[notz]

A friend/neighbor has been working on this production for over a year. Watch it if you can or are interested.

CNN presents Black in America
Soledad O'Brien reports for this two night event July 22 at 9 PM ET/PT & July 23 at 8PM ET/PT
http://www.facebook.com/CNNBlackinAmerica
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2009/black.in.america/

[KathyM]

I was only 6 when the Civil Rights Amendment was passed in 1964. The racial bigotry and discrimination towards people of color back then was horrifying to me. I was astounded by the ignorance and hypocrisy, even at that young age.

I was given glimmers of hope when laws were passed, but I soon found out we can't legislate emotions. I'd sit back and watch as people found their way around the laws in order to maintain their hatred and perceived superiority. I saw what happened behind closed doors. I listened to their excuses for holding onto their ignorance and hatred. After all these years, it still makes no sense to me. I was hoping by this time we'd all grow up enough to realize we're all in this together - if we can't play fair, we can't play at all.

We've come a long way, but we're not there yet. We've placed a great burden on our young people, but I've seen quite a few glimmers of hope there. I'm hoping they have what it takes to overcome this huge obstacle to humanity.

Thanks to your friend for being involved in this project.

[Rmdctc]

Sounds interesting ty!

[VickiesPath]

I worked in government enforcement of the civil rights laws for 11 years and it never ceased to amaze me how deep biases were based and how totally ignorant people were to what their actions produced. I did not burn out in that line of work like many of my colleagues and I did not leave cynical about the future of equal rights. But I can tell you this one impression that I did develop and to this day will stand by: no matter what the reason, whether it's geographical territorial ownership, skin color, religion, nationality, physical ability/disability, gender, sexual orientation, or the color of nail polish a person wears, it is human nature to seek out and find something, ANYTHING to create a division over and eventually escalate it to the point of armed conflict. I do not believe that human beings in general have evolved to the point where they can co-exist peacefully. Period. That is one impression that I do not wrestle with in my quietest moments, in the early morning darkness, or anytime. I accept it as a given that will not change in my lifetime or in any lifetime in the near future. There are always individual exceptions (I count myself as one). So please do not think that I am grouping all human beings together. But as a whole, this is the way I see it from my experience.

[notz]

...and by the way, my friend has expressed interest in what you have to say, especially about the program, if you saw it. If it is okay with everyone, I will cut and paste your posts and share them with her. If that is not ok, then let me know so I may honor your wishes.

Please know that I will not include anything that would identify your persona, not even in the most remote of ways. Besides, I have my own reasons for her not to know what "chat room" I belong to!!!

Thank you for your comments! I find them beneficial and I know they will be be netted for future CNN projects along these lines.

Thanks again!

[KathyM]

Sure notz - thank you for asking.

My ex-husband was black....still is. I started dating him in 1978 and married him in 1981. We were together for a total of ten years and have a son who is now 25. Our divorce had nothing to do with race. We get along fine, we're both happily married to other people, and I'm still very close with my ex-inlaws.

Vickie - I agree we'll always find something to fight over, but fighting over race is getting old. We're a nation who calls itself United and boasts of human rights and equality. IMO, we should try our very best to live up to our claims.

[leahcim]

I saw the whole thing and there are far too many issues to bring up here. But you may share that it was a GREAT PRODUCTION and should be required viewing from this point forward in schools, maybe middle shool.

[Timgt5]

These are all good posts with valid and strong points. I would look forward to that day in the future when we finally eliminate the very concept of race from society itself. Then we will have truly ended racism forever.

It is a real shame that so much pain and bloodshed has been brought about over a less than 1% variance in DNA

Most anthropologists would say that the idea of Race today has no real hard scientific validity in today's world. The only time in human history where there truly has existed more than one race of human was prior to the rise of modern man some 10,000 years ago, when Modern Man and Neandrathall Man occupied the same time period for a short time No DNA from the Neandrathall man survives anywhere in modern humans.

According to both the creationist and evolutionist accounts of man's rise, all modern humans living today decsended from one woman.

A long time ago it was said on the cartoon "Fat Albert", "There is only one race, the Human Race"

We must stop identifying ourselves through gender, race, religion, or ethnicity, and start identifying ourselves and others purely as individuals, maybe one day we will reach that enlightened path.