Don't be Colorblind

In response to questions about racial inequality many are tempted to say

“ I don’t see color, I view everyone as equal” or “I’m colorblind”

To some that might seem okay, but there are hidden dangers with that approach and there are 3 specific problems.

One is that in reality you are not colorblind – unless you have a vision test that determines your eyes are malfunctioning. And that only means you have trouble distinguishing the red/yellow/green of the stoplights. Everyone notices color differences, as well as other racial/ethnic physical differences. It is as clear as we determine gender differences or height/weight, etc. To say we don’t observe those is just being dishonest. It isn’t wrong to see differences, it is how we react to those differences. And to state that we “don’t see color” is to say we see equality as everyone being like us, not as truly equal as they are.

The second problem with “colorblind” is that it ignores the obvious inequality of background, history, and what different people have had to struggle with in their lives. My wife and I share a lot in common, but we differ greatly in family background – her parents were divorced when she was just 5, my parents were married for 36 years (death do them part) until my mom passed away. That made our growing up time very different. I have several great-nieces and great nephews who are biracial. Their life experiences have been widely different than mine. I will never have to suffer getting profiled or judged wrongly  based on appearance,  but they have had to deal with that all their lives. For me to say I am colorblind is to deny those experiences. And to excuse not extending help in overcoming that obvious bias.

The third problem is a little bit more subtle. I think a lot of people are afraid of diversity and “colorblind” is a way for them to pretend those don’t exist – there is safety in thinking those others are just like us. But those who we see as different have had different experiences, they’re not just like us – and that is okay. Because if you accept and appreciate another’s life experiences you expand your own experience. And you have the opportunity to not just give help, but receive help.

You have the opportunity to bond and grow.

I have learned much over the years as I have embraced diversity. My mom raised me to accept people as equals, no matter who they were, where they were from, no matter how different they appeared to me. And I try to live that out every day.

I am not colorblind, and neither should you. Seeing differences does not diminish the basic equality of value that we ascribe to all.