Let's Talk about Racism

Earlier this year Julie and I found ourselves eating with friends who are also full time pastors at Olive Garden. I guess we were loud enough that a man from the next table was ease dropping on our conversation and as he was leaving he came over and talked to us about our conversation.  We chatted for a few moments and one of our friends made a comment about the man's race.  I was a little annoyed by the comment, but felt like if I confronted my friend it would make a bigger deal out of the situation.  One more comment came and I was even more irritated.  After the conversation, I asked my friend, "Why did you bring up race in our conversation?"  He simply answered, "Well didn't you notice he was Black?"  To be clear, my friend did not say anything negative or offensive about the man's race.  It raises the question in my mind do I need to be more willing to talk about it in order to help overcome racism?  
So with the recent news stories being dominated by the Zimmerman trial of the shooting of Trayvon Martin the issue of race is at the forefront. It is clear that we need to continue to the work of stamping out the injustice of prejudice and racism in our world.  
A recent Cheerios' commercial included a bi-racial parent couple with a young daughter putting Cheerios on her dads chest while he was sleeping to help him be healthy.  The questions that come to my mind are: 
1. If you saw the commercial did you notice the couple was bi-racial? 
2. What was your reaction to the couple being bi-racial? 
3. Are you surprised that Cheerios had to end people being able to comment on line about the commercial because of the racist comments about the commercial?  

Here is a link to a video about kids reaction to the commercial and the comments about the commercial:
http://globalgrind.com/news/kids-react-interracial-cheerios-commercial-video

Galatians 3:28 there is not here Jew or Greek, there is not here servant nor freeman, there is not here male and female, for all ye are one in Christ Jesus

We are one in Christ!  Connected, equally important to God, equally essential to the Kingdom, no matter what our skin color, our economic status or our title.  

John Wesley theology of original sin irritated the upper class societies of Europe.  How could he possibly suggest that a noble was equally depraved and influenced by sin as a common person?  How dare he suggest that God sees us all as equally able to do evil or good.