Another important fact, in my opinion: All of the Diners were visiting from Texas. I lived in Texas for a year, and some Texans will start a fight on the slightest pretext. I think this is really an issue of Texans in New York, not Black vs. White. In Texas, after something like this, the offenders go to court, pay a fine, and everyone forgets the whole thingin a few days. Hopefully that's what will happen here.