Like many of you, I have been irritated and somewhat offended by statements from defenders of President Barack Obama's policies that opposition to his plans is based in part on racism. For example, former President Jimmy Carter noted, "I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man, that he's an African-American." Others chimed in similarly. Happily, Obama has repudiated these comments. However, a number of people, in defending their opposition to Obama and rejecting claims of racism, have sometimes themselves gone too far in denying that racism exists in the United States.

The issue of race in general, and particularly here in Utah, came sharply into focus for me last week as I was speaking with an African-American friend about the brouhaha over Carter's and others' remarks. The conversation took a startling, sad and revealing turn as we talked about his experience as an African-American in Utah. My friend is from Chicago but has lived much of his adult life in Utah, including his years as an undergraduate at Brigham Young University. He is an outstanding professional and widely regarded in his field, but over the years he has endured many insults, slights and outright hostile actions because of his race. Some of these comments and acts came from well-meaning associates who were simply thoughtless and didn't understand their offensive nature. Others were intentionally malicious. Some acts were a result of racial profiling.

My friend was not bitter, not angry, but very centered and even forgiving. From his perspective, his endurance without anger made him a better Christian. From my perspective, it seems impossible to fully understand the heartache and potential alienation one could easily feel if subjected to the same circumstances. For example, I mentioned racial profiling, which has a specific meaning with respect to police actions. But, in fact, almost every aspect of my friend's life is affected by others' assumptions and "profiling" of him. That my friend and many like him experience both hard and soft discrimination is deeply troubling these 30-something years since LDS Church President Spencer W. Kimball received his revelation.