"Be careful what you say (out loud) about race." or "The First Amendment is not enough."

Race is the great taboo in our society. No one white can talk about it, seriously or jokingly, without knowing that he or she is treading on dangerous ground. People hesitate when the subject comes up in conversation. Some of the things that go unsaid aren’t worth mourning, but others leave great holes in the discussion that we should be having about race.

There is no legal guarantee that America will be a land of open public discourse. There can’t be. The Constitution protects speech from restrictions by the State, but there are more basic and personal obstacles to free and honest discussion. Hypersensitivity to the words of others is one. Timidity in the face of our critics is another.