Racism affects everybody, Preacher Moss said.

Racism is why black people are not used in tanning salon commercials.

It is why people don’t let Asians sing a Motown song during karaoke.

It is why people from the Middle East are not used as the voice for navigation systems.

It even affects white people, too.

It is the reason why whites do not have their own month, like African-American Heritage Month or Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month.

Moss’ “End of Racism” comedy and lecture tour was featured Tuesday night in Lumpkin Auditorium as part of University Board’s lecture series.

“Humor is my best language, and that’s what I use,” Moss said.

He said even if it is controversial, people have to be truthful.

Moss told students to take color pigment out of the picture.

He said to look at the person’s core values instead of looking at skin color

Moss told a story about a group of white senior women in a Subway restaurant that left after judging Moss and the manager.

The manager told Moss that he did not need the women’s business; he did not need their attitude.

“They took a picture of you and I and didn’t bother to investigate what was in the picture,” the manager said.

Chris Kromphardt, junior political science major, said he had not heard much about Moss before the lecture but liked Moss’ stories.

Moss had a lot of life experiences to draw from that everyone could relate to, said Kromphardt.

“We do all tend to have moments like that,” Kromphardt said.

The audience laughed and chuckled throughout Moss’ lecture.

“At least you laugh; it shows you have an open mind,” Moss said after one joke.

Ryan Kerch, junior biology major and UB lectures coordinator, said many comedians and lecturers come to campus but it was nice to have someone who could combine both lecture and comedy.

Students are not just sitting and taking in information; they are also laughing and thinking, Kerch said.

“Everyone was laughing – that’s always good with comedy,” he said.

Kerch said Moss makes the subject of race relatable to everyone. He said no matter what race a person is, Moss made the audience think about racial issues.

Moss ended his lecture with having everyone stand and extend their right hands with spread fingers.

He then showed how every thing is connected by linking words that all have five letters.

People exist – five letters – on earth together, he said.

Black, white and Asian, all have five letters, Moss said, and while Native-American does not have five letters, they were the first – five letters – people in America.

He said power lies in unity – five letters – and people need to stand – five letters – for something.

“The emphasis of what I do is what happens when I leave,” Moss said.

He said people have to deconstruct the way they’re used to thinking.

Deconstruction is hard to do in an hour, and even in 10 years, Moss said.

Fact box:

Preacher Moss can be reached via Facebook.

He asks for no long messages and no pokes.

Emily Zulz can be reached at 581-7942 or at eazulz@eiu.edu.