Nicholas Kristof wrote this column in response to the lack of empathy some white people show for minority groups. Using a conversation between a white father and his 13 year old son as a template, he tries to help readers imagine if the two worlds reversed. Using a witty tone, Kristof encourages readers to be a little more empathic to minorities in America. The dialogue begins with the father asking his son if he has seen the video of a white horticulturalist being choked to death by a black cop. After the son says all the kids have seen it, the father tells his son, "With us whites in the minority, some cops are going to see you as a threat no matter what." When readers reverse this theory they will most likely agree with it, because of the amount of news stories today of innocent black people getting shot or injured by the police for petty reasons. It is apparent that Kristof's goal was to make white people understand how it feels to be a minority. However, the portions of the writing relating directly to this may not impact the reader directly due to several reasons. The readers may not believe black parents sit their children down to warn them about the hardships of being a minority because it might already be obvious. The readers may also believe Kristof's approach to show the reversed world is exaggerated, such as when Kristof's character says to his son, "When a cop curses you I want you to call him Sir." The author's purpose is achieved overall because it makes readers think,"What if?" Several readers commented negatively on Kristof's article calling it "appalling and silly." However, Kristof's view on minorities is serious as he writes, " Race is a social construct. It shouldn't be what defines us."