Alan Posnack: Look at the world through the eyes of black child

To The Daily Sun,

I have been white all my life.

I am white when I walk through a store. I am white when I walk down a sidewalk in the dark. And I am white when I get pulled over for speeding.

While I have never been a racist nor intolerant, I have learned in recent months that I lack empathy — that I have failed to see the world through black eyes. I learned that black people feel watched when they walk through a store. That they tell their kids “don’t pick anything up that you do not intend to buy.” I learned that blacks, when walking in the dark, often see white people cross to the other side of the street “for safety.” And I learned that most black families give their kids “the talk” on how to behave should they be approached by a cop.

Most cops are good, fair, and caring people. That’s not the point. The point is that many of us, especially in mostly-white New Hampshire, need to work harder to see the world through the eyes of millions of black Americans. Please look at the cartoon again through the eyes of the black kid under the desk.

Alan Posnack

Alton Bay