Many muslim countries place blame on women who are raped rather than the man who raped them...it's a cultural thing. Which definitely doesn't make it ok.

The tirade I'm about to go on may sound racist and laden with stereotypes, but as someone who lives very near to some rough neighborhoods in West Philadelphia and who also considers several black people to be among his closest friends, I think I have a decent perspective from which to make claims.

Many black people are rude. They aren't raised to control their voices or abide by many of the manners caucasian and other races grow up with. It's not as if they're willfully doing these things, it's simply not how they were raised. Which doesn't change much. Most people will still get annoyed when someone yells at the TV or movie theater screen...which has happened to me every time I've been in a movie theater here. I can only remember one, maybe two times it happened down in Arlington, VA. The D.C. suburb where I grew up.

There are a number of black people at my school some of which come from wealthy educated backgrounds. Those are the students. They may share urban interests, but they are polite, friendly, and not at all difficult to get along with.

Many black people also work for my school. At the cafeteria, as cashiers, and security guards. The vast majority of them are among the laziest people I have ever met. At the convenience store they don't bag your food. Or even bother to rise from the chair theyre sitting on. Food takes forever to be served. Sometimes 20 minutes for a single burger. And these are precooked. You will almost never get a "Hello how are you?" or "Have a nice day." In addition to that, they will probably move with a slowness and malaise that I didn't think was possible.

I recall one time I was waiting for a burger(I was the only person in line) and the man who was working that day, before asking me what my order was, pulled off his gloves, tossed them in the trash and proclaimed "I'm DONE!" and walked off. It was 3:58. I'm guessing his shift ended at 4:00...

There are so many of these stories I can't even count...and it happens all over philly. They're working miserable jobs, yes, but it doesn't excuse that kind of behavior, imho. I never experienced it anywhere else. And wages in Virginia are almost assuredly lower.

Again, I feel the sad need to say this, but I am not a racist. These are honest to god observations that I have made while attending college in Philadelphia. And I'm sure it's similar in many cities throughout America.

I don't blame anyone for getting annoyed that black people (or anyone for that matter) is talking in an outdoor voice. Or mumbling and moving at half the speed of smell. In america we expect courtesy and alacrity from employees. It's not a whole lot to ask.

Bottom line: FP, don't feel like a racist, and prepare yourself for a lot of that if you're in a community with a lot of working-class blacks. It doesn't mean theyre not good-hearted people. but they are obnoxious and often lazy.