Race is a pretty delicate and volatile issue. It isn’t a simple matter. It is one of the many elephants we have in our proverbial living rooms we don’t often talk about. And unfortunately in our complex social encounters it is often a person of color who raises the issue and for their efforts is accused of playing “the race card.” I know, it’s happened to me. But here’s the thing: It matters that the issue be raised in those circumstances when something blatantly unjust or wrong or racist occurs. The thing itself as a negative emotional bombshell shouldn’t enter into our social relationships and be allowed to smolder there without someone doing something about it, at least to call it for what it is.

There are times when I’ve wished that someone “white” would say something instead of me feeling I had to. And on occasion I’ve been pleasantly surprised that someone did step forward and as a non-person of color played the race card. That’s the way it should be. Anyone regardless of race should be free and conscious enough to step forward and call the play and say or do something to try to move things in the right direction. It is hard, and the risk is high for us to be so principled. But the alternative is not a pretty picture either.

To do nothing, to say nothing, to give assent by our non-action or refusal to comment, we merely add to the hostility and hatred of the original incident – we are not just bystanders, we are actively complicit in the deed. It is sometimes a delicate thing because the person who acts out the overt racist action may well be ignorant of the nature of what they’re saying or doing – That’s hard to believe sometimes, but I do believe there are people who were “raised right” who are unconscious of racist elements in their personality. For them it is a matter of bringing it to their awareness without landing on them with either stiletto heels or hobnailed boots. This takes great skill and understanding to accomplish.

When the racism is more blatant and obviously comes from an inner well of deep hatred like that which came out with the Cheerios ad the stakes are even higher for a violent reaction and a messy social encounter. It was correct for Facebook to disengage the response page to the ad. The First Amendment does allow for hate speech but we as a society don’t have to allow it where we have a choice. And as social consciousness it was the right thing to do.

As a response it is quite easy to attack and assault from afar with verbal tirades from social media platforms like Facebook. There many counter-comments are as hostile and tinged with hatred as strong as the original utterance, and neither adds up in the direction of a positive solution.

This is something at times I’ve been guilty of myself, and in those instances I wish instead I had the rapier wit of a Jon Stewart.

Hey, I’m working on it…!