The Good, Racist People

I have been thinking about Ta-Nehisi Coates‘s op-ed in The New York Times ever since it was published. I’ve discussed it in my classes and plan on using it, permanently, in my Intercultural Communication courses. Do yourself a favor and read his piece. He provides one of the most compelling, self-reflexive questions we can ask ourselves– If a person is prejudiced, is s/he still a good person? I continue to carry his words with me on my imperfect journey through this world. In sum, “The idea that racism lives in the heart of particularly evil individuals, as opposed to the heart of a democratic society, is reinforcing to anyone who might, from time to time, find their tongue sprinting ahead of their discretion.”