Oprah Winfrey's Prejudicial Mistake

I love Oprah Winfrey, as do most citizens of the universe, but her recent speech to the 2007 graduates of Howard University (the nation's most prestigious black university) demonstrated a disrespect that shouldn't be allowed in our society by anyone, not even by the well-respected Oprah Winfrey.

In Oprah's speech, according to the Washington Post, she states that her grandmother, a maid, once told her, "I hope you grow up and find some good white folks to work for." And Oprah replied, "I regret that she didn't live past 1963 and see that I did grow up and get some really good white folks working for me."

Even if this is not exactly what Oprah wanted to say or what she really felt, it was said in an improper manner. To be politically correct, which seems to be so important these days, she should have said, "I regret that she didn't live past 1963 and see that I did grow up and get some really good white folks working WITH me."

We all understand that even if words are not said, that there is still an undercurrent of prejudice in our country and in other parts of the world. Even though it has become politically incorrect to state prejudicial attitudes (except in certain comedy routines), prejudice does exist and can't be denied, even by the most liberal person on Earth. There is prejudice in the United States and all over the world, and to bring this to the forefront by Oprah Winfrey is disconcerting to myself and to others who have read the transcript of her speech.

By Oprah making this remark that whites are working for her now, makes it appear that there is prejudice involved in what she said. Yes, it's true that she didn't have to find good white people to work for but instead found good white people to work for her. If only it could have been phrased differently, it could have made all the difference in her speech being judged as equal and not prejudicial.

Blacks, Whites, Asians, Native Americans, and all nationalities and cultures need to work together for a cohesive, honest society. There should not be a one-upness by anyone, either black or white or whatever color a person's skin color is. Slavery is behind us now and change has occurred. Let's do it together this time, by blacks and white working together and not for us or us for them.

This is the mistake that Oprah Winfrey made in her speech, and a mistake that can cause prejudice to continue in our society.

Times have changed Ms. Winfrey. Please don't remind others of the past when blacks and whites worked against each other. Look towards the now and the future as we work together and not for each other.