Eugene Robinson’s recent commentary following the shooting deaths of five Dallas police officers is profoundly insightful: “Black lives matter. Blue lives matter. Both statements must be made true if the heartbreaking loss of life in Dallas is to have any meaning.”
Commenting on the Dallas Police Chief’s successful efforts to reduce the use of deadly force by his department, Robinson said: “[The chief] was quick to understand that the chasm between police officers and young men of color was real – and that it could be bridged.”
Bridging the chasm between black and white has long been the motivation behind the Springfield Race Unity Committee, which helped establish small-group “Constructive Conversations on Race” in Springfield, and, in a related effort, brought the documentary movie Racial Taboo to the convention center last fall. This thoughtprovoking, 52-minute documentary provides an abbreviated history of U.S. race relations and one man’s effort to build friendships with those of differing backgrounds.
You can be part of a similar, ongoing local effort to bridge the racial divide by attending a Constructive Conversation planning meeting at 6:30 p.m. on July 19 at the Springfield Baha’i Center, 1131 S. Eighth St.
Small-group conversations on race among ordinary citizens have been taking place in the Springfield area for more than two years and have met with an overwhelmingly positive response. Local conversation groups determine their meeting schedule. A minimum of three or four meetings are needed to complete the recommended discussion materials, although many groups have found the discussions so worthwhile they elect to continue meeting.
The groups use materials from www.unityworks.org to guide initial conversations. All participants’ comments are confidential and are not to be shared beyond the group. Honest conversations about race are not easy, but they do build empathy and understanding. In several cases, genuine friendships have formed here across racial and religious lines that are unusual by today’s segregated standards.
The committee was honored to play a small role in bringing Racial Taboo to the Springfield Police Department earlier this year. In April, a series of documentary screenings were held at the Springfield Police Academy. All Springfield Police officers attended one of the screenings and then participated in small-group conversations on race with members of the general public.
After attending four police screenings and participating in follow-up conversations with officers and citizens, I came away impressed by everyone’s overall eagerness to participate— and the officers’ willingness to talk about the difficulties surrounding contemporary policing, especially as it relates to encounters with African Americans.
The recent killings by police of two black men, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, sparked protests across the county, including the protest in Dallas that ended in the murder of five law enforcement officials whose jobs that day were to protect the protesters.
The irony of the Dallas tragedy doesn’t make it any easier to bear. It does, however, underscore the necessity of promoting efforts aimed at building bridges between black and white, police and community. The Constructive Conversations on Race program is one such initiative that deserves consideration.
Mike Lang is a member of the Springfield Race Unity Committee.
