Why do so many people fail to acknowledge and change their racist behaviors within society, and what kind of data can be gathered to show that America’s institutions are still racist?

I chose this question because the rise of tragic incidents involving the police is coinciding with an increased level of racial tension in the US. Police brutality is a widespread issue in the United States that is often very polarizing. Groups such as Black Lives Matter seeks to challenge the systemic abuse by police forces around the country, and these movements face criticism from groups boasting slogans such as “blue lives matter.” Many people who are against the Black Lives Matter movement make claims that “all lives matter” or that “if black people don’t want to get killed by police, then they shouldn’t be committing crimes” or “It is their own fault for not listening to the officer.” It is jarring how so many people who are against the Black Lives Matter movement feel that the use of excessive force and a death sentence without a trial is acceptable in the modern world. It is important that white people be aware of their privilege, put aside any prejudices or ignorance they may be holding, and acknowledge a serious injustice that is occurring in our country.


This is a beautiful question because it allows me to explore an important intersectional issue. I wish to be more aware of the struggles facing black people today to prevent myself from becoming part of the issue through ignorance. For a question to be considered beautiful, it must answer why, what if, and how, and to quote Warren Berger, author of A More Beautiful Question, “The focus here is on questions that can be acted upon, questions that can lead to tangible results and change” (8). I feel that this question, once acted upon, will lead to positive change that can benefit people from any background. Professor Andrew Hayes’s lecture on theater, and particularly his commentary on the inclusivity of the play Hamilton, relates to this question because they both investigate the boundaries of race and what can be done to promote inclusion and equality. Dr. Jing Paul’s lecture about negative stereotypes surrounding race ties into my question because she talks about how cultural stereotypes alienate groups from one another, and how people are alienated from one another for long enough, they will begin to fear one another. Humans often lash out at what they fear or don’t understand, so a lot of intersectional violence occurs from a lack of exposure to other cultures. This lashing out is very evident in police violence against black people, and the best way to solve this issue is by fostering more conversations between different cultural groups so that minorities are better able to express their frustrations with the majority. The trickiest part of this question is determining how to get different groups to talk to one another with an open mind, as well as how to get the majority to listen to the minority and truly take what they say to heart.

Berger, Warren. A More Beautiful Question: The Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas. New York: Bloomsbury, 2014.