This is something I've been wanting to do for YEARS on this board. That's why it's so long, and it's why I hope that you take a moment to read it all.

I've been drafting and rewriting this post for about six months. Considering the fact that I have few peers in GD, I feel that I have nothing to lose in initiating such a post. I do not feel that this post is stupid, or that it should be deleted by whoever-doesn't-like-me. I do NOT feel that it's a waste of time. I will NOT field questions about my motives. Heckles will go ignored.

The purpose of this post is not to experiment with anyone's viewpoints in hopes of confirming any selfish ideas I may have about the subject at hand. Rather, it is geared towards sparking something that some of us don't really feel equipped to initiate: genuine and unselfish conversation about this race thing between black OKP's and white OKP's. (I have no desire to exclude OKP's of other racial backgrounds from this, but I feel that it's a must that the two LOUDEST and most opinionated groups of people on this board attempt to engage in discussion, ask the questions that no one wants to ask and at least TRY to get some genuine understanding. Because the LOT of us must inhabit this small, cramped country for as long as possible without killing each other--and I'm sure you'll agree that this shit's getting ridiculous.)

I have watched this board deteriorate over the course of the last five years with an intense deal of sadness. Part of that deterioration stems from a great deal of inflammatory, uninformed and negative commentary in regards to American race relations. Because of that, and because of the fact that I am aware of certain OKP's with very outspoken views on race, I humbly ask that this post serve as an autonomous area in which people can ASK QUESTIONS and GET THINGS STRAIGHT about each other. An AUTONOMOUS area, without reprimand or lingering beef or none of that fuckshit. This post will not move into a direction where the choir is being preached to--people need to really speak the fucking TRUTH here.

If the white OKP's want to ask the black OKP's a question they were afraid of asking before, I grant them this space in which to do so. Same for the black OKP's--ask a question. Frame it CLEARLY and CALMLY.
Ask on ANY level--get as deep as you need to get with it. If it generates an uncomfortable feel for you, so be it. TALK YOUR WAY THROUGH IT. DO NOT RUN FROM IT, because you WILL face the question again one day. If possible, DON'T EDIT...JUST POST IT and let the chips fall.

Don't be distracted by hecklers, as they will come. But be mindful that I am requesting that at least one (1) moderator watch this post closely, and in a neutral position. I ask that any of the ignorant and childish commentary that has plagued discussions such as these be met with strict discipline. I ask that the moderator exercise his or her ability to indefinitely ban the IP addresses of those who refuse to comply. Finally, I ask the community to exercise a degree of emotional control, and police your homies in the process. THIS EVENT MUST OCCUR IN A REASONABLY-CIVIL ATMOSPHERE.

There are a number of individuals who I feel should be a part of this post. I don't care about naming names, and I don't care about being CALLED names for trying to initiate this.

This post is generally about US--OKP's in general. It's about the fact that, on both sides of the equation, black people and white people are NOT effectively communicating with each other--the state of this country is PURE evidence of that. As this message board is a microcosm of real ideas and a place of communication, I ASK YOU FOR JUST THAT. I'm not asking you to listen to my radio show--I'm asking you to give this post ONE WEEK. Just one week--that's all. If, within that week, you've talked over something with someone here and reached a REAL conclusion--not another dead end--then the work is getting done. If it doesn't work in the end, fuck it--I tried.

Some of you are okay with existing in divided communities in EVERY manner of your existence. To that, I say, "Do you." But most of you don't want that--most of you WANT to be able to talk to each other. We wake up every day and wish that this race thing wasn't such a goddamn problem, but here it is. And here we are...ranting and ranting, yet the animosity remains. Be the change you want to see.

I am requesting that this post be anchored for one week in General Discussion. Should this go overlooked, I will push and fight for the initation of this experiment again and again, for as long as necessary (again, I DO NOT CARE about what's comfortable. I care about what WORKS). And I am CHALLENGING the most-( and least-) vocal of you--the ones who've kicked up the most dust--to STEP UP AND TALK THIS SHIT OUT WITH THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU. If you lurk, STOP COWERING IN THE GODDAMN SHADOWS and SPEAK UP.

In hopes that I've made a clear case, I leave my plea in the hands of the moderators and daily residents of this board.

Again, I provide a NEUTRAL ZONE. Nothing more. Use the N-word, do whatever it takes.

Kum-ba-ya.

Somebody go first.