Hello Another Conflict Theorist, welcome to the conversation. I am very concerned about the state of human consciousness overall and I am alarmed by the callousness emerging/surging in America. I will write about that soon. The Mud=Black thing came up in a UNICEF poster as well. Check out my post here: http://www.allaboutrace.com/2007/08/23/blackfac...

I agree with both of the comments. I'd like to add a question: What was it about mud on their bodies that made them think, "Hey, I look like a black person?" To me, the explanation only raises more questions.

Whenever I see young people commit acts that are infused with this much stupidity I'm reminded of a comment one of my profs made years ago. "If things go terribly wrong, it is possible that THESE people may one day wind up serving on your jury." Frightening.

Regardless of whether they say that they were playing in the mud as things got out of hand. What got out of hand? Opportunity to make fun of something that is crying out in poor taste?! Where were their brains, back at school? These young people knew it was going to offend and either had to be really dumb not to know it would end up on the internet or really knew it would make it on the internet for their 15 minutes of shame.

Well, can't say I'm surprised. Disgusted, saddened, outraged? Yep. But not surprised.

Which is, in and of itself, sad.