That is a sweet picture of the little Black boy in Portland, Oregon hugging the White policeman during a Ferguson protest last Tuesday.
It has gone viral so obviously hundreds of thousands of people are responding to it and passing it on.
Seems like it was another thing that White Americans had to be thankful for over the holiday weekend because they could, once again, fantasize that American racism will be fixed as soon as enough of us smile and hug each other, and cry over and share pictures like this.
(I've never written a diary in this format, so pass the squiggle thing and continue on if you are so inclined.)
It's hard to face the fact that the biggest problem in this country is institutional racism not the interpersonal kind that can be overcome with an emotional moment and a hug.
Look at this picture and see this appealing youngster and imagine what he and other children who look like him will encounter as they grow older:
A justice system that currently operates by stopping, searching, arresting, prosecuting, and incarcerating Black people at higher rates than other groups in this society.
An educational system wherein he will be mostly taught by White ladies who don't have any connection with his culture or background, and who will often be afraid of him, and others who look like him, and prefer that they don't have too many of "them" in their class.
A healthcare system that still favors those with "good" insurance, money available to make the necessary co-pays at time of service, and somehow believes that Black people don't need the same level of pain meds as other patients do.
A financial system that knows better than he does that the household wealth of Black families is lower than other groups, knows that they are usually the last hired and first fired, and is comfortable pushing Black Americans over into car, consumer, housing loans etc with terms that would be unacceptable to most others.
This is the society that he will be growing up in. I hope that he is prepared for it. I hope that instead of shedding a tear or two most nice White people who view that picture will work in their daily lives to change the reality that surrounds him today.