Admittedly I do not always do this, but about now would be a good time to ask that classic question: What would Jesus do? Besides which, what did any of this accomplish? What constructive purpose was served by the voodoo rituals against the evil Injun? It might pleasurably stoke your feelings of moral superiority, but it sure wasn't going to change his mind.

Indeed, these kind of ridiculously exaggerated reactions only reinforce bad attitudes. Hysterical overreactions like this will be (not entirely unreasonably) interpreted as evidence that you're an irrational PC idiot having a hysterical emotional reaction not based in reason.

PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT POINT - PAY ATTENTION:
Besides not being just toward Yeagley, this type of display not only does not do black folks any good, but indeed actively hurts the advancement of the race. It plays right into the ongoing cultural infantilization of blacks.

Reaching for the smelling salts at every little hint of a sign of a bad attitude toward a black man is just ridiculous. If you're going to be so completely thrown off track at every least indication of a hint of bad attitude, then you're not going anywhere. Resentment and nursing hurt feelings can easily be a full time job.

If you've got the Klan burning a cross on your lawn, then you've got a bad problem that needs to be addressed. If something as little as a picture of a monkey on a website is enough to throw you out of balance, though, then you're screwed.

Thus my opening statement that sensitivity is overrated. Indeed, it can be highly counterproductive.

People have a great deal of CHOICE in their emotions. You can CHOOSE to be deeply and righteously offended by every little hint of negativity, or you can judge it to be more appropriate and healthy to slough off the little stuff and have a life. As Roger Miller put it in his classic philosophical treatise, "You can't rollerskate in a buffalo herd, but you can be happy if you've a mind to."

Finally, I ask my fellow Blogcritics, when did exaggerated displays of hate become an actual positive moral virtue? Hate seems to me to be the central human sin (whether it's based on race or something else), not racial stereotyping or insensitivity.