Click the link for the complete article www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2014/04/26/306822684/3-pitfalls-to-avoid-when-talking-about-race?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20140426
Reaction 1: People of color have a special interest in talking about race, sometimes to win special advantage.
If it's about indicating that I have an expertise or special interest
in the subject of race, it would be better to note that I've been
writing about the intersection of race, pop culture and media for nearly
20 years. Or point out that I wrote a book published in 2012 about
these issues. Or note that I've won awards from the National Association
of Black Journalists, the Florida Press Club and the Society of
Professional Journalists for my work covering racial issues.
For those who believe things are working just fine when it comes to
race and society in America, words like Sotomayor's are dismissed as
coming from someone who is biased to favor her own racial experience.
But it seems obvious that everyone involved in the case has a racial
background that informs his or her view, even white people.
Reaction 2: Arguments for diversity demand that people ignore facts for emotion.
Talking about race issues always stirs lots of passion. But implying
that an argument is rooted in emotion dismisses it without
consideration, which doesn't seem fair.
Reaction 3: If the lack of diversity isn't complete, then it isn't an issue.
We are often uncomfortable with the idea that it takes a specific
focus on racial, ethnic and gender diversity to break down these
long-standing traditions in hiring, education, housing and more. We
don't want to believe we could still be living in an America where race
makes a difference.
I'm convinced we won't really learn how to
deal with these issues until we learn how to talk about them. It's time
to break down the patterns; they're only keeping us from really relating
to each other on a subject that's too important to get right.
