AVReading September Confronting Dangers of Our Innocence
Professor Eddie Glaude of Princeton recently stated in an interview that “America is not unique in its sins. . . we are not unique in our evils. Where we may be singular is our refusal to acknowledge them.” In speaking directly about race, he connects the dots between the ignored history of our country and the ever real violence and hatred that continues on today. The idea is that when we refuse to acknowledge the devastation of the past, the way it was fueled by belief structures, and the way that it has evolved over time, we are less likely to acknowledge that the events of today-- a police shooting, mass incarceration, disparities in education, discriminatory lending practices, voter suppression-- are really just the latest manifestations of racial violence and injustice that have always been a part of our country. Glaude says that we, as a community, have not been good at seeing the links between the past and the present....