it hasn't been my battle. But while I understand this type of talk is common in some places on the Web, I was very unhappy to see it, especially toward Wayne and Corvida. There is absolutely no place for it, and I felt it necessary to be brought to light. - Louis Gray

That was an excellent post. I'm not shocked, I've been on about the racism that permeates blogs and social media for years. I'm glad to hear that Corvida and Wayne handled it well. - Anika

Are you people seriously shocked about this? I grew up in California (the Bay Area to be exact) and when I lived in Manhattan I experienced ALL sorts of things I never have in my life. ie: being called "Chinaman" to my face... as a pick up line lol - Mona Nomura

Already commented on the blog. This one was overdue. Thanks - Charlie Anzman

It's shameful. What can you do but try to spread tolerance and intelligence in your own life and work. I still get angry though. - Graham English

Mona (and others), maybe "shocking" is the wrong word. I'm not too naive to think this doesn't exist. But I can still hate it and be very dismayed by it. Just because it's commonplace doesn't make it acceptable. - Louis Gray

Louis, I hear you, and I'm definitely not condoning it in any shape and form. Racism and ignorance is a problem that is rarely addressed in open light and I think it's great that in FF, we're able to have civilized discussions. The issue (IMO) we should be talking about is what we can do moving forward to prevent these thoughts... - Mona Nomura

In need one last one here. As opposed to when I lived in a 'Metro area', it's not to hard to find these sentiments (against all kinds of groups) in deep rural areas. It's the older generations ONLY. The kids have grown up...Thankfully - Charlie Anzman

Thanks for highlighting this through your thoughtful and balanced post. I am constantly amazed with the uncivil nature of commenting on some websites and I suspect people think they can hide behind that word: anonymous. - kamla bhatt

The US' global efforts are noble but we have so many issues within that need to be fixed and addressed first. Like EDUCATION - Mona Nomura

I was in there also for a little bit, and I saw enough in that span of time. It was a shame, the stream was interesting aside from the chat. - Shawn Farner

Charlie, I don't know which rural areas you're speaking of, but Harrisburg Pennsylvania, Blatimore MD, New Jersey... even the outskirts of California are um... sheltered? To say the least. lol - Mona Nomura

@Czar Derek Peterman: you can not pretend that attitudes like that are not prevalent throughout the internet. Look at YouTube or Digg comments, some of the most classless people to ever exist. Listen in on an Xbox or PS3 game. Think about why most black bloggers now moderate their comment sections...Yes, it's "The Web". - Anika

The 'power' of anonymity or "anon" haha - Mona Nomura

@faboo_mama I didn't get to say thanks for helping me get my Seesmic account into friendfeed :-P So I'll do that here. @Mona_N I hope you aren't busting on Harrisburg!!! I like to think we aren't that sheltered. - Shawn Farner

Racism and homophobia are both hugely prevalent in gaming communities: a vast section of the internet population. Calling someone a "fag" or making racist jokes is more common than saying "hello." It's still very much this: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic... - Mark Trapp

Mona - You touched 1 chord with education. The other is 'role models and great leaders'. Our media has made it nearly impossible for great leaders to run (or even just speak) without some sort of scandal. Maybe, over the long term, some of US can fix that right here on the web. Louis' reference to Martin Luther King had me wondering if he could have even achieved what he did ... in today's world. Food for thought - Charlie Anzman

That's horrifying! - Francine Hardaway

Shawn, I had a ton of good and bad experiences in Harrisburg lol - Mona Nomura

You're just getting a glimpse at what a lot of people of color see daily. Not always overt, but the anon posters bring most debates and discussions to the lowest possible level. Check out Topix with hotbutton issues. - sergiooo

See the thing is, so many people get "shocked" or "rant".. but shouldn't we be discussing NOT how awful/horrible/un educated these commenters are but what we can possibly do. If you are aware, I believe it's part of your social responsibility as functioning human beings in society to do something, anything, with these strong opinions.... - Mona Nomura

The best example is Katrina. After the nation went into mourning, what happened? It was forgotten. - Mona Nomura

It's hideous, true - but I actually find naked, obvious racism much easier to contend with than the less-obvious kind. When someone spouts vile spew like that you discuss here - I just write them off as worthy of any attention or respect. It's those who hold similar beliefs but hide them under pretense of being polite that scare the hell out of me. They're harder to unmask and more common. :( Kudos to Wayne & Corvida. - Lucretia Pruitt

