All of those things are correct, and I appreciate you taking the time to spell it out.

But Dr. Gates also did feel that the race issue is important - because that's what influences his interactions with the police, that's a reasonable fear for people of color, and one he thought he was shielded from by class privilege until it happened to him. And I don't feel that he, or anyone else, should not talk about it because of the fear that if they do discuss the issue of race, no one will talk about other issues of concern.