Very good writing Bill!! You did very good keeping it "PC", much better than I could have! LOL!
On the other note..
I'm too black and white (not race) with not much gray. Facts are facts and I STILL believe stereotypes ARE usually brought on by the people being stereotyped. There are without question exceptions, but stereotypes are there because of a history of a certian thing. Good or bad.
What stereotype do you fill the blank in with?
Trailer trash?
7-11 clerks?
Cab drivers?
Pro football players?
Pro football QB's?
Pro hockey players?
Gang members?
NASCAR drivers?
Rednecks?
Blonde girls?
Cowboys?
Terrorists?
Olympic long distance runners?
Phone "tech support"?
Cheap labor?
Cheap goods?
Politicians?
Skinheads?
Televangelists?
Construction workers?
They ALL have a stereotype, some good, some bad and some just because. You get an image of a "stereotype" for everyone of those. That is because a good portion of those examples are a certian way.
Now, hopefully this isn't taken in a bad way and just discussion!