I've mostly stayed out of the furor over the high school kids from Covington Catholic school confronting a Native American protester - most everything I could say has already been said. But this article from The Root deserves to be spread widely, not just as a sarcastic takedown (which it most definitely is) but also for the attention it draws to historical and institutional racism.
Those of us on the privileged side of history need to take every opportunity to remind ourselves that we can't just look at ourselves and our immediate surroundings in isolation. There's a long history behind every interaction we have. Whether you're talking about high-profile confrontations at protest marches, or economic statistics like lower prices for black-owned homes, it's not just about what's happening today, but all the history that led up to this point. And this isn't just about how to respond at protest marches, but should influence all our actions - including the kinds of policies we support and who we vote for.
Full disclosure - I was one of those privileged white boys who had no understanding of how my actions might impact others, back when I was that age. (Case in point.) Experience and interactions with many people of varying races and wealth levels have taught me empathy, and I hope some of the kids from this incident can do the same.
