Supreme Court’s school race plan ruling ignores reality
In 1968, the Kerner Commission, appointed by President Johnson, reported that “our nation is moving toward two societies, one black, one white — separate and unequal.”
Forty years later, we still have two societies and it ought to be “a major national interest to heal race relations,” as the Banner states in its July 5 editorial, “Back to the future.”
We also have two societies in terms of consciousness. One society recognizes that racial discrimination persists — in education, employment, credit, housing, the legal system, social networks, etc. — either because its members experience it directly or have taken the time to engage and learn from those who experience it. The other society is either oblivious or in purposeful denial.
As part of his justification for restricting the use of race in student assignment plans to reduce school segregation, Chief Justice Roberts wrote, “The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.” His statement is at best utopian and at worst flippant. In either case, it’s out of touch with current reality.
At a future time when people of color are no longer on the losing end of racial discrimination, we can stop trying to redress it. Until that time, people with more judiciousness than Roberts will keep working to raise awareness and remove barriers to equal opportunity for all our people.
Jeff Stone
Director, City-Wide Dialogues on Boston’s Ethnic & Racial Diversity
Only dummies would refuse help understanding blacks’ troubled past
Reading Kam Williams’ review of the book “African American History for Dummies” (“New book spans gamut of African American history,” Arts & Entertainment, July 5, 2007) makes me want to pick it up and review it for myself.
As a person who has purchased many “For Dummies” books, I have given them to learned people without disgrace. Some of us need shortcuts to learning a difficult subject.
By saying this I don’t mean to discount what Kam has put forth as an opinion, but maybe this shortcut to African American history may help some who find it hard to deal with the hardship issues associated with slavery, Jim Crow, etc.
As long as this nonfiction work is based on actual facts, I can only wish that Ronda Racha Penrice’s book can lead others towards the truth of the African American experience. I will look for the book.
Leona W. Martin
President, New England Chapter
Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society
