My tenure on the Orlando Sentinel Advisory Opinion Board afforded me a unique opportunity to weigh in on issues related to race, religion, patriotism, justice, oppression, politics, and history to name a few. Though we did not always agree with each other’s opinions, we were respectful and I hope we came away from those discussions with a greater appreciation for how different points of view are necessary to our understanding of the issues which confront us as a nation. Conflict is inevitable but how we deal with conflict goes to the core of who I am as well who we want to be as a nation. Our nation was forged as a result of conflict. The founding fathers, all of whom were white men, created our Constitution and institutions which still survive today. Key to this survival was the abil...