It was quite eye opening. It proves Cose's point that Blacks are seen as different because of their race and this leads to them being treated differently by others. The stereotypes of the past still prevail, such as the idea that Blacks are not as smart as whites, they are lazy, they are less qualified than whites, and that they are different. When whites have these notions about blacks, it makes them see blacks as different and thus treat them differently. When Blacks continue to see these stereotypes acted on, it tends to give them a bad image about themselves and their race.
Blacks have they are still viewed by their color.
If a Black has made something out of his life, he is not seen by these achievements but by the color of his skin. When they are seen this way, the stereotypes come into play and this makes it increasingly harder for Blacks to prove themselves and get ahead in our society. Although Cose does not directly state his position on affirmative action, it is clear that he feels a new form of affirmative action is necessary. Until Blacks are judged by their merits and not by their skin color, they will never be given a fair chance to advance in American society. The current system of affirmative action gives minorities token jobs, jobs that look good on paper but do not really give minorities a chance to advance.