Race, race - everything’s ‘bout race? This should be lyrics to some new song. Everywhere we turn some media personality in America is reporting on race, interviewing authorities about race, and labeling, categorizing, and detailing the trials and tribulations of race and race relations in American today. Yet, outside the media, is anyone even talking about race and how race fits into our ideals, morals, and culture today?

Do you think it is time to open the race discussion? Let’s put it ALL out on the table. Race, race relations, closet racism, racial bias, racial prejudice, conflicts between races, history of race, what we think of race in our society today, race in the media, racial divides, emotions associated with race, stepping away from racism, etc., etc., etc. Let’s make race dinner topic conversation. Let’s talk about race with our kids, husbands and wives, siblings, parents and grandparents, friends and neighbors. Isn’t it time to stop skirting racial conflict discussions? Is now the time to stop labeling and judging who is and who isn’t "racist." Let’s talk about race openly and honestly. Really, everyone in the spotlight is talking about race and race relations – right? Are you ready to openly discuss race and your racial attitudes?

Maybe this is a good place to start. Ask yourself and your friends the following questions that were raised and discussed recently in the media; 2009.

Is racism simply a "white people’s" issue?

Jimmy Carter’s name is a-buzz in the media and internet right now after his recent comment, "there is belief among many white people, not just in the south but around the country, that African-Americans are not qualified to lead this great country." (as reported by CNN, September 2009) (He did say he wanted to be very careful before he spoke on this subject. Well, I wonder if he feels he was careful or he wishes he had not even brought it up.)

Has the term "racism" become simply political fodder?

Michael Williams, an African American candidate for United State Senate and one time federal prosecutor fighting against the Ku Klux Klan wrote in his blog dated September, 2009, …"false cries of racism short circuit our debate, but it makes legitimate concern about pockets of racism impossible to hear among the majority of Americans where it truly exists. Racism does still exist in America today – on both sides of the political spectrum. Now it will be that much harder to expose because the real cry (racial injustice) will be impossible to distinguish from the false one, much like the boy who cried, "wolf."

Is it true that race is not as big nor pervasive an issue as those in the "race baiting business" will have us believe?

"Race is only a fringe element in our society today." (Interview with Mark Williams, Tea Party Express Organizer, CNN Video Broadcast, September 2009) He further added that "talking race" is big business for some people while it is not even an 'on the radar as an issue' with others. (What, exactly, is a fringe element among a society that continues to battle or at least come-to-terms with the significance of historical atrocities?)

Should we tolerate political signs depicting President Obama in a tribal witchcraft costume? Is it acceptable or racist to display and carry signs of our President presented in white face paint depicted as "The Joker?" Have Americans tolerated this lack of respect of all former Presidents of the United States or are these displays blatant examples of racism in America today that we just pass off as some new form of acceptable comedic relief?

Continue your discussions by stepping away from the political arena.

What do you think about these comments and events in or near the summer of 2009?

"Skip" Gates, arrested at his home for disorderly conduct after being accused of harassing a police officer at the scene of his home after a neighbor called in a "suspicious suspect breaking and entering sighting." Gates, director of Harvard's W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African & African American Research, is a prominent black scholar in the United States. This incident renewed the debate about "racial profiling" and whether police in the United States treat blacks and other minorities differently than whites.

Dave Matthews says, "Racism is everywhere!" (Dave Matthews, a popular musician and song writer who, during his early years, spent time in both South Africa and the United States of America.)

A state commission issued a finding of "probable cause - racism." This came after a suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania swim club revoked privileges of a largely minority day care center from swimming in their club pool.

Need more events and items to discuss concerning race and racism? Google search lists 15,800,000 hits on the term "racism in America" while a Yahoo! search listed 64,300,000 with the same term. That should at least get you started.

Here are some words and terminology associated with the topic "race" that you may want to add to your discussions:

Race Baiting - Race Card - Perpetuating Racism

Reverse Racism - Post Racial America - Race Debate

Racial Inequities - Racial Civility - Racial Heat vs. Racial Light

Abusive use of the Race Card - Racist Attitude - Racially Motivated Animosity

Post Racial America