I'm a Jamaican born man who is currently living in Florida am i saw a news report about you book.I just bought in on line and I'm awaiting it's arrival how ever as a Black (dark skin) man i want to know how you book can relate to me. I wonder if you put the subject of the colorist view's that most AFRICAN-AMERICAN have towards black people. What are your religious beliefs are the dreadlocks on your head are for fashion or are you sincere about your appearance. How can an light skinned person relate to the other side.

Why did you have to name your book "How to rent a negro?" I think that is so ignorant. I can see that your trying to educate people on race, that's fine, but couldn't you come up with a better name? That is very degrading to black people, I am black and I don't like it. Now white people are going to go around saying "Hey I think I want to rent me a negro" and fights are going to break out because of it. Thanks to you.

I sort of understand your reasoning behind the naming, but I still would rather see a different title. The title is just a little too sensitive I think

I think humans are just curious creatures. There are differences among races. Sometimes people are just curious and want to know things about people that are different from them. I live in the south and lots of times northerns or westerns or people from other countries ask me questions about being in the south. Yes, sometimes the questions are funny or even ridiculous, but i don't get angry at them and then stereo type them. I think that damali is stereo-typing white people. I wrote her directly at her web site on this subject. It is a shame that she feels white folks are all like this. I think she is being a little too extreme and in a way racist her self. We are entitled to our opinions, and yes, she is black, as she states and always has been and probably experienced some unkind events in her life. But we all have. White or black, we all need to work towards equality and not dwell on the past, but look to the future and see what is possible with each other. Sorry Damali-your words are not encouraging and you don't impress upon me someone who is trying to work toward equality.

I must commend Damali ayo on her astute observations regarding identity politics in Portland and how they may or may not be reflective of attitudes in general between the races. She is fortunate enough to choose her battles inside ideologically safe ground, where the language of oppression, when expressed by the oppressed, is constantly in flux and wholly subjective to the individual emotional resilience of the oppressed. She reminds us that any transgression, deemed even slightly racist, rather latent or overt, is an opportunity to educate the host peoples of her adopted home. This tendency, when left unchecked, has as a corollary, delusional paranoia that will envelope the subject at every turn.

I find many of her arguments to be somewhat specious in their inability to explain what the origin of biological racism might be. Never do we encounter the intellectually dim among white people when it comes to utopian ideals of equality in thought and practice. Instead it is the intellectually bright who are constantly viewed as, not only, holding back the magical elixir of universal success from an entire race of people who are always just one favor away from brilliance, but also socially responsible for bearing the load the entire white race. White people should ask themselves how often it is that they enjoy the company of what is deemed �white trash� or �rednecks.� Then they may be better equipped to deal with the unnecessary guilt of their race that has been foisted upon them by peoples who find a racist enemy everywhere they look.

Too many questions lay unasked and therein, unanswered. Who is her audience? White intellectuals seem to be the cause of her grief. If so, how are they the cause and the cure for what may ail race relations in this city. It goes without saying that ayo would find a less enthusiastic audience among other minority groups such as Asians or Latinos, who within their own ranks produce an equally impressive number of victims with daily testimonials that paint the entire white race as being in collusion with one another to subvert if not destroy all other peoples the world round. It is, too often, the emotionally unstable among white people who are drawn to the type of illuminations that ayo claims to make. In her words it is the liberal white who are first drawn to ayo�s brilliant social commentary but then seem to let her down by their childish manner and pushy demeanor. Never is she conscious of the fact that this subsection of the white race is the only audience that will stand still while being insulted and remark positively when degraded in public. Racial identity politics clothed as social commentary mirrors the same tired and trite material heard over and over again in stand-up comedy. Practitioners in both forums should be cautious when looking to this group of white liberals for encouragement.

When addressing the proper posture of interaction and acceptance between two races, ethnicities, or cultures, we would be remiss if we did not, at first, determine what is utile and what is not within that social exchange. It is possible to recognize the under-utilization of resources when talking about discriminatory hiring practices that exclude people of color, and perpetuate the less than full economic freedom of African-Americans in this country but still feel uneasy about accepting tokenism in every aspect of social life. With that said, white people who find their social lives lacking in diversity have either an abundance of free time to reflect on the mundane or are not worthy of the genuine emotionally depth that it takes to be a friend to someone different from themselves. I think ayo is sufficiently intelligent enough to understand this concept but uninterested in exposing it as the root cause of what is, for lack of a better term, counterfeit tolerance.

