Video postcards: Is a conversation about race still necessary?
Here’s some of the topics covered in the debut on Sunday of the Post-Dispatch’s new blog, “A Conversation about Race”: “Playing the race card,” whites who feel vulnerable talking about “race,” the end of the voluntary deseg program, a black youth shot dead by the Bay Area Rapid Transit police and the question of Obama’s “blackness.”
Seems to me there’s plenty to talk. Yet, I read many comments under Doug Moore’s article introducing the blog discouraging the ideal of having this conversation. The first comment started with the word “yawn.” Others cynically dismissed the need for racial dialogue.
Really? The conversations seemed diverse, robust and the blog has much potential. Not only are there white/black issues to discuss and debate. I’m looking forward to conversations from local Bosnians and Latinos, Muslims and Jews, professors and pedestrians and topics that cover explore the hope or hopelessness regarding race relations in our region.
But that’s just me. To get a better handle on local sentiments, I took a drive around the Hampton/Chippewa/Kingshighway area and asked a few folks if a conversation about race is still necessary. Here’s video of what they had to say:
“For younger people, it’s not as much of an issue.”
“Times are trying to get better, but the people got to get better.”
“We’ve all become so interconnected with our lives and our work.”
“It will always be necessary.”
“I’m from a small town and people are still intolerant down there.”
“People get the impression we’re stuck or mired in a racial situation; I don’t believe that’s the case anymore.”
“It’s very important for us to talk about who we are as Americans.”
“Racism is still active in the United States.”
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Sylvester Brown, Jr. often refers to himself as the "accidental columnist." He enrolled in college almost 25 years ago to pursue a career as a cartoonist. He ended up starting an award-winning newspaper and falling in love with journalism. Today, as a writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the "accidental columnist's" love affair continues. 
In a word, no. But keep digging, Post Dispatch. There are still readers and advertisers left to alienate.
This a cool post sly dog, many intelligent answers here. I love to watch their body language when you ask them the question. Just shows how uncomfortable people become when the subject matter is brought up. I am surprised some of the white folks actually spoke up when a black man was interviewing them. Usually they are so stricken with white guilt around blacks they just cower down like a scolded puppy dog.
I believe that the last interviewee Brandy represents the opinion of 80% of black folk unfortunately. When she speaks of racism is she talking about those afrocentric marxist cults otherwise know as black churches? Or is she talking about that promotion I didn’t two years ago because of a diversity initiative? Or maybe it was all those persistent racial disparities that exist in crime victim statistics? I guess we will never know.
Wow! The first two comments and they are made out of ignorance. I have lived in this town for over 40 years and despite having a diversity of friends conversations (that means casual as well as formal) all tend to be bland where everyone agrees as to not ruffle any feathers. Why is that? To me it seems that the old hegemony is gasping for breath desperately trying to cling to the “good old days”. So I ask, “why are you so afraid of other perspectives and opinions?” Really, will the world end if your little slice of heaven turns out to be incorrect? Will life as we know it cease? If you are as unafraid as you try to come off then speak your mind. Stop using worn out and tired cliches but don’t be too surprised by the rebuttals. I applaud anyone who at least expresses a true opinion not some simple minded screed.
7dez7,
Could you share with us why you are so uncomfortable discussing race issues?
And, why do you assume that the subject of race will alienate advertisers and readers because not everyone shares your views. However, the racist in heart will only become more racist, things will only get worst with these types and there will be many awful racial incidents to come because of these types.
There are many others who desire to be all that God has called them to be and then there are others who are able to see that there is much that is wrong and they desire to find answers and bring about positive change. It must begin with dialog between those who desire change and who are willing to try to make things better.
Is it that you are one of those who do not desire things to get better among the races here? Do you not desire to find answers to cause change in our Black urban areas? Answers to why statistics are so disparately different among Black and White in this country? Some are truly concerned about these things and are willing to work together for change in the areas concerning these things where race are of concern.