Broad, First-post, Preliminary Thoughts

I'm not quite sure what the exact expectations of these blog posts are, so I hope I end up being somewhat close to everyone else in terms of length, content, formality, overall coherence of thoughts, etc.

I've been thinking a lot about how exactly to define race, and whether or not it even exists. All of the elements that I feel have been examined as potential candidates for physical scientific bases of race have failed to prove valid. There is no scientific evidence in terms of geography, genetics, phenotype or any sort of essence that may prove there to be differences in common ground among races. To me the technical, scientific concept of race is illogical. However, while I reject the existence of there being actual races separating people in the human race, I cannot reject the fact that there is the social concept of race and subsequent stereotypes, discrimination, and racist behavior.

It was mentioned in class the other day that we should just be colorblind in this situation in terms of skin color. As wonderful as that may sound, colorblindness is in no way going to end racism and I fear that in America, race-neutrality may only lead to a sort of "colorblind white dominance". Whether or not there are differences between human beings that categorize us into different races, the social construct of "race" that has been built and our apparent human need to group others into some sort of  rank or category makes it so it cannot be something we cannot ignore. Simply saying it does not exist and becoming blind to skin color will not create equality. I feel as though the issue of race is deeper than just individual prejudices and stereotypes. On one hand, it would be ideal for our constitutional law to be completely colorblind. Policies should be race-neutral, and we should be avoiding division of citizens into different racial groups by any means.  On the other hand, however, I feel as though these "colorblind" laws would not fix the preexisting race-based inequality that continues to operate within political, economical and social structures in our country.