Thinking about how America is the land of the free.  But is it really?  Is it free for us all, is it a level playing field for everyone in our great country?  I have a new group of students for Diversity class right now in Lancaster, a very bright, talkative and diverse group in and of themselves.  All adults working full time jobs, many raising kids, some single moms, all going to school at night to better their education in pursuit of "the American Dream".  

I just finished reading their journal entries after the second week of class and am happy that they all seem to enjoy class, even if some say discussions are uncomfortable.  Discussions about race, class, socioeconomic status, gender and all that goes with these topics are not exactly "light conversation".  We read essays that look at systems of oppression in the United States, and think a lot about "white privilege" and what that means today.  One essay in particular, although written years ago, is one that I think every person in America should read.  Please give this a look:  http://kasamaproject.org/2012/03/25/white-privilege-unpacking-the-invisible-knapsack/   Peggy McIntosh is an American feminist and this essay is called "White Privilege:Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack".  

One student commented that after reading this essay, she realized that in 24 years of being in the workforce, she has never had a boss or superviser that was not the same skin color as herself:  white.  We think we have come far with racism and discrimination, but have we?  As whites become the minority in the USA, these are discussions that we must have in our classrooms, churches, homes, within our families, and with our children.  Our world is becoming more diverse, and we must learn to look beyond the obvious differences of our fellow human beings...