The most recent discussions concerning race relations at Guilford have been very controversial. While those who openly share their racial experiences and beliefs do so passionately with the best interest of the community in mind, many of these stories have been met with irritation and frustration from students and staff. All of these emotional responses are very valid and deserve to be heard. However, a problem arises when these frustrated responses are rooted in colorblindness.

In order to tell personal stories that reflect racism, a person must have compassion, and in order for these stories to bolster legitimate dialogue about race and racism, these stories must be read and met with equal amounts of compassion, too. This compassion does not necessarily constitute an agreement in opinion, but a willingness to address the substance and the legitimacy of the topic at hand. Without compassion, this community and its individuals will not be able to discuss and work on issues concerning racism and diversity.

According to race scholar Dr. Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, colorblind racism is the most prevalent form of racism in the post-civil rights era. We see this daily when we hear people say, “I don’t see colors, I just people.” While this notion sounds promising on the surface, it is very destructive to conversations concerning race and racism.

The way that traditional racism has been viewed over the years is in the form of overt racism. Examples of this can best be seen in the actions of the Ku Klux Klan where obvious, tangible oppression took place. In contemporary race conversations, it is easy write off these types of examples and claim that we live in a post-racial society when we actually don’t.

Rather than dismissing a conversation by claiming colorblindness, we should instead seek a compassionate understanding of another perspective. This means striving to imagine oneself in another person’s shoes. This means understanding that, for many of us, it may be impossible to know what it is like to be racially oppressed.

With this imagination, a sort of intimate relationship can be forged between members of different races, one that is built up upon trust, honesty, and most importantly, a willingness to listen.