12 I can't say stuff like how much the gun thing sucks, Ashton said.

Question

But, I mean, does everything have to be about black versus white? I mean, what if people just stopped talking about racism Wouldn't it just go away? Look at us all sitting here. Everybody is everything and we're all together. And nobody's fighting or being mean to each other.
13 Amari stopped drawing and shook his head. You just don't get it.
14 I do too get it, Ashton said. I didn't even think about being white until the first time I met you Amari. You asked me if I was an albino. I bet you don't even remember.
15 Iremember, Amari said.
16 I didn't even know what an albino was, Ashton said. He pushed his hair away from his forehead.
17 And that's the problem, Amari said. Like I said, you just don't get it.
18. That's not fair, Amari. I didn't get it, but I knew I didn't like the way it sounded. And I was mad because I thought you guys were laughing at me.
Re-read paragraphs 12 through 18. In Ashton's view, how does race play a factor in our lives? Consider what Amari and Ashton discuss in these passages. Does difference only exist when WE identify it?

Answer 1

In Ashton's view, race is not a significant factor in their lives. He believes that if people stop talking about racism, it will eventually go away. He sees that everyone sitting together and getting along proves that differences, such as race, don't matter and don't need to be discussed. Ashton initially didn't even think about being white until Amari asked him about it. However, Amari disagrees with this perspective and explains to Ashton that he doesn't understand the impact of race because he has never experienced racism himself. Amari believes that race and racism still exist and that merely ignoring or not talking about them does not make them disappear.