Letter to the editor: It's time to lose the race

I was the only white kid at the birthday parties and backyard hoops games when I was growing up off Keels Road. Although my friends' houses were always hotter and smelled different than mine, we loved each other like brothers. There was no racist behavior in our group. This continued into high school as players from Deerfield and Red Bay Road joined together to battle for our city and alma mater on the football field. There was no racism in our locker room. I believe this systemic racism that is continually presented to us by the media is typically unfamiliar groups verbally or physically attacking other unfamiliar groups. When you get to know any person of another race, you usually become friends to some degree. Racist behavior begins with critically judging someone we don't know, or we don't understand the circumstances in which they currently live. We should recognize others as people just like us who have problems with their kids, problems at church, problems with their pay checks, problems with weeds in their lawns. Cease to judge them, but rather empathize with them. Help them. And they will do the same for you. You take the first step. It's time to lose the race. We will do this only by focusing on what we have in common rather than our differences. Reach out and greet your unfamiliar neighbor. Feel the strength in his hand. Feel your world expand. Feel a friendship grow. Feel the unfamiliar become a trusted friend.

JOHN W. HOLLADAY, P.HD., RPH

Clinical Assistant Professor

College of Pharmacy

University of South Carolina

PIC Sumter Cut Rate Drug Store Inc.