To think that at this stage of American history racial conflict remains an issue, as this article by Peter Katel indicates, is very disturbing. Our society should have learned from the mistakes of racial discrimination of the past. I was very troubled when I read about the racial inequalities that continue to exist in the United States today because I expect better from our country and its people. As a college student in a diverse, multicultural institution, I am not witness to racial discrimination of the kind that Katel’s article discusses.

I believe that I have been less exposed than others to racial conflict because I am situated in an academic environment that does not tolerate racial discrimination. The key to eliminating racial discrimination is, I believe, education. Liberation from racism requires education. This education must be aimed in two directions: one, towards the prejudiced person who is not treating other people properly because of their race, and another, toward the victims of prejudice.  When both sides are educated, racial conflict can be minimized. In response to Katel’s article, I think such education should be given to our police forces, who tend to generalize by race and disproportionately stop- and –frisk black people and also disproportionally use violence when apprehending them. These police practices have unfortunately led to the deaths of many innocent black people. Education must play a crucial role in teaching uneducated people about not treating people differently because of their race.

Education should also be directed at the victims of prejudice who are often black citizens.  Currently, the socio-economic level of many black people is one of poverty, of low levels of education; these factors are often associated with a broken family life. Yet, there are many black people who have succeeded in life, even reaching the highest political position in our country, the presidency of the United States. What most of these success stories have in common is a good education that seems to bring about a reduction in racial conflict. A strong, comprehensive education is optimal to motivate many black people, who may have a sense of failure or doom about developing or being appreciated, to move forward from victim to citizen with full and respected rights. The article indicates that black youth of today have much lower math and reading scores than white youth of equivalent ages. Education is a tool that should be provided to everyone. It is an important tool through which people can learn to help themselves. As a result of slavery there may be a form of learned helplessness and defeatism among black people, but through education in an integrated educational environment, blacks can extract themselves from their difficult situations to full socio-economic freedom. Despite the many laws of civil liberty that have been instituted in our recent history, racial conflict persists. However, I submit that without being given the true key to freedom, a good education equivalent for all, freedom and equal opportunity remain no more than a dream. Equal education for all, will make that dream become reality and help eradicate racial conflict.