The Wall Street Journal's Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. (isn't that a mouthful?) has an article on the Jayson Blair affair. I won't bore you with more about the disgraced former New York Times reporter, but Jenkins did make one point that I think is very valid in this day and age.

Take whatever percentage of the American population you assume to be genuinely against racism -- 90%, 95%, whatever. They still have the problem of not knowing but thinking they know what's in their fellow Americans' heads. Blacks and whites readily misinterpret each other, seeing condescension, suspicion or resentment in innocent acts as well as in acts whose biggest mistake is trying too hard to be innocent of prejudice.

The vast majority of people in the United States aren't racist -- it's something that we should all remember.