You guys should really read the book entitled "Black Like Me"
It is the story of a white man that pretends to be black in the US. He is faced with such intense prejudice, hatred and venomous reactions that he cannot continue being black for more than a week or two. Too bad real blacks cannot do the same.
Ryan feels guilty because he came from privledge. We hold whites accountable for their ignorance yet we make excuses for blacks when they behaivor badly. I have experienced this first hand. My brother is a cop in a predominately black area and an overwhelming number of crimes are commited by blacks simply because that who lives there. If you live in a small red neck town, who are you going to look for.
I've read Black Like Me and I agree that its message is still relevant today...however, I would suggest to you that the experience would be very different today, and for the better
The Souls of Black Folk by DuBois is another great read