"Globalization is uprooting and scattering even these indigenous peoples. Their numbers are rapidly declining as dominant populations engulf and incorporate them. Their languages, customs, and traditions are disappearing at alarming rates."

It often surprises us how popular culture revels in what is close to or has become extinct. Kids are enthralled with dinosaurs, and we throw money at the Grey Wolf, seals, and whales. Yet, indigenous cultures are quickly going the way of the dinosaur, and most distressing to us is that the world thinks very little of or has become numb to the struggles of these people.  The greatest travesties of cultural massacre have long been inflicted upon the indigenous people of this world by larger, more aggressive nations that continue to muscle their ways into every square inch of indigenous lands. This has got to stop.

America is a nation of immigrants, and yet many Americans have completely lost touch with their roots. Ask an American what their ethnic background is, and more often than not, they will say, "American." Unless they are Native American, this couldn't be farther from the truth. Because of this, Americans tend to develop an insensitivity to ethnicity, fervently masking our sometimes obvious differences with political correctness and in doing so, inadvertently condemning an ethnic culture. We're sure most don't mean to do it. But it's long passed the time when we all truly need to become more aware and accepting of others around us who are not like us. That is the beginning of true tolerance.

There is a growing movement in American society that deeply concerns us, a movement that defines "color blind" as ethnic and cultural homogenization and absorption into a larger national identity. This movement seeks to discriminate against ethnic peoples by labeling them as racists whenever they demand that their cultures be respected. As the Genographic Project suggests, this is one way that cultures are effectively sentenced to extinction.

Halcyon Illuminations asks that after you become more aware of the cultural issues of the world that you also develop a sensitivity towards ethnic cultures then educate others through your understandings, passion and great compassion. Being able to authentically blur the lines between ethnicity and culture instead of veiling them behind eloquent words born of a habitual, limited acceptance will be the truest end of racism ~ when we can accept each other differences and all. Only then can we say that we have become truly "color blind."