Joel, this quite is powerful. A lamentation of biblical scope. And as art it serves as a bridge even across race in that it allows a person such myself to become one with the persona and the despair. This is affirmed in the conclusion as I immediately felt that I must re-read and I must remember.

My take on the background: As others have noted, the great original sin of America included the codification of racism in our founding documents. The “conversation on race” began even before the nation’s declared its independence. Unfortunately for most of the years since, that conversation has mainly been a one-sided shout-down of the basic humanity of people of color. As an example: that the revered words “All men are created equal” were written by an unrepentant slave owner is one of the tragic paradoxes still lurking within the American zeitgeist. A paradox with which we still grapple and that you help us to elucidate. White people hear those words with pride. Meanwhile, Frederick Douglass heard mainly hypocrisy and called out the nation for it. 170 years later, I believe he would still feel compelled to do so, based on the inequities still apparent and appalling.

One thing has changed though…voices such as yours can no longer be silenced or ignored. Still, there is more than enough proof in these replies that the shout-down continues.

My believe is that America can not be healed unless its actual moment of atonement — which requires a national request for forgiveness its perpetual, great sin of racism — both overt and systemic. And there is one word phrase for the required act of contrition: Reparations. Now I don’t think this will happened in my lifetime, but once it is sighted on the horizon, the nation will finally be able to move forward. Until that time arrives, voices such as your must continue to speak truth to the powerful, to the ignorant, and to contermand the shrill voices of denial. Peace!