EDITORIAL: Moving forward with peace and respect

Jun. 2—Our country and our state have grappled in the last several weeks with racial incidents and racial justice as anniversaries of George Floyd's death and the Tulsa Race Massacre have been commemorated.

We have, rightly, taken some moments to consider what has happened and what it means for us as our country tries to move ahead in a way that brings peace, reconciliation and understanding.

Racial attitudes often change over time, bringing with those changes an evolution of understanding the perspectives of people of different backgrounds.

Some things are just wrong, illegal and immoral — Derek Chauvin in George Floyd's death. The frenzy of white terrorist mobs burning, killing and destroying black communities in the former heyday of the Ku Klux Klan. The forced removal of Native Americans in the name of white settlement.

However, more often we are confronting less severe issues where respect and communication are the keys for greater sensitivity and understanding.

Is the statue on Northeastern Oklahoma State University campus honoring or degrading to Native Americans? Does a heavier police presence in higher-crime neighborhoods help local residents feel more secure or feel threatened? Is teaching students the 1614 Project as an alternate version of U.S. history an eye-opening perspective or a racially motivated perversion that confuses young minds?

Responsible opinions vary. We must understand and acknowledge that not all people of a given ethnic background or heritage will agree with each other. In many cases, we must do more listening than talking.

We have to examine the depths of our souls to find the way to progress. We have to work together to tear down the barriers that prevent our citizens from reaching their potential. We have a lot to learn and much work to do.

Let's do so with peace and respect.