William, do you even know how to parse a goddamn sentence. "They" are the advertisers, not Jackson and Sharpton.

There is no utopian past of African-American culture, however, before the Great Society and the massive welfare state there was a strong and expanding black middle class in America. Historically black urban areas that now resemble post-war Berlin were thriving middle class communities in the 50s. Harlem and East St. Louis are excellent examples.

Yes, African-Americans have made contributions and met with success in athletics and music, yet one need only to look no further than the NBA and hip-hop to understand that the ills that permeate the general African-American culture have found their way into the professional sports and music industries. Also, I wouldn't actually say that dunking a basketball is an intellectual achievement. Yes, it would be a shame to have never had the music that blacks have created in this country, but would a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis show that blacks have contributed more to this country (not just financially) than they have cost this country?