William Raspberry

In the following viewpoint, syndicated columnist William Raspberry maintains that African-American teenagers are not harmed by harboring dreams of athletic success. Despite the assertions of some critics, Raspberry argues that African-American children do not sacrifice their education or ignore more achievable goals because of their desire to excel in sports. On the contrary, he asserts that these youth do not abandon academics because they know they need to do well in school in order to receive athletic scholarships. Raspberry also notes that young white athletes do not receive similar criticism for holding unrealistic expectations of athletic fame.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What percentage of positions in the National Basketball Association are filled by African Americans, according to statistics cited by the author?
2. In Raspberry’s opinion, what false comparison...