Here's an article about folks in Cleveland complaining about a white guy teaching Black History. To me, this is the opposite of what people should be doing. Insisting that only black people teach black history only furthers the racist notion that black people are different than white people. They aren't, apart from skin color - or if they are, they shouldn't be treated differently. Excuse me for embracing the Martin Luther King Jr. version of equality, but emphasizing differences only exacerbates racial tensions, however much sensitizing classes like Black History are taught.

I think I have a good basis for judgment here, considering that some of my closest friends and work colleagues are black. The only time I consider color when I talk to them is when the issue of race comes up - mainly because I don't know their views on racial differences, issues, etc. My workplace has what I consider to be a near perfect blend of diversity - plenty of people of different races, primarily black but also white, asian, Indian, and a couple troublesome Europeans thrown in for good measure. And we work, literally, without racial issues or tensions. It is so not Jessie Jackson. There is no Sharpton occuring at our workplace.

Am I somehow deluded thinking of color-blindness as an ideal? I recognize that being color blind in the 1970's wouldn't have worked - black folks were just too far behind, and programs like Affirmative Action made more sense. Are those programs no longer useful? I think in Chocolate City, AKA Washington DC, they are past their expiration date, not matter if Justice O'Connor thinks they have another 25 years - but perhaps not in other areas of the country. Personally, I think color-blindness is an ideal for people who are themselves colorblind, while those that still view race as an issue probably still need more prodding.

To a large extent, I think this issue is being overtaken by events. In America especially, and in Washington DC in particular, there is a lot of racial mixture. Most people identify with at least a couple minorities majorities through either their race, gender, religion, marital status, lifestyle preferences, etc. Everybody is everything. So, particular differences matter little, since everyone knows that no one really fits a stereotype. And that's how it should be.

OK, off my high horse. As for Cleveland, I suggest the following rule when making any decisions: don't discriminate on the basis of race. It sounds simple enough, but really, don't try to fix things, don't try to be extra sensitive - don't discriminate. Don't. Discriminate. Got it?

Or, go ahead with your bad idea, poorly executed. But don't think you're helping.

Nuance, my ass.