Recent events in our community have revived some ancient demons that have deviled the human community since the earliest days of our existence. Racial enmity has caused our varied cultural and racial groups, to put on the false armor of pride, arrogance and conflict. We have taken up the old rusted sword of insensitivity, strapped on the confusing shield of damaged, distorted history. Now, we stand glaring menacingly across the battle field of ignorance and fear to face an enemy who is using a war of worry and hidden agenda.

Attempting to deal with this positively I have created an acronym that I hope will identify possible process for solution to this agonizing problem that we share.

Acronyms always present a multi-faceted presentation and I think it wise for us to visit both sides of this supposition.

First the negative side which up until now is where we have suffered, then the positive side where we must struggle until change has come. PACE stands for pride, arrogance, conflict and enmity, I'm sure none of us would own the negativity implied by this the acronym but ascribe to the more positive rendering of PEACE ACCEPTANCE COMPASSION AND EXPECTATION.

Pride in our racial, cultural or ethnic background is a good thing and should be nurtured and shared in the positive environments of celebration and academia offering opportunity to any who will to taste the wonderful beauty and bounty of our heritage.

Arrogance is the foolish assumption that one group makes about other s concerning their abilities and needs. The group assume they know the prescription of success for the others. Sooner or later this attitude of arrogance will evolve into war.

Unfortunately in cultural or race wars there are no victors only the living and the dead. The dead are those who are folded in the arms of violent history, and the living are them who walk daily, seething distance of anger of one person to another.

We cannot live in an atmosphere like this it is more than incumbent on to change this cacophony of false pride that denies others, this ignorant arrogance that assume superiority, this confused conflict that turns history into sad memories, and leave us in the crippling grip of unsolvable enmity.

We must find the courage to accept the life giving challenge of P.A.C.E. Up until now we have suffered under the negative from now on let us live in the positive P.A.C.E.

We must seek Peace realizing that as long as we look different, speak different and observe different rituals of life. The opportunity for conflict is ever present but we must allow our intelligence to prevail that Peace might control.

I'm convinced that if we all strive to accept the right of others not to believe or act as we do we can come to mutual understanding of every situation and allow everyone to develop solution in their own way. Acceptance is not turning a deaf ear or blind eye to the pleas and cries of others acceptance and understanding is offering the hand of compassion and comfort to those who are struggling to initiate positive chance to the seeming indifference of systems and institutions.

When we develop the courage to take the risk to let love prevail them we see the blessing expressed in the book of Isaiah 58:12... "And the that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called. The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in."