Love the Differences

I am giving a presentation tomorrow on affirmative action. While I am an advocate for equal rights and always desire to give a hand to those in need, I see many positives that came from affirmative action, but as in life everything has its opposite. My purpose is not to debate affirmative action rather to ignite thought in each of us about our personal biases or prejudices about race.

I conducted a survey last semester in my sociology class and asked the question who people felt were the most discriminated against in America. Race was the #1 choice, which was interesting given the fact that by 2042 the white race will be the minority. We live in a highly diverse society yet we still fear each other just because of the color of one another’s skin? Or is it that we just do not understand one another’s language, culture or background?


I have said to my children many times…to know someone is to love someone. It’s so easy to judge and so hard to give someone the benefit of the doubt or put a little effort into getting to know them, particularly if they are “different.” I have found some of my richest and most rewarding relationships amongst those “different” individuals that I now call my closest friends.

If we watch, children will teach us many things.