I honestly don’t know how to begin. I honestly don’t know
where this is going. Lord, lead me as I write!
People rarely like to talk about race. Many people will say
they are “colorblind” when it comes to race. That statement, as well
intentioned as the person saying it means it to be, cannot and should not be.
God created us as embodied souls – or souls with a body.
Either way, one cannot be separated from the other…at least in this earthly
life. Part of our bodies includes our skin. My skin happens to be white.
What is white skin? To look at it, “white” may not even be
the best description. My skin is more tan or pink than white, but yet people
classify me as “white.” I have some brown hair on my arms, a few moles and
blemishes, some scars, but that doesn’t change my classification as “white.”
Some people prefer that I describe my race as
European-American because saying that I’m “white” implies that I consider
myself “elite” in comparison to others. My ancestors came from Europe.
European-American is my ethnicity. But race is different. When I say “white,” I
am describing what I see in the mirror – or rather what others have termed my
skin tone to be. I don’t use “white” as an inherent descriptor of power, though
I will discuss that later.
Race is a human construction. Ethnicity is not. Humans have
a need to determine what makes each of us different from others. Ethnicity is a
descriptor of our ancestral origins. Humanity invented race to say that one
color is better than another color. History has shown that people's minds consider “lighter” skin colors superior to “darker” skin colors.
Obsession with skin colors caused slavery – or at least
American slavery. Obsession with skin colors caused colonization of the African
continent. Obsession with skin colors caused segregation where blacks were
forced into sub-standard institutions to keep things “pure” for whites.
Obsession with skin colors is sadly alive and well today.
In just the past few weeks, we’ve seen the Grand Juries
failed to prosecute police officer Anthony Baez who used a chokehold on Eric
Garner, killing him. A previous Grand Jury acquitted another police officer,
Darren Wilson in the shooting death of unarmed teen Michael Brown.
The issue, however, is not specifically about Garner and
Brown – but do not, for one second, think that I am diminishing the importance
of these lives! The larger issue
is the obsession with skin colors and the lack of justice in the history of
America for black people. If we
could truly say that these were isolated issues, and if we could be assured that
both Grand Juries gave full fairness to both cases, and if we could say that
blacks were treated equally with whites, then there would be little issue.
Maybe there would be some raised eyebrows. Maybe some would disagree with the
decisions, but the issues would not reach national importance.
America suffers from a 400-year problem of obsession with
skin color. That obsession is called racism. Racism can ONLY come from the
powerful – the white skin.
Minorities can be bigoted, they can be rude, they can be hateful, but
they cannot use a tool that belongs only to the powerful. Minorities cannot be
racist.
Racism consists of more than disliking someone based on skin
color – that is being bigoted.
Racism is a systematic disease. Racism is visible AND invisible. Racism
exists in peoples’ actions and in the collective mindset. Racism prevents
mobility of the minority that is being targeted – intellectual, spiritual, and
physical mobility. Racism kills – it kills the mind, it kills the soul, and it
kills the body.
Jesus calls his followers to be peacemakers in the
Beatitudes of Matthew 5. A
peacemaker DOES NOT throw up a “yeah, but…” every time an uncomfortable and
tragic situation comes our way. Have blacks committed horrific crimes as well?
Yes. All races have. But, such is not the point. The discussion at hand is
about justice for God’s black children. Later, if needed, we can have a
different discussion. A peacemaker does not use counter-examples to hold to the
status quo.
A peacemaker reaches across uncomfortable spaces and extends
the hand of peace. Most (if not all) who read this post did not serve on the
Grand Juries in question. Most who read this are probably good people who love
their neighbors. We don’t need “good people” right now. We need peacemakers from the white
community. We need whites to stand
in solidarity with our black brothers and sisters. We need white people who are
willing to say, “I have never felt your pain. I have never had anyone look at
me and question whether I am a criminal or not. I have never gone through any
of that, and I want a world where you don’t have to either.”
Throughout the Bible, God, without exception, stands with
the poor and oppressed. Again, now is not the time for whites to describe how
we may be oppressed. It is true that others more powerful than us may oppress
us. We will have time to deal with that oppression. If we are true peacemakers,
we will be able to deal with all oppression with all people regardless of race.
America is in crisis. Crisis can end in a multitude of ways.
People can choose how to handle a crisis. We can sit back and do nothing and
let others fight the battle. That option is contrary to being a peacemaker.
That option carries unