For Jenée Desmond-Harris, who contributes to The Root’s Race Manners column, the old-fashioned agony aunt can play an important role in the conversation on race:
I love [the advice-column format] because people write in with sincere questions and really want to understand something, help someone or do the right thing. And it’s so rare that we hear race and racism discussed in that context. Usually we don’t address it until someone has been attacked or offended, and then the public conversation is adversarial, and no one’s in the right state of mind to think critically or compassionately. I try to take the time to talk to experts, read up on history and write understanding responses that encourage empathy, so I hope Race Manners is refreshing in that way.
Recent columns have responded to “Annoyed Atheist” – a black woman tired of others assuming she’s Christian – and “Ready to Get Rid of Racism” – a white man, much like Cartman, who irrationally fears black people but isn’t sure how to stop.
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