Race discussions help solve deeper issues: #tellusatoday

The hanging of a noose at Duke University, hate mail sent to an ASU professor for a class on race, and backlash after a Confederate flag was removed from a high school student's truck have sparked national conversations on race. Facebook comments edited for clarity and grammar:

Duke University

The incident at Duke University in which a noose was hung from a tree outside of the student center was done just to get people stirred up. As long as everyone keeps overreacting, people will keep doing things like this. We can't even be sure the person who did it is from the campus. The noose is only a symbol of racism if you make it so.

—Robert Merritt

"Fake" hate crimes? A man was recently indicted on federal charges after a noose was hung on the campus of the University of Mississippi on a statue of James Meredith, the school's first black student. I'm from Mississippi, and I don't think any benefit of the doubt should be given when it comes to possible hate crimes because of our history.

—Patrick Perry

Confederate flag flap

What's next, someone at a high school wanting to fly the flag of Nazi Germany?

—Wayne Wastier

If that's what they want to "say" about themselves, it's their right. It's our duty as Americans to protect it. However, schools are not the place for these controversial issues. Such activities are a distraction from learning, the school's primary purpose.

—Doug Morrel

'Problem of Whiteness'

This Arizona State University episode backs up what Oklahoma University President David Boren said: Racism is a problem in America; universities have a chance to join together and do something. I respect him and ASU professor Lee Bebout. They both have enormous courage.

—Antonio Navarro Diaz

Professor Lee Bebout received threats at Arizona State University for his class "U.S. Race Theory and the Problem of Whiteness." Twitter comments edited for clarity and grammar:

Gotta speak about the problems to fix the problems. Don't be afraid to be politically incorrect.

—@bklogic

Race is always a very sensitive topic for all members in society.

—@SomdevChaudhuri

Maybe if we stop obsessing over race, we'd get recognition for our skills instead of our skin.

—@s_kamp

Fascinating how easily people misunderstood this course, and in how many different ways.

—@thmazing

The problem with words like "whiteness" in general is that they erase identity and make people bland monoliths.

—@loveorchid77

A huge part of the problem is starting a conversation about race from an assumed stance of whiteness.

—@electrodreams