To blame racism for the problems affecting Blacks in America is largely a mistake, Shelby Steele, a professor of English at San Jose State University, told an audience of 475 people at the Kennedy School of Government's Arco Forum last night.

The difficulties which Blacks face are a result of "a failure to adjust to freedom" after 300 years of slavery and oppression, according to Steele, who is Black. These problems are still discussed "as if they were the result of oppression."

Steele sad slavery prevented the development of an ethic of individual initiative among Blacks. After slavery ended, Blacks "developed a profound talent for social protest."

Steele argued that this talent for protest is now obsolete, because of the new freedoms gained as a result of the Civil Rights movement.

Problems facing the Black community, like gang violence and unemployment, stem from far more complex causes than racism, Steele said. "The temptation is to say. 'Clearly that's racism, clearly that's oppression," he said.

Steele said whites are "ignorant" of the race problem and largely immune to itsconsequences.

This fact brings about "a profound sense ofguilt" on their part, which they assuage bysupporting affirmative action and other forms ofspecial treatment for Blacks. He calls whitesentiment towards Blacks "false compassion."

Steele said that the combination of white"guilt" and Blacks' failure to recognize thatracism is not their main problem drives racerelations policy.

For Blacks "the temptation is to go back towhat one knew," instead of dealing with the truecauses of current problems, said Steele.

Whites "go along" with this because "when yougloss with oppression, you gloss yourself withcompassion," Steele said. Whites are oftenunwilling to hold Blacks accountable for theiractions, lest they be accused of lackingcompassion, he said.

Steele said affirmative action "is a way that asociety buys itself out of meaningful socialreform. It is piteous and demeaning to us as apeople."

Professor of Law Randall L. Kennedy respondedto Steele's argument, saying that Steele "spoke asif white America was drowning in a surfeit ofcompassion" for Black people.

Kennedy said he agreed with some of Steele'spoints, but also said that racism is a continuingproblem, and "Blacks are held to account" bywhites.

Whites are "anxious," said Kennedy, becausethey feel they are losing their "hegemony" overminorities and their privileged position insociety. This is why, in Kennedy's view, theyoppose affirmative action.

Alvin L. Bragg '95 president of the BlackStudents Association, said he didn't agree withSteele.

"My major criticism is that he prescribed nosolutions," Bragg said.

But Chris Sepulveda '97, who attended thespeech, said he supported Steele's argument. "Icouldn't agree with him [Steele] more," saidSepulveda, who is Hispanic.

"People find it easier to hide behind thecircumstances that they believe hold them back,rather than have the courage to assumeresponsibility for their own lives.