No, you’re going to get into race at length. Or any other real world issue for that matter. Because you’ve made your blog just as someone in the edublogosphere prescribed: edu-tech here, ed policy there, a response to the latest trend sprinkled in. You’re doing well for yourself and your readers skyrocket. The only controversy you ever touch is the difference between a PC and a Mac. Naturally, you choose PC. You look at others who do so as “brave” and “outside your comfort zone.” Yet, the minute you directly address a social issue close to your heart, you shy away because it veers from the norms of what edu-bloggers do. Then, you get e-mails like this in response to your blog posts:

From: Jeff <…>
Subject: Stinking Mexicans

Message Body:
First things first:  To Jose above who wrote to veronica

“Veronica,” frankly, poverty is faceless. Here’s one link that’ll shut your whole argument down.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_poorest_places_in_the_United_States

Your [sp?] full of shit Jose, and this link only goes to prove that Mexicans are the problem. Think I’m lying? Check out the statistic on that page that says, and I quote, “Of the major locales with the lowest per capita income in the United States, seven are in Texas and all of these have at least a 97% Hispanic population.  I rest my case. Mexicans are pathetic, uneducated, slime balls. It will be too soon if I ever see another one again! They’re not smart, and they have no ethics or morals. I have been robbed and burglarized by Mexicans. I have caught them shoplifting in stores. I have witnessed 6 hit and runs by those people, one my own car. I have even caught one masturbating out in the open behind my house. Mexicans are just one sorry, pathetic group of people that IO don’t care to live with. I think they all should be run out of America.

It’s amazing that the word “post-racial” even exists when I still receive letters and comments like these. I do get that I’m not the only one who gets this type of fan mail, but make no mistake: every time I get a letter like this, I’m reminded of the deep-seated soot at the core of this country. I never underestimate the power of the hatred in people’s hearts, but I am equally disappointed at the apathy of people who work with people.

Same as it ever was.

Jose, who probably won’t respond to this.