“I am the least racist person there is anywhere in the world”

No, it isn’t me making this claim. But I’ll give you a few hints as to who did. First, you know of this person. You do. I’m certain. Second, you have strong opinions about this person. You may love or hate this person, but you do not feel indifferent towards him or her.

Give up? Okay. It was, unsurprisingly, President Donald J. Trump, the 45th leader of the United States who unapologetically made this brazen claim. In his classically bombastic style, it is never enough to simply state something and move on. Instead, he has to remove any possibility that someone could compete with his claim and if possible, he aims to put others down to pump himself up in the process.

But now, when many are hoping to see meaningful change that seeks to finally put an end to the discriminatory systems that have victimized minorities and continue to do so, such a claim demands further consideration.

For starters, one’s personal viewpoints on race can generally only be defined from within. True, there are those people who continue to unapologetically attack certain groups without trying to keep their views private. For the most part, however, they belong to fringe organizations and are scorned by average citizens.

Nevertheless, people personally hold a variety of prejudices based on a mixture of fact, fiction and experience. Most of the time the prejudices that we hold are rarely if ever exposed since we keep them close to our hearts. At times, however, an unfettered response to a trying situation results in severe and irreversible consequences.

It is these responses that show the embedded racism that remains prevalent in the hearts and minds of many, even when those people never previously showcased discriminatory tendencies.

Going back to the president’s claim, the truth is that we can not know for sure if he is or is not the least racist person in the world. To be able to determine that we would have to delve into his mind and the mind of each person on earth. And who has the time to do that?

Instead, it makes sense to write the president’s claim off as a soundbite meant to bolster the confidence of a man who thrives on shameless self-promotion. Therefore, whether the president is or is not racist is inconsequential to the bigger picture.

Is there a “least racist person?” Maybe. But I suspect that person would be modest enough to avoid claiming the title. The truth is that no one will ever know who the least racist person is, and that’s okay. The real question each person should be asking is, “Am I a racist person?” If the answer to that question is yes, which I suspect it will be if a person answers it honestly, then the next step is to work towards resolving those racial biases.

Changing the status quo on race relations will not and cannot come from a few people who society views as important. Change must come from within the hearts and minds of each and every person who lives and interacts with others in the world.

A willingness to push ourselves to really think about our personal biases and to question the source of those feelings and be willing to work to amend them if they prove to be unfounded is required. Real change must include a willingness to challenge predefined notions and work towards dispelling false and often dangerous narratives.

Getting there requires personal reflection and cooperation. It requires active listening, it requires openness from all parties, and it also demands enormous doses of respect at every step in the process.

Change begins when people from all walks of life start having the tough conversations that have been put off for too long. People who may think they are on opposite sides need to come together and share/discuss/debate their feelings and viewpoints.

Working to find out what hurts people and trying to find out what people think and why they think that way will advance the dialog.

During this process, feelings will be hurt and cross words will be uttered, but the increased understanding of what people believe will help reveal what needs to be done to foster change.

These “tough talks” will provide a roadmap to guide society forward. It won’t be a nice map with easy to follow directions, and when the wrong turn is taken, it will require real human brainpower to figure out how to get back on the right path towards that final destination. But that journey will prove to be priceless.

Because despite there being victims and perpetrators of racism, from a societal standpoint, we all lose. Uncomfortable interactions, unsafe communities, and unpredictable threats are a few of the social ills that can be tied to racial tensions.

Ultimately, each individual should commit to understanding where their personal views stem from and be open to questioning why they feel the way they do. In doing so, slow but meaningful progress towards a less combative society can begin to occur.

Given where we are now, slow but meaningful progress would be a step in the right direction. Be a part of the movement towards unity. Everyone has a responsibility and everyone has power to enact positive change in the world.

Reflect. Respect. Repeat.