As a white male that’s been various levels of “obsessed” with black cultures since I was 10 or 11 – I have to say: I was excited to have Tanner Colby on the show. The entire premise of his book, “Some of My Best Friends Are Black” fascinates me.
I think the genesis of this book – his realization that “I don’t know any black people” – is something that a large portion of the country can relate to if they’re honest with themselves. And it’s not necessarily about “black people” specifically – but more that we don’t really know people that come from different backgrounds than our own. The cluster effect – in our schools, in our neighborhoods, in our jobs – is undeniable. Colby’s book take a stark naked look at how race relations got here in America. And he explains why we tell our children the story of desegregation instead of integration.
The segment is a look at not only those ideas, but the differences between 2008’s election atmosphere, and the one we’re seeing in the run-up to 2012’s election. I recommend the book, and I recommend the segment… and not just because I produced it.