I have met many people similar to you of late, who seem to want to completely ignore real differences in characteristics.
Well let me start by saying you are barking up the wrong tree on the wrong planet if you imagine I’m politically correct.
I can’t speak for others but I have no desire to ignore real differences in characteristics which is why I used the term cultural differences. It’s great that someone makes corned beef and cabbage and someone else makes black eyed peas and ham hocks. It’s the fabric of our society and adds to it’s beauty. Yes we’re different and that’s great. And there’s nothing wrong with pointing out the tall black guy or the white guy with freckles. It’s actually racism that makes a big deal out of that. It just makes sense. But there has also been a tremendous history of casual references meant to undermine people through labeling. We still have to be sensitive.
The difficulty and barriers are erected when we indicate the African/American, Latino or Asian that are not our own issues but something other. What is more helpful?
A. Children’s health is a priority in this town or
B. There are black families having some troubles on the south side of the city?
Approach A. could care less about race because your simply a member of the human race and deserving of basic necessities. Meanwhile B. would tie it up with other issues which place conditions upon the help and erect further barriers and create more obfuscation. As if all people didn’t want their families to be happy healthy and safe and are nor deserving of these basic human rights.
We need to eliminate race conscientiousness when it comes to basic human rights while maintaining cultural differences. Slowly as the playing field is leveled we are being desensitized to the petty stuff as the big stuff is addressed.
And speaking of the raising some hackles through casual conversation. It is deeply ingrained in some people this idea of race and negative distinction. I was looking at an apartment once in a nice area and I was told by the Realtor- “There is the ‘other element’ here”. I was just completely like “What? Plutonium?!” I could care less what race my neighbor’s are but only in how well they maintain their property, how loud they play music and if they are decent people. They could be Klingons for all I care.
But when race can still affect property values, we have much work left to do.