Thank you for your Dec. 15 articles "Americans warm to diversity" (Opinion Exchange) and "Race drives school labels, discipline" (front page). Both raised serious and valid concerns that merit comment and discussion. But my favorite article that day included the picture in the Business section of the three young women from Woodbury taking a "selfie." Didn't need any titles about diversity or race. Just three friends of differing ethnicity being together without labels.

Several years ago, the actor Morgan Freeman was asked how to eliminate racism in America. His simple and profound reply was: "Just stop talking about it." When asked what he meant, he said, "Don't refer to me as your black friend Morgan, just your friend Morgan." I will wager to say that none of these three young women in the photo talk about each other with a racial label attached. Let's simply forget the racial references in our daily conversations and see what happens.

DOUG MALAM, Minneapolis