A Class Divided.

An interview with Jane Elliot:

In 1968, after Martin Luther King Jr.'s assasination, a thrid grade teacher in Iowa created an exercise to explain racism to her all-white students. She divided them by eye color and then took turns favoring one group over the other. The next day those that were last became first.

The teacher now runs presentations on the topic all over the world.

"Invariably, when I do a presentation anywhere in this country, the issue of affirmative action comes up. People say that white males are the ones who are being discriminated against in this country today. So I say, 'Fine. OK. Will every white person in this room who would like to spend the rest of his or her life being treated, discussed, and looked upon as we treat, discuss, and look upon people of color, generally speaking, in this society, please stand?' And I watch. And wait. And the only sounds in the room are those made by people of color as they turn in their seats to see how many white folks are standing. Not one white person stands. And I just let them sit there. Then I say, 'Do you know what you just admitted? You just admitted that you know that it's happening, you know that it's ugly, and you know that you don't want it for you. So why are you so willing to accept it for others? The ultimate obscenity is that you deny that it's happening.'"

Like everywhere, race is a fundamental issue in this country. I wish there was a model for a way out.