Some may think that race is an old tired argument that is just used to get under the skin of Whites when people of color (particularly African Americans) try to justify keeping welfare and public assistant programs. That race doesn't matter anymore, especially in the post-Civil Rights Era. Well, just because laws were passed to give "equality" and a Black man was elected president—the issue of race did not disappear. Overall, as a society we seem to forget the years of systematic racism that African Americans had to endure before we were given “equality.”
In a capitalistic society we would be naïve to think that wealth and race do not affect one another. African Americans have always been economically deprived and the passage of legislation to grant equality could do nothing to correct this wrong. Why? Because race and the factors surrounding it were never fully discussed and resolved. We as Americans don’t want to go down that slippery slope because it may open some old wounds and flair emotions.
But I ask, why not if it helps to bring equality to all people? Last night on The Rachel Maddow Show, guest host Melissa Harris-Perry (@MHarrisPerry) conducted an excellent analysis of the racial wealth gap. Conversations such as this one are sorely needed and much overdue. Turning a blind eye to glaring problems will not solve the problem. Race will continue to be an issue until we continuously have open conversations like these and work towards solutions, whatever they may be.