As Skot Welch and I prepare for our weekly radio show, we sort and skim our way through 70-80 topically related articles per week.  Most of them (blogs and mainstream sources) are not very well written and many miss the mark completely as America still continues to struggle through a mature and meaningful conversation about race.  Occasionally something will hit the e-mail in box that pierces the continual fog of white denial and makes it all worth it.

One resource called “Uprooting Racism,” came to us last week from the Interfaith Council of Peace and Justice in Ann Arbor and told the tale of African American storyteller La’Ron Williams and his typical experience during Black History Month.

“In a succession of ‘special’ events with catchy titles like ‘Passport to the World,’ ‘Multicultural Menagerie’ and ‘Diversity Safari,’ I’ll be asked to share a bit of the dance, dress, and/or music, of ‘my culture,’” Williams said.  “I’ll be nestled in among the Japanese kimonos, Turkish baklava, ‘Indian tomahawks,’ and Mexican mariachis. But although I’ll be perceived as a representative of all African-Americans, almost never will I be asked to talk about the full range of issues that are critical to our lives. Almost never will I be asked to address race and racial hierarchy. Neither will anyone else.”

And it is this racial hierarchy that continues to plague the country and it can’t possibly be addressed as we squeeze all the “diversity activity” into February’s black history month, the shortest month of the year, and “call it good.”  This is well within the genre of what Skot calls “event centered diversity” which happens in the corporate world as well replete with mugs, T-shirts and (as one company cleverly created with bags of jelly beans) “diversa beans.”

The worst part?  It’s completely ineffective and contributes to a culture of denial that as a white European I experience constantly.  “Race isn’t the problem, Rick, it’s all about economics, recession, family values, jobs, government waste, crime, housing, health care, immigration reform, politics.  Fix these problems and we’ll be fine.”  I’m happy to let La’Ron Williams respond to that.

“It’s impossible to understand the American social landscape without knowing the history of race and the role it has played – and continues to play – in the shaping of our country. Race is not an addendum, an adjunct or a side issue. Instead, it lies at the heart of the formation of nearly all of our institutions and our collective way of life. Until Americans become ‘fluent’ in race-related matters, we will never be able to take responsibility for undoing the damages racism has caused.”

Exactly.  I’m not crazy, La’Ron and neither are you and I thank you for piercing the fog of denial.  Race is foundational and in a profoundly segregated state like Michigan, it’s the biggest challenge of all.

“We suffer from a dearth of conversations that leave us feeling inspired and motivated to seek more information about this crucial part of our society. Americans desperately need to establish settings where we safely can engage the matter of race.”

Let the conversation continue …