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By James A. Glynn

Almost exactly one year ago, print commentators and TV talking heads were ecstatically raving about a "post-racial" America. After all, we had just elected the first person of African descent to the highest office in the land. Indeed, the past was behind us. Martin Luther King's prophesy had come to pass.

A little more than a century ago, American historian, sociologist and political scientist W.E.B. Du Bois made a statement during the introduction of his newly published and brilliantly researched treatise, "The Souls of the Black Folk."

He said of the book, "Here-in lies buried many things, which if read with patience may show the strange meaning of being black here in the dawning of the Twentieth Century. This meaning is not without interest to you, Gentle Reader, for the problem of the Twentieth Century is the problem of the color-line."

I bring both of these observations (post-racial America and "The Color Line"), separated by a century, together here to highlight a phenomenon that, frankly, has me puzzled, annoyed and angry. So as to not waste the time of people whose minds are already made up, I will state here and now that I do not agree with last year's platitudes.

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James A. Glynn Jim Glynn is a professor emeritus of sociology and can be contacted at j_glynn (at) sbcglobal.net. The Madera Tribune online subscription To subscribe or log on, CLICK HERE. For more information first, CLICK HERE.