How Pervasive is Racism.

How pervasive is racism? Here is an example: "separate-but-equal" patron saints. I learned by reading Dear Abbey on May 10 that racism can rear its head in the most innocent of places and in the most innocent of ways. One of Dear Abbey's readers wrote that there is a patron saint for Hispanic police officers, Saint Sebastian. Dear Abbey: May 10, 2007

The implications for me are mind boggling. Why should there be a patron saint for one particular racial profile? Is this a throw-back to the Jim Crow days? Is this some kind of hoax, a cruel joke, or is this simply innocent-racism on the part of her reader?

I grew up Catholic and had never heard of any patron saint that served any one particular racial or genetic profile. I googled this subject and only found Dear Abbey's article. I searched wikipedia for Saint Sebastian to find out that he is simply the patron saint of soldiers and police officers--no distinction was made for race or creed.

I think Dear Abbey was the victim of some innocent racism. It's regrettable that she couldn't have tried a little harder to omit this innocent racism. I wish there were a way to stop this form of racism. I feel it is every bit as insidious as any other type of racism. Little slips like this one just serve to show people that some racism is acceptable.

I am not opposed to diversity. In fact I love diversity, but how far should one take it. In this instance I think the public would be poorly served by a police department that is divided racially or religiously. I feel this would not fit the wishes of St. Sebastian or any police officer.