Eric Brown’s Tennessee Voices column (5/24) describes indignities endured by black people in our society from preschool through job market. White people of good will regret such discrimination and seek to minimize it.
Mr Brown apparently navigated the convolutions of adolescence without taking any irreversible wrong turns. He should get some satisfaction from that. He gets my admiration.
Racism (more broadly, tribalism) is one of many primitive drives (eg sex, acquisitiveness, aggressiveness) that were and are necessary for survival, but which are harmful in a society if not bridled by civilizing education and by law. Patriotism, another version of tribalism, is necessary but often misappropriated.
In my 83 years, I’ve witnessed huge advances in racial justice which may not be appreciated by young people struggling in today’s market. We should continue this advance, continue broadening respect for each others rights. We might even contemplate just sharing of opportunities and resources among races.
But social relations can't be optimal. People naturally form cruel cliques (small tribes). These matters are addressed in Jonathan Haidt’s The Righteous Mind.
For a bit of optimism, consider the dignity of Family Obama in the White House and the wisdom of Elijah Cummings in Congress (one generation removed from sharecropping).
