Under Our Skin by
Benjamin Watson is a deep look into race relations in this country. Mr. Watson
is currently a tight end for the Baltimore Ravens. The book is an expansion of
his viral Facebook post after a grand jury returned a no bill on the charges
against Officer Darren Wilson for the shooting death of Michael Brown and the
riots that ensued. In the book, Mr. Watson writes with brutal honesty to both
blacks and whites about our interactions with each other. He writes about what
blacks and whites do and act that keep the racial divide wide. He speaks about
his anger, his frustration, his fear and confusion among many other emotions.
He speaks from his own experiences with racism and open conversation with white
friends and teammates about racism in the United States. He admits that there
are no easy answers or solutions. He still has hope that we can live together
as a community.
I read Mr. Watson’s original Facebook post and I loved it.
Then one day recently, I saw a program which discusses this book and I was
intrigued. I immediately went online and ordered it. When it arrived, I took my
time to read his words. To truly digest and comprehend his experiences and his
viewpoints. Some of his points I agreed wholeheartedly and others were eye
opening and hard to swallow. Although I wasn’t raised to treat anyone different
because of their skin, society has an influence on how we view each other and
sometimes those thoughts and ideas creep in and I hate myself for it. I highly
recommend everyone read Under Our Skin.
Under Our Skin
is available at major
booksellers
in paperback and
eBook
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