The Southern Poverty Law Center has identified over one thousand hate groups in the United States. This includes over 400 organizations that support the goal of overthrowing the Federal government. Many racist policies of these organizations have been absorbed into mainstream politics. We see some extreme politicians attending meetings with white supremacists whereas in the past this would have been un-thinkable.

A healthy percentage of our citizens continue to deny that racism is a significant problem in America, despite obvious disparities in healthcare, wealth inequality and education.

What is needed is a much more honest discussion about the history of racial oppression and its impact on people of color.  We need to provide a forum for self-examination to look at our history and the complex way that it impacts American life. We don’t need to re-write history to ensure that we don’t make some people un-comfortable.

This should lead to a new set of policies that reach down into our towns and neighborhoods and level the economic playing field. Training can prepare society to open itself up to a new way of looking at the way racism impacts our everyday life.  Real change can happen once the denial about racism is confronted and addressed in an honest way.