We can’t be blind to the state of race relations

LETTERS LETTERS@USATODAY.COM

Our family will never understand the

struggles of being racially profiled. My son will not panic if he sees blue lights behind his car, my daughter will not be followed in a boutique. But what I can do is teach my children the truth: Racial inequality is a real part of our society. I want to raise “color blind” children, but that’s the problem. Not talking about racial biases will leave them to their own devices. They would form assumptions based on the constant reiteration of our nation of the very ideas we don’t want them to assume. Our society will not change unless we, as parents, have the discussions to start to break the cycle of intolerance and bigotry. It’s our responsibility to provide our children with a foundation of acceptance. But we also have a moral obligation to stand firm against the intolerance they will see from the moment they leave our house. Rebecca Hendrickson Raleigh, N.C.

FACEBOOK FACEBOOK.COM/ USATODAYOPINION

There are two conversations we need to have: The first is that there are some legitimate reasons why white people are afraid of black people. We need to put that on the table and not just say it’s because of inequitable media coverage. Whether that entitles anyone to treat someone differently is another story.

You have a situation in Chicago where black-on-black violence is just incredible. When white people hear that kind of thing, it does have an impact.

The second conversation is about how society more generally does cut black people off from the process. I am against cutting off the right to vote of any citizen for this very reason. We need to talk about the proliferation of weapons which, I might add, the black community also wants to talk about but gun-toting whites do not. We also need to have economic opportunities available to all people, but that starts with basic education and some of that starts at home. We need to have those conversations. William Worsham