@Mona N: When I see/hear stuff like this, I always call it out. The first thing I'm told is that Im being sensitive, then come the flood of emails from people who are too wimpy to stand up to racism in "public" but are more than willing to offer emailed support. - Anika

...see this is why I hardly post political and or current issues on my feed. Once I open my piehole I can't shut up. Bottomline: I think it's great so many people care. Now the question is, what can YOU do? - Mona Nomura

@Shawn Farner: You're welcome! - Anika

best way to care is not to encourage that behavior within our environments, and educate those we can. - Todd Jordan

I wasn't there, but I go through this almost every time I stream live on Ustream.tv. This is why Feldman's behavior didn't surprise me. This is also why I prefer Ustream's moderation tools (IRC) to silence and permanently ban the cowards. - Bwana ☠

Isn't that censoring? I think it's great these issues are brought to light... Now whether I agree or not is a WHOLE different story - Mona Nomura

It is amazing that guy who dismiss real world racism (Winer was a Wright apologist) get all bent at some off color humor. - Soulhuntre from twhirl

@david adewumi - well said. - Brooks Bayne

Louis, thanks for bringing it to our attention. This is an important discussion that we're having and we need to shine a spotlight on this type of ignorant racist behavior for the world to see. Even though it's everywhere, it doesn't mean it should be tolerated or condoned. Call it out and fight it down where we can. - Larry Kless

Lucretia, you're so right about the "less-obvious kind" of racism being harder to deal with. "TechNigga" and everything Loren said about black people didn't bother me. It was just so much attention whoring from someone who imagines himself to be Lenny Bruce. But Arrington *asking* if the videos were racist, claiming that complaining to Verizon was some kind of conspiracy -- y'know, THAT kind of pissed me off. :-) - Karim

I was amazed that Arrington, who is not a *complete* idiot ("as far as I know"), could sit there and watch black people being depicted as boozing, drug-abusing, bling-wearing thugs whose primary interest in technology is real-time prostitute tracking, and then ask his readership, "What do you think? Is that racist?" - Karim

Maybe it's not racism I hate so much as fucking stupidity. lol - Karim

Maybe it was rhetorical...? lol - Mona Nomura

lol I wish. Alas the exact Arrington quote was, "So what’s your opinion? Is the video racist? Should Verizon have stood by Feldman? Tell us in the comments." Maybe next week he can do a story about lynching in the Jim Crow era and wind up with "So what's your opinion? Were these killings racially motivated? Were the black men guilty? Tell us in the comments." Idiot. - Karim

It's interesting what happens when you hang out with people of like mind. I just don't come across this sort of stuff. - Michael C. Harris

What a douchebag... whoever this Arrington person is - Mona Nomura

Mona N & Karim: :) you guys both said good stuff. - edythe

Reading this a little too late. Well said, Louis, Mona, Karim. - Parth Awasthi

@gregorylent Odd comment. The issue is, what happens when other people see you as a *race*? Are you saying that racism is a figment of the imagination of the people *experiencing* it? That's precisely backwards. - Madsimian

Madsimian, what's wrong with you? :-) Didn't anyone teach you how to play "Blame the Victim?" (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki...) It's *supposed* to be played backwards: it's always the innocent victim's fault they got lynched, or denied entrance to the country club, or denied the job, because they chose to *see themselves* as black. Remember, it's always the victim's fault! - Karim

Loren Feldman makes the exact same point in this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch...) when he says that "The problem with the black community is that they're self-hating.... It has *nothing* to do with the white guy." He repeats the point again later for emphasis: "White people have *nothing* to do with black people's problems." Always blame the victim. - Karim

@Karim :) Ok, I was baiting gregory lent a bit. My wife is the racial justice program coordinator at a YWCA, and I was looking for an easy win to make up for all the times she's confounded me in more nuanced argument... I'm cheered that this discussion is happening, actually. Both racism and sexism are arguably more of a problem online than off. Good that some folks are noticing. - Madsimian from fftogo

Thanks for this important post. - Baxter Tocher

OMG LG, this is the VERY first time I commented on your post!! Memories. - Mona Nomura