Stepping Into Our Pre-Racial Present

It has been an interesting week in the public consciousness of the nation!

As we bask in the sunshine of our aspiration for a truly "post-racial" America, we have been confronted with a high profile incident of racial profiling. At 58 years old, Harvard University professor, Henry Louis Gates was arrested for breaking into his own home when Cambridge, Massachusetts police answered a call from a concerned neighbor.

Ironically, Gates is well known for his efforts to help black and white Americans understand the history of black America and our legacy of slavery. In many respects, he has served as our collective conscience helping us to see fully the national shame called slavery, the treasure that it built in the black community, and the cost that we still bear.

As I rode home and listened to the story I wondered why this man, who has taught America so much, was selected by circumstance to once again teach us about the subtle and persistent nature of racial prejudice. I am sure I am not alone in wondering whether there a grander purpose in the incident. Will it give us a fresh opportunity to examine, more intimately, the confounding and persistent nature of our racial heritage?

It is my hope that it will. Perhaps it is an opportunity to see clearly that as we have stepped bolding toward a "post racial future" we still have one foot firmly embedded in our pre-civil rights past. I will not debate here whether "post-racial" is the new "color blind". In many respects it is not germane in this context. What is fundamentally important is that we take no pass on seeing where our feet have fallen and no pass in learning how to step differently with our next footfall.


Linda

Welcome to Finding Insight

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Welcome to Finding Insight. It is a beautiful, sunny, hot afternoon in metropolitan Washington, DC so I write this opening note with a sense of anticipation about this blog and a sense of regret that I am not at the beach. Still it is time to find a few words that hopefully will reflect our collective interest in finding insight. This blog will be personally focused, philosophical and spiritual, social issues oriented, and perhaps even a little informational. Hmmm! An awful lot to accomplish but it wouldn't be honest if I didn't take on more than a reasonable portion of the possible. I hope you will enjoy what you read and take the time to let me know what you think.

Be well and enjoy your day! Linda