So, be color aware or be color blind?

I’M CONFUSED. What are the new rules for reporting on (and) talking about race in America? Are we supposed to be color aware or color blind? To illustrate these questions, consider two articles on facing pages in the March 31 issue of the Albuquerque Journal. The first article lauds President Joe Biden’s slate of judicial nominees, not for their judicial experience and qualifications, but primarily for their race, ethnicity, sex or religion. Apparently, these immutable characteristics are the most significant factor of their nominations.

The second article describes the horrific attack on an older woman in New York City. The victim is identified as an Asian-American woman. The attacker reportedly shouted anti-Asian slurs, but the article did not give his race. Video surveillance showed the assailant was a Black man. The race of the two onlookers who appeared to be security guards but did not come to the aid of the victim wasn’t reported either. The last sentence of the article indicated “the area where the attack occurred is predominately white.” It’s not clear to me why the racial makeup of the neighborhood where the attack occurred is relevant to the story.

It seems that race is selectively reported when it advances a certain narrative. As for me, I’d rather live in a color-blind society that values an individual’s character and behavior rather than race or ethnicity. KATHERINE OTT Albuquerque