Race is a Thing

I recently read a book by Bill Nye the Science Guy in which he laments that we humans have made such a big deal about race when scientifically there's really no such thing.  Whether or not the science is true, race is in fact a thing, and it's important to acknowledge so. 

Color-blindedness is of no help when it closes down the conversation and absolves us of dealing with skeletons in our past, prejudices in our hearts, and the effects of the residue of both in our relationships and systems.  These are hard discussions, and saying we're past them is tempting and can even come across as enlightened and big-hearted.  But it's not helpful.