This morning I read an article someone had posted on facebook. The article was apparently written by a black man whose intent was to shelter his children from the stings of racism in our society. The writer had erroneously thought that wealth and priviledge would offer the protection he so desired. When his young son was called a nigger his beliefs were shattered. I thought about the article and the writer’s system of beliefs. I thought about it for quite a while. I wondered what made this grown African American father assume there was protection from racism in America? As a young girl my parents educated me on racism and what being born with brown skin meant in the world. There was no illusion that if we had money, went to better schools or spoke in a different manner we would be protected.  The truth remained that I was brown and would be treated as such. It was not an education to instill a victim mentality but merely so I would be prepared to live in my world. I was taught to respect others and in turn I would be respected. I grew up in a racially segregated world and my parents had educated me on where I would be welcomed and where not so much. Our world has advanced but obviously serious problems still remain.  When I hear the term “post racial” that was so over used when Barack Obama became the nations first black president, I wonder if anyone really believes that. How can there be a post racial world when we are still so divided and there is still so much distrust and fear? We fail to understand that when we stand so divided whether it be by race, religion, income or other man made constructs, we are weaker and have no place to go but down. We cannot survive as a strong united front if we are fighting from within. As long as we fight ourselves and our false divisions, we are lambs being led to slaughter.