I live in Richmond VA (home of the largest collection of second place trophies, otherwise known as Monument Avenue) and to say race isn't a part of the fabric of this community would be the equivalent of putting on blinders. My family moved here in 1972 when I was a child and I experienced everything from busing to going to a high school which was 95% white to working at the central Post Office which was 90% black. As a letter carrier I delivered to all kinds of neighborhoods. Those are my creds, here are my thoughts.
Race is still a big issue in 2013 - but not as a big as it used to be. I think it's a bigger issue in the black community than the white community - and whites are very weary of race. I think that all people by human nature are far more likely to associate with people that are like them and too often race is what continues to define similarities. The neighborhood I live in is integrated, perhaps 30% black, 10% Latino and 55% white and 5% everyone else. If all neighborhoods were like mine race would not be an issue. But most neighborhoods are still racially segregated. Churches are extremely racially segregated. Richmond city schools have become almost all black over the years, so those are segregated again. And the best jobs are still dominated by whites. Which means we still have far to go, and I think only time will solve that riddle. Affirmative action righted many wrongs, but it has run its course.
Where to go with that? If I were to make broad sweeping suggestions I would start here. To the white community, you need to ditch your stereotypes and stop being afraid of blacks. And stop pretending that the playing field is finally level, it isn't (there just isn't much anyone can do about it). To the black community, you need to ditch the notion that the glass ceiling is always going to hold you back. And ditch all the gangsta crap while you are at it (its one reason why whites are afraid of you for dumb reasons). And fully embrace education. Life isn't a pure meritocracy, but plenty of opportunities exist. To the Latino community, just keep doing what you are doing and I hope immigration reform passes. Folks that gripe about Latinos not knowing English forget the fact that the second generation of immigrants grows up learning English, not Spanish. My Salvadoran neighbors were wonderful folks, the parents struggled mightily with English but the kids were more fluent in English than Spanish. Change takes time.
To the Tea Party, stop pretending you are culturally diverse. It's a joke. You are not a bunch of racists like Dems make you out to be, but you are lily white (and all too angry, which occasionally comes off as intolerant) all the same. To the Dems, stop taking the minority vote for granted. To minorities in general, get more involved politically. If you don't vote at the same percentages as whites do, you will always be underrepresented. To everyone, don't assume, even though your brain is hard wired to jump to conclusions we all have to avoid that pitfall. It is what I have struggled with the most, the J in my ENTJ personality is entirely too strong.
And now to climb down from my soapbox....
