color of fear

I use a film called The Color of Fear for class almost every quarter. Everybody who teaches ethnic studies classes uses it almost every quarter. It's that good. It shows eight middle aged American men talking honestly about race and racism, and about their experiences growing up and as adults.

The film is powerful because of the men's honesty. But also because that honesty is so rare. Almost never do you hear people talk about how they feel, or what they experience.

Only yesterday on the local news there was a story about a black San Francisco store owner who had had racist words graffitied on the wall outside his shop. "You don't think things like this would happen still", commented the reporter.

Obviously it happens. And we know it, we just don't talk about it. The news story last night minimized it too, focusing instead on the "outpouring of support" from neighbors that the store owner had enjoyed.

Focusing on the positive isn't wrong. But sometimes doing so really obstructs the view.