Damali Ayo had some points I agreed with, but a point she missed is 'Blacks' are more sensitive to slights they rationalize as racist from non-blacks, especially white people. As a black person in the recess of my mind, when I go to stores I'm conscious of those who do not know me, might suspect I might pilfer. There's nothing I can do about that. On the other hand I'm a first generation African American. I was born and raised in my native country, and have different cultural upbringing from America, particularly Black America. I don't have much in common with African Americans. If I'm asked questions about Black people I consider the whole world, Brazil, Cuba, the West Indies, part of the Middle East and Africa. A fact, Africans are genetically more diverse among themselves than 'CaucAsians ?' are to Chinese. Africans share shades of the same color because of melanin protection from ultra violet light. It's geographical. If I'm asked questions about Black people's opinion on issues, I sometimes cite the OJ case. He was acquitted of killing a white woman, and in that context alone if you believe he killed her, then it was a mistrial, however when you look at the whole, the lynchings, the Mississippi Burnings, the murders of Emmett Till, Medgar Evers, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and the embodiment of the abuse she put up with, our Living National Institution Rosa Parks you excuse it as unfortunate. You can't unring a bell. In this case only time will gradually fade the ring of injustice of the past. Undoing the injustices of the past takes time to erase. It's only 42 years ago that America became a democracy and 'Dark Skinned' people were 'given' permission by White people to vote after fighting for over a century for equal rights, which still eludes us in soft ways, well apart from Police brutality(Rodney King, 'Can't we all get along.') What I've illustrated above hasn't acknowleged the efforts of John Brown(Brown University, wonder how many Blacks go there ?)and abolionist among others who were pioneers in fighting for equal rights. Those were the early people who got to 'mainstream' the fight for Black rights. Now, there is less civil inequality than there was before, but there is more economic inequality across the board.

Another point, Whites aren't taught about Black culture, besides most of what we're fed on the news about crime, welfare, and drug violations. Fact, more whites are on welfare, Whites consume more drugs than Blacks. Crime has gone down in the last 5 years by 200%, but news organizations report crime 600% more. Is there something wrong with this picture ?

In response to Chris:
there is a difference between imitating that accent of someone in a group with a long history of oppression (Indians for example) and imitating the accent of somone who's traditionally been in a place of power (British for example). (West Coast... hmm, not sure where we fit in...)
I think it's really our job to educate ourselves about issues of oppression and not count on people of color to teach us. Good dialogue between white people and people of color is essential and great. But what seems to happen a lot is white people see a person of color and suddenly want to discuss all the burning questions and odd assumptions and misinformation we've had for years. I think for people of color this can get a little tiring. That's my understanding of what Damali was saying, and it makes sense to me.
One more thought: none of this means white people are wrong or bad. None of us invented racism -- most all of us desperately want to see it gone, and are willing to put work into seeing that happen. It's a pretty exciting project...

I listened with interest to Ms. Ayo's comments on race relations.
As a 'liberal white woman,' I have worked long and hard to educate myself as best I can to understand the complexities of various minority experiences.

Surprisingly enough, I have never asked to touch someone's hair, or commented on skin tones. I have educated myself to know better. Nevertheless, I understand I will never completely grasp what it means to be a minority. I have come to understand that I am further expected to sit silently by while my cultural heritage is denigrated. I have endured a multitude of insults and rude remarks at diversity trainings, lectures, and casual conversations. I know that much of this is borne out of frustration. I have also practiced patience as I have been passed up for jobs which were given to women of color, knowing that such advancements are vital to the aim of racial equality.

Furthermore, it is my mission as a social worker sworn to uphold a strict code of ethics, to aid my clients to be the best they can be in the world. I do whatever I can to both bolster their confidence and give them a realistic picture of what to expect in our imperfect world. I work very hard to be respectful and supportive.

It fascinates me to observe that while I am being asked to be ever respectful, I am also asked to endure whatever comments come my way without comment or objection.
The question growing in my mind is whether what Ms. Ayo is seeking is equality or retaliation.
If we are to truly move beyond the "first grade" level of race relations, respect must become a two-way street. I'd like to suggest that perhaps Ms. Ayo might stop to reflect upon the wisdom of the golden rule.

I just listened to Damali Ayo talking with April Baer on race relations and, tho' I am one of those "liberal white males," I thought that I should respond to what I thought were some rather lame suggestions by Damali.

First, she said that whites in Oregon are isolated with no exposure to other races, by and large. This is not true. There has been a long-standing Mexican heritage in this state. And YES, there are frequent racist attitudes from some whites with Mexicans. And I strongly believe that migrant Mexicans are definitely being taken advantage of. Damali's statements sounded like she meant that people of color are only black people. This is not true.

Second, she suggested that imitating an east Indian accent was deplorable and racist. It's simply not--unless there is language or overtones that are expressly so. Take note about how often people like to imitate other people's accents, such as British accents or other west-coast accents. They may imitate either in theater or in jest, but it is not inherently racist.

Third, Damali suggested that her experience wherein an uncultured white person insisted that Damali explain some cultural points to her on "black culture" --when she says she didn't feel like talking. This doesn't constitute racism either. She said that because someone insisted that she explain something to them, that this tied right in to white people's attitude that black people should serve them (as in a throw-back to slavery or servitude). I think that this is a stretch--a real stretch. This is not racism, but possibly an uncultured person who likes to insist on things. Don't you think that people like that exist?

Damali's statements are a little over-the-top, I think.