Do you remember the Henry Louis Gates, Jr. controversy last summer? In July of 2009 an African American professor at Harvard was arrested by Cambridge police for allegedly breaking into his own house. I had fascinating conversations with many concerning this controversy at the time, especially the way President Obama responded to the issue.
Take a few minutes to review the facts of the case and then watch the the video of President Obama’s response to Gates being arrested.
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QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
- Why was it appropriate or inappropriate for President Obama to weigh in on this issue?
- Did he feel compelled to respond due to his racial make-up? His “biracial” worldview?
- Why were so many people divided on how he responded?
- From your perspective, are we living in a “post-racial” society? With the election of President Obama, do you feel that we have moved beyond race?
- What is your experience with race? How does your racial identity influence the way you make decisions?
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