CBS This Morning
June 29, 1998
Interview: Phillip Milano, Y?, The National Forum On
People ' s Differences , discusses his new Web site where people can
ask ethnic questions that they're too uncomfortable to ask in person.
CBS This Morning
CBS, Inc. Burrelle's Information Services
(Copyright (c) 1998 CBS, Inc. All rights reserved.)
RUSS MITCHELL, CO-HOST: President Clinton's series of discussions
aimed at improving race relations in America has drawn a lot of
praise and some criticism that the participants are not always as
candid as they could be. But now there's a new Web site called The
National Forum On People ' s Differences located at www.yforum.com.
You can use the site anonymously to ask questions about race,
cultural differences, sexual orientation or disabilities that you may
be too embarrassed or uncomfortable to ask in person. Phillip Milano
runs the Web site, and he joins us this morning. Good morning, Phil.
Mr. PHILLIP MILANO (Y?, The National Forum On People ' s
Differences): Hi. Thanks for having me.
MITCHELL: What made--what made you come up with this idea?
Mr. MILANO: Well, I--I guess I have--I guess I want to believe
that--that people in this country want to have this kind of
conversation but there's not really a vehicle to do it. I--I work in
the media and I just--I don't feel that while the media covers the
larger issues like affirmative action and abortion and war and such
like that, there's not necessarily a way for them to fly under the
radar and cover this kind of conversation, which, to me, I feel--I
feel is--is actually--if we can get beyond these more basic sort of
mundane issues about customs and behavior, then maybe we can have a
better conversation about affirmative action or welfare or things of
that nature.
MITCHELL: Let's talk about some of the questions that you find on
the Web site. He--here's one. What's the significance of the dot on
the forehead of Indian women. Typical question?
Mr. MILANO: Yeah, that--that's typical. Some questions are--are
more weighty tha--than others and--and some are--are just very basic
sorts of questions. I don't think I've gotten--actually gotten an
answer for that yet.
MITCHELL: Is that right?
Mr. MILANO: Yeah.
MITCHELL: But now--now race also a big topic on the Web site.
Mr. MILANO: Mm-hmm.
MITCHELL: I understand two of three hits actually gets some
questions on race.
Mr. MILANO: Yeah.
MITCHELL: Let me read one here. Why do blacks have larger than
average lips? That's one that came over the Web site. Now are--are
you surprised because you see a lot of these questions that blacks
and whites still don't know a lot about each other?
Mr. MILANO: Yeah, probably a little bit more--more surprised than
I--than I thought I would be. I guess I--I didn't realize that--that
people were--were so sort of uninformed about each other as they are.
But it's--it's also real encouraging to see people wanting--you know,
asking us questions and not getting hammered for them, you know, on
the Web site. Because most of the stuff that has come in has been
fairly civil. I mean...
MITCHELL: You do get hateful--hateful po--postings on there.
Mr. MILANO: Yeah. But, I mean, probably like...
MITCHELL: And--and how do you weed these out, short of something
just being totally offensive? What's the litmus test?
Mr. MILANO: Well, yo--the litmus test is, is it gonna encourage
the dialogue or is it just--you know, is it just so hostile that
a--the person is just trying to moralize or make a political
statement? And I just--you know, I just don't feel that that stuff
has a place on--on this Web site.
MITCHELL: I've got just a few seconds left.
Mr. MILANO: Sure.
MITCHELL: Let me ask--here's another question people ask a--not a
question, more of an opinion. Why do younger blacks have less respect
for whites than older blacks who lived through segregation? That's an
opinion. Do you encourage opinions on the Web site?
Mr. MILANO: Sure. I mean, that's the--the whole--the whole thing
is an exercise and it's--it's totally subjective. I mean, there's
no--there's no necessarily correct answer to any of this. It's just
people trying to--to learn about people.
MITCHELL: Phillip Milano, thank you so much and good luck to you.
Mr. MILANO: Thank you.