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Whenever I find myself involved with discussions regarding race, my mind floats back to a song by The Temptations called, Ball of Confusion.  So much going on in the world and the one thing that is constant is the topic of race. 

According to the The Coalition of Communities of Color, the report centers on the "...disparities that exist for our people."  There, in the opening sentence, is part of the problem with discussions or studies on race.  The perception from either side of the battle field that disparities exist for "our" people.  Not your people, but our people.  With so much emphasis on victimization and identification, is it any wonder that the topic of race generates so much controversy.  From the kKK to the Black Panthers and every individual in between. 

And the identification problem exists in the federal government, law enforcement and the judicial branch.  A quick check of organizations within these organizations reveals splinter groups:  African American Judges Association, The Hispanic Police Officers Association, The Hispanic Bar Association, The Italian American Police Officers Association, etc.  There is even a National Association of Black Scuba Divers (NABS).  

Despite it all, I suppose talking allows us to vent; to exchange thoughts and ideas; to expose our minds to a new idea or philosophy.  And that ain't all bad, right?

posted 3 years ago
view in context

Whenever I find myself involved with discussions regarding race, my mind floats back to a song by The Temptations called, Ball of Confusion.  So much going on in the world and the one thing that is constant is the topic of race. 

According to the The Coalition of Communities of Color, the report centers on the "...disparities that exist for our people."  There, in the opening sentence, is part of the problem with discussions or studies on race.  The perception from either side of the battle field that disparities exist for "our" people.  Not your people, but our people.  With so much emphasis on victimization and identification, is it any wonder that the topic of race generates so much controversy.  From the kKK to the Black Panthers and every individual in between. 

And the identification problem exists in the federal government, law enforcement and the judicial branch.  A quick check of organizations within these organizations reveals splinter groups:  African American Judges Association The Hispanic Police Officers Association, The Hispanic Bar Association, The Italian American Police Officers Association, etc.  There is even a National Association of Black Scuba Divers (NABS).  

Despite it all, I suppose talking allows us to vent; to exchange thoughts and ideas; to expose our minds to a new idea or philosophy.  And that ain't all bad, right?

posted 3 years ago
view in context