YES, there really is still hope for us when a person like myself and a person such as Ted Rall can arrive at similar conclusions and opinions while still maintaining our differences. We remain two people holding radically different positions on many things, yet we share some others…the most important one being; MY conclusion that, “…there still is some hope left!” and Ted’s conclusion…”But one can hope.”

Perhaps not the greatest leap forward for mankind, but it’s at least a start?

Side by side on page A6 we offered our own opinions on the very same event and there can be found much in common…and much not so. A tip of the hat goes to The Daily Iberian staff for their insight displayed in that issue… a sort of “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” work by Francis Church that rang true on an editorial page long ago. Though the subjects are very far apart, the bringing together of the similar ‘message’ of each is to be admired. Some may even say “It’s about time, you guys!”

And yet those great gaps that exist between Ted and I still exist and would surface if we were to address a subject like RACISM perhaps? For obvious reasons NO-ONE really ever truly expresses their true feelings on sensitive issues because they would receive a bad grade from the many who disagree and would immediately get ‘branded’ with a negative image. And besides, racism goes along with topics to be avoided in polite company.

Although Ted and (Alice?) you and me and the other guy are all in the Human Race group, we PHYSICALLY do not all ‘match’. Races of people exist…just check the FORMS we fill out that ask who you are; Black?, White?, Green?, Yellow?…Red? They even ask WHAT sex do you identify with this week?

But just because we exhibit Physical differences, must we be divided by them by choice?

The other half of why we are who we are comes from many non-physical sources and their effects can be predicted most of the time, just not all the time.

Two encounters I experienced lately remind me of Ted and I a lot. On one hand, Uncle Gregory offers a truly unique perspective about racism and exhibits his worldview for all to see. I was impressed when I viewed his portrayal of two Confederate Soldiers, one black, one white, with the surviving one lamenting the loss of his friend. Gregory G. Newson does not hold back his feelings about racial equality in his amazing pictures or in his books.

And on the other hand, I experienced an equally fervently held opinion that was very different from Newson’s…at least that was my impression. She is a strong supporter of the DEI movement and sees the need to still ‘equal things out’ with quotas and the like. I wish that they could get together and chat about their positions regarding racism…I’d like to be ‘a fly on that wall’.

Change is inevitable and the speed of light is 1 of 2 of the only constants in the Universe. The ‘other one’ seems to be HATE.

All I really know for sure is that Ted and I finally found some common ground (even though he is SO wrong about SO many things) and we may someday meet and have a nice chat over a vintage DIXIE BEER…

Richard Phillips

New Iberia