[Digital Gangwon] Race issues are often uncomfortable to discuss, stressful, and controversial. Many ideas have been developed to solve this painful part of the American spirit. The most widespread approach now is known as color blindness. Color blindness is a racial ideology that argues that the best way to end discrimination is to treat individuals as equally as possible, regardless of race, culture, or ethnicity. Literally, color blindness seems to be a good thing. This focuses on commonalities between people, such as shared humanity, but color blindness alone is not enough to heal racial wounds at national and personal levels. This is only a half-measure that eventually works as a form of racism.

In a color-blind society, white people who are unlikely to be disadvantaged by race can feel more psychological comfort in effectively ignoring racism in American life, justifying the current social order, and enjoying relatively privileged positions in society. However, most people of color, who regularly suffer from race, experience color-blind ideology completely differently. Color blindness creates a society that denies negative racial experiences, rejects cultural heritage, and nullifies unique perspectives.

Many Americans believe that color blindness helps people of color by arguing that race doesn't matter. However, in the United States, most people of color explain that race is important because it affects opportunities, perceptions, and income. When race-related problems arise, color blindness tends to individualize conflicts and shortcomings rather than examine the bigger picture of cultural differences, stereotypes, and values in context. Color blindness does not arise from an enlightened (though well-intentioned) position but from a lack of awareness of the racial privileges granted by Whiteness.

Considering how much danger lies in color-blind ideology, we can no longer be blind. It's time for change and growth. An alternative to color blindness is multiculturalism, an ideology that recognizes, emphasizes, and celebrates racial differences. It recognizes that each tradition has something valuable to offer. Moving from color blindness to multiculturalism is a process of change, and change is never easy, but we cannot afford to stay the same.