has some value here. There is a lot to be learned from watching others argue over issues that they feel passionately about. This is true even if the two people debating don't seem to be getting anything out of it themselves. In a public forum like this, we can learn a lot just by observing and listening sometimes.
Issues like race tend to spark anger, and stir up feelings. This is especially true when you have a group of people from diverse cultural, economic, and spiritual backgrounds (like the group here) coming together. Nobody said that a conversation across the chasm of race was going to be easy. But is it valuable? Hell yes.