Minorities vent anger at forum

Mount Airy resident Whytni Kernodle found an outlet for her outrage Tuesday night. A forum in Center City gave her the opportunity to criticize how institutions and authority figures treat blacks. Her anger stemmed specifically from an incident involving her teenage brother during which two police officers searched his shoes for drugs "simply because he was black." "They don't see the nice family and education behind the race," Kernodle said. Kernodle was one of approximately 90 people representing a wide range of ethnic backgrounds and age groups who gathered at Borders Bookshop on Tuesday evening to analyze the topic of racial polarization. "The only way out is through," explained Farrell Silverberg, who moderated the discussion. Silverberg, a psychologist, said he specifically targeted Penn and Temple students in an attempt to bring diversity to the event. Silverberg added that he organized the event to penetrate what he called deep-rooted racial problems and tensions in the United States today. The forum began with debate about the O.J. Simpson case, which many said exemplified these problems. The participants initially focused on the verdict and the racial divisions it caused. "Different perspectives based on different experiences without an accurate understanding of the case helped aggravate the problem," Wharton freshman Angela Amento said. Those in attendance agreed that media treatment of the case exacerbated the tensions. "I don't like my opinion, as an African American woman, being represented through media polls," said Darcel Caldwell, a Mount Airy resident. "Every person deserves respect as an individual, not only as a member of a certain race." People voiced similar sentiments over the treatment of the 1992 Rodney King beating. Silverberg and the other participants probed more general issues, including everything from economic trends and stereotypes to the historical treatment of blacks. Emotions often flared as sensitive comments and points were raised. Nancy Gold, the president of the Center City Proprietors' Association, addressed the economic concerns of the local business community. She stressed that economic polarization often accompanies the racial polarization, adding that she hoped to discover the reasons behind this phenomenon. People of all races expressed concern over statistics she raised that estimate the average black income to be one-tenth of the average white income. Several participants expressed desires to start similar discussion groups in their local neighborhoods. Many lingered after the conclusion of the forum, vehemently examining various issues of the controversy. College freshman Amy Zimmerman said she felt this experience was worthwhile. "The openness and candor of everyone involved clearly showed that a solution is possible," she added. Silverberg said he was satisfied with the gathering on this "volatile" subject. His future plans may include a similar meeting at an on-campus site, such as Chats, to target Penn students specifically.