The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

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May 16, 2008

Conversation on race is chance to make progress

The community has a unique opportunity to have open dialogue on an issue that is very important to the country – race relations and issues related to race.

On Sunday, University Place Christian Church will host a “Sacred Conversation on Race” at 4 p.m. This is part of a national initiative to get a national conversation going about racial issues, including discrimination, biases, sensitivity issues, etc. Panelists will be talking about the state of racial relations in Enid and the community and also opportunities to move forward in a more positive way.

We hope this isn’t another topical discussion that skims the surface and is afraid to get down to real issues and real personal feelings. Every person has an opinion on race, race relations, ethnicity issues, etc. However, many people are afraid to voice their opinion because of the negative atmosphere that surrounds these issues. People are afraid to open up because they don’t want to be labeled racists.

Conversation, dialogue, debate and understanding are the cornerstones of resolving conflicts, prejudices and biases. Every person has biases of some kind. People must come to terms with what they feel and why they feel it.

We look at this opportunity Sunday as a time to begin the discussion, but it can’t be a one-time event. If this opportunity is being presented around the nation – as it is being publicized – then there likely will be some consensus of ideas and attitudes. This is a good place to start, but it is a conversation that must be continued.

We applaud the churches and panelists participating in this event and thank them for taking the time to address these issues. We hope this is the start of a national discussion that will allow our nation to continue making progress in race relations and discrimination, address the barriers that remain, and move forward with understanding.

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