Until the last few years, I did not realize the depth to which racial inequalities still existed in this country. Call me naïve, call me oblivious, call me what I am — privileged — but I was under the mistaken impression we had come a long way since our days of segregation, lynchings, and nooses in the town square.
What was more likely, is that we just shamed those intolerant masses into silence, relegating them to hushed tones and secret rooms, both real and virtual, allowing their hate to fester. Our political correctness had not fixed the problem, it just forced the worst of it underground. Well-intentioned white people unaffected by the disparity imagined it gone and left our suffering brethren of color to fend for themselves. Until one day, little by little, offensive example by offensive example, those seething masses felt newly emboldened to double down on their hate and express it anew, loudly, boldly, and without repercussion.
We are very careful at INVISION to avoid partisan politics. Our readership is varied and diverse and we like it that way. Differing points of view make our content strong. But our race problem is not a political issue, it’s a humanitarian one, a moral one, an ethical one.
Treating people differently because of the color of their skin is wrong. Period. It needs to be stopped and the hard work of fixing it needs to be done by everyone.
If you’re white and don’t think there is a problem — despite people of color repeatedly saying there is — I encourage you to read our Big Story (page 28).
If that still doesn’t move you, then I don’t know how to convince you to care about your fellow man, all of them. You can show yourself out and I will happily cancel your subscription or advertising program myself.
I didn’t like writing this story. I didn’t like having to. It was uncomfortable and hard. But we can all do hard things, especially when they are the right thing to do.
Five Smart Tips From This Issue
- Majority shmority. Less than half the children born in the U.S. in 2020 were white. (Big Story, page 30)
- 86 percent believe it is important to focus on improving DEI in the industry. We see you 14 percent… (Big Story, page 30)
- Familiar with Black EyeCare Perspective’s 13% Promise? You should be. (Big Story, page 32)
- The NOA has been addressing DEI for over 50 years but “the past year has exposed the need for more work … particularly in our profession.” (Big Story, page 32)
- Historically, race and ethnicity have not been tracked, but the AOA’s goal is to have at least 95 percent data on current doctors by year’s end. (Big Story, page 34)
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