In my opinion, yeah you shouldn't discriminate in the first place, but if people don't want to be discriminated against they should endevour not to act in a manner that calls for discrimination. I don't mean being part of a different culture, but performing actions that can make people address members of that culture in a stereotypical manner. I know I can't imagine what it means to be part of a culture such as people of sub-saharan descent, but really if you don't want your race to be regarded as dishonest then you shuld make an effort not to conform to that image. I can well imagine the strain it puts on african americans that they endeavour for human rights while their, albeit a small minority, african cousins gain a reputation as rip off artists, scammers, and people who will kill you if you turn up in Nigeria with the $100K. I wouldn't descend to racist remarks myself either.
I find the saying "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't really out to get you" interesting. In this situation perhaps the relevant saying might be "Just because they're african doesn't mean they aren't homicidal criminals and conmen"
on a related, and somewhat delicate, matter. Really, you can't risk sounding racist when you disagree with someone of a different ethnicity, but if they differ in their political viewpoint it's open season

. Yes I'm not american, and I have a lot of opposition to the american political system, but it has always appeared to me that those who criticise Bush are just unhappy that their "team" didn't win the election. Granted I consider the opposition here in Australia little more than communists acting as the mouthpiece of the trade unions. If you have a 2 party system, then accept when you lose or perhaps scrap the entire system if you are unhappy with the result.
I don't want to start a debate but I also will not sit quietly by just because my opinion might not be "popular". I think it an awful double standard to make disparaging insinuations at someone's expense, whoever it is, and then declare amnesty beacuse it's a popular opinion. You could come straight out and mean it, but you can't at the same time evince a facade of tolerance.
To not make clear my opinions in the interests of not making a fuss, something I don't want, seems to me to be self driven censorship. It may not be a good idea to post this but I can't help feeling it would be worse to simply quit without a word.