Acknowledge good and bad of our racial history

The discussion in the political arena of late has centered on race, including but not limited to Critical Race Theory. When issues such as this first arise our tendency is to go to the extreme perhaps to try to make our point. This is damaging in retrospect for it is an unbalanced view and tends to divide peoples rather than unite them or solve the real problem. In a recent magazine article the writer made an astute observation, “Celebrating the good without whitewashing the bad.”

In the debate about racism, we should not whitewash the bad that has been done but we need to celebrate the good. Life is a balance and this extends into the issues of life. When we are one-sided it does us nor others any good and simply multiplies the division of peoples. We do need to correct the issues of racism that exist; but we need to see the good that has been accomplished, that slavery no longer exists, the Civil Rights Act, many have positions of prestige and power, we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the list goes on.

Let us make the changes that need to be made but recognize the positives and what has been accomplished. Almost all positive changes take time (look at your own life and the establishment of habits). It is to our benefit as individuals and as a country to “Celebrate the good without whitewashing the bad.”

Sherwood Sage

Mukilteo