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Black and White: America’s Most Critical  and Challenging Issue                       

So, we observed the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and Martin Luther King’s famed “I have a Dream” speech recently. The anniversary presented us the perfect opportunity to reflect on how those four words helped change the course of the history of this great nation.

Yes. We have made remarkable progress during the past five decades in terms of racial disparity. African Americans now hold senior positions in the military, business and politics. America has produced many African American cultural icons. Interracial marriages are widely accepted in the society now.

Yet, not withstanding the efforts already expended for its elimination, racism continues to work its evil upon this nation even after a half a century. Racism runs deep. It infects the hearts of both Whites and African Americans. Progress toward tolerance, mutual respect, and unity has been painfully slow and marked with repeated setbacks. In spite of all advances made by African Americans, prejudice and discrimination against them have created a disparity in standards of living, providing some with excessive economic advantage while denying others the bare necessities for leading healthy and dignified lives. Poor housing, deficient diet, inadequate health care, insufficient education are consequences of poverty that afflict the minorities more than they afflict the rest of the population. 

The recent resurgence of divisive racial attitudes, the increased number of racial incidents, high unemployment among African Americans and the deepening despair of minorities and the poor make the need for solutions ever more pressing and urgent. To ignore this issue is to expose the this vast country to physical, moral and spiritual danger.

More than a century ago Bahá'u'lláh, the Prophet-Founder of the Bahá'í Faith, wrote: "The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established."

There is a lot of truth in this statement. Let there be no mistake. Changes in this country will come about only when we consider the earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.  Recognition of this truth compels the abandonment of all prejudices of race, color, creed, nation, and class of "everything which enables people to consider themselves superior to others." 

The ignorance and prejudice have led to endless conflicts in the name of the sanctity of color, race, and religion. No matter what, the only way racial prejudices and unfair treatment of minorities can be eliminated when people take time to care about each other and treat them with respect.
The application of the spiritual principle of the oneness of humanity to the life of the nation would necessitate and make possible vast changes in the economic status of the non-white segments of the population. 

Healing the wounds and building a society in which the whites, African Americans and other minorities live as members of one family are the most pressing issues confronting America today. America’s prosperity, and even the country’s standing in the international community depend to a great extent on the resolution of this challenging issue.

Nat Yogachandra                                            
nyogachandra@yahoo.com
585-545-1785
 

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