Lawrence Journal-World opinion section

To the editor:

Not just Kansas University wrestles with unequal treatment among its members. Our nation, after 240 years, still groans under the burden of racism. Take Chicago, for example. Leonard Silk reminds us that U.S. society is still sorely lacking in this regard. We need to talk more about race. Black Lives Matter to everyone.

Why are most Jayhawk basketball players African-Americans? Not because they grew up in the ghetto where the only choice was running drugs with a gang or shooting outdoor hoops. African-Americans have a tradition of developing sports and other skills. They have the drive to excel. We all take pride in them and benefit from their success.

The pursuit of excellence is an American thing. What would our music be like without its roots in African-American culture? What about today’s science, medicine, teaching, business, armed forces, elected officials and other endeavors be without black people?

Now that our politics have matured to the point of electing an African-American twice to be president, let us be sure there is no slippage from this progress.

Racism against people of any color must become even more shameful. It must steadily diminish. It must disappear.

I believe America will stamp out its racism, perhaps by mid-century, because young people do not practice it. Generation Y and millennials are almost colorblind. Hurray for them! We children of the Great Depression, baby boomers and generation X ought to mimic them, learn from them, and drive racism so far from our shores that it can never return.