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 As a nation born with the imprimatur that “all
men are created equal” we have long lived a contested history to
advance that notion more fully, and although advances have certainly
been achieved there remains unfinished work that lies before us.
History has taught us that legislative action can solve many of the
most egregious violations of state-sanctioned discrimination (for
example, poll taxes, and Jim Crow era segregation laws), but the
harder question that persists is how do we address the societal
problem of bias and find the solutions that legislation alone cannot
remedy?
As difficult as it may seem, we need to have a genuine and
meaningful discussion about the issue of race relations in the
United States. Having studied and taught African American history
for nearly three decades now, I have experienced this quandary when
encouraging my own students to speak openly about racial matters and
begin a dialogue that might move us toward greater understanding and
finding answers. The initial silences are generally quite palpable
as individuals clam up when the topic is broached, but once the
discussion begins a healthy conversation usually results. Key to
this process is the realization that for true dialogue to take place
individuals who are participating must listen as well as hear what
others are saying—and this rule applies both ways. Matters of public
discourse should not be measured by the volume or tone, but rather
by the quality of the deliberative thought and discussion that is
presented.
 A national dialogue on race is really best understood as thousands
of conversations on the topic that occur across the nation and
engage as many as possible in the discussion as we seek better
understanding and search to find common ground. These conversations
can occur in our schools, our places of worship, our
neighborhood-based community organizations, and our places of
employment or association—in short, we can find the means to discuss
the topic, but we must also summon the courage to act upon the
findings that result. The discovery of points of common ground
provide us with a starting point from which policy can be crafted.
Most importantly, the beginning of such an open, frank, and honest
dialogue presents us with the opportunity to continue to keep the
lines of communication open so that this becomes an ordinary
practice. This is how we can begin to reach the hearts and minds of
those who are willing to engage and help fashion a more just and
equitable society. The noted African American scholar Cornel West
explains this more clearly when he says “Never forget that justice
is what love looks like in public.” [to
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 You may note that this policy proposal does not
entail a specific legislative fix to alleviate the conditions that
must be remedied. That is because the specifics of a policy cannot
be understood until a true conversation about race relations occurs.
Keep in mind that we have seen intractable sides torn asunder by
generations of racial apartheid in South Africa who have found the
means to move forward together through the atoning power of
reconciliation. Fratricidal conflicts in war-torn nations have led
to individuals of good faith finding common bond with their former
sworn enemies through the power of dialogue and shared
understanding. We know that one of the most common themes found
among many religious traditions is the challenge to “love thy
neighbor,” so the beginnings of this initiative are already
deep-seated core beliefs of many. This is possible.
It is only through listening and hearing that each of us can come to
understand that the world that we know and experience is dissimilar
to the worldview of others. If we can come to recognize and
understand the points of fracture that are responsible for this
divisiveness, then we can come to find practical workable solutions
to make our society more whole. There is no miraculous legislative
fix that can achieve this end, but it is the collective will of the
People that can make it succeed. We have always been strongest as a
nation when we find common purpose and work toward a goal that is
consequential. It would seem that moving our nation forward toward
that “more perfect Union” that our Founders prophesied should be a
cause that is worthy of our greatest endeavors. [Text from file received] Past related
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