Melting Pots and the part that just won't melt

Article in the Strib today about how the U.S. is becoming more diverse. The upshot of the article is that the more diverse it becomes, the more relaxed people tend to be about it. This agrees with what I've seen too. But the future isn't all that rosy,

Jenkins-Nelson noted that the pace of change varies by race, with Asians and Hispanics seeing more change than blacks.

She winced at any suggestion that the United States is becoming colorblind.

"Race is not a minor point for most people of color," she said. "It is what defines them from other people in this culture. We are so not there."

And that's the biggest sticking point to moving on. More and more white people (myself included) would love to move past race and judge people on individual merit. We embrace a colorblind system. But race continues to be the definition point for 'most people of color'. (I really really hope that the 'most' in that sentence isn't true.)

This country has moved far in race relations. The road has been bumpy and difficult, but it's moved. One of the largest obstacles left is convincing minority groups to drop the tribal belief that race is all encompassing and work to be recognized as individuals.