You are invited to a barbecue. You walk in and you see people congregated in two groups. There is no one you know in either group. Both groups are in polite social conversation - one group is 20 somethings and the other is a middle aged crowd. You are 20 something. Which group do you gravitate toward?

Same scenario, only now one group is predominantly wearing Red Sox gear and the other group wears the Yankee stuff. You are a Sox fan. Which group do you move toward?

Again, same scenario. This time one group in predominantly people of color while the other is predominantly Caucasian, as are you. You gravitate to the Caucasian group. Does that make you a racist?

Let's face it - we all have preferences. And those preferences involve the comfort of identifying with people just like us. Call it an inherent ingrown bias. Perhaps it is instinctual - deep down, a survival instinct. But it's OK - it is not hate. Any and all group identities suffer from this human condition.

So let's recognize it for what it is and let's stop using it for political purposes ... because if we don't we will surely have race wars down the road.