These past few days have been disturbing in many ways. Yesterday, I was driving from the gym and a cop was behind me. I immediately got nervous. I wasn’t speeding or doing anything wrong, but with everything going on, it didn’t give me a safe feeling. The institution that is designed to protect and serve is tainted. It has been tainted by individuals. I want to speak into this from a different perspective than most people have been talking about it.
Racism can be undone in any individual
Racism can be undone in any individual Racism can be undone in any individual, and we can play a part in it right now. No person is born racist. People are taught racism from their family, environment, culture, and personal experiences. Their initial exposure to prejudice was not their choice. However, even if they have been exposed to that belief system, they have a choice. They can choose in each instance whether to reinforce the belief or break it down. So many have fallen into this system unintentionally, and now they continue walking it out. It will take continual, intentional desire and effort to break out of it.
Racism is a human value issue, not just a black and white issue
Racism is a human value issue, not just a black and white issue Discussing it primarily as a black and white issue creates a couple of problems: it discredits the voices of other skin tones and it draws a clear line between two enemies, distracting from the real problem. Now we’re focusing primarily on two polar opposites at war, missing that racism, or hatred of other skin tones, exists in all shades. For example, in the Caribbean culture, there is discrimination between lighter and darker-skinned Caribbeans. By continuing the “black and white” label of racism we keep lock people into categories rather than identifying with them as individuals. The real problem is the devaluing a human being, and robbing them of the image of God they were designed to represent. And the first step to solving the problem is discussing human beings as human beings rather than categorizing them by their color.
People behave like people, not like an ethnicity
People behave like people, not like an ethnicity The riots and the destruction that you’re seeing is not a race trying to get their way. It’s the anger and pain of injustice that human beings are internally walking in. Your outer world is a reflection of your inner world. Psychology teaches that anger is a secondary emotion to hurt, fear, and rejection. These humans are revealing the deep pain, rejection, fear, and hopelessness they feel and live with every day. They need empathy, to know that we understand that you’re angry and we care what happens to you.
There is an answer to these issues. The answer is not found in changing the systems or in a reconciliation church service. It’s solved at the dinner tables and in homes. I’m not talking about just talking about the issues at the table with your own family. I’m talking about inviting one another into our homes and connecting. It’s hard to label and categorize someone you’ve spent time with and gotten to know personally. Connection is the answer. This needs to happen on all sides.
There is hope and its found in each one of us doing our part. We have to let go of pre-existing mindsets and connect with someone different than us. CONNECTION BREEDS COMPASSION!
“Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.” 1 John 4:20
The solution to racism is not found in changing systems or reconciliation services.
In conclusion, as a society, we must recognize that racism is a learned behavior and can be undone through intentional effort. It is important to understand that racism is not limited to just the black and white binary, but it is a human value issue that affects all skin tones. The riots and destruction we are currently witnessing are a manifestation of anger and pain from longstanding injustices. The solution to racism is not found in changing systems or attending reconciliation services, but in connecting with people of different backgrounds on a personal level. By fostering connection, we can breed compassion and love, and ultimately work towards creating a more just and equitable society for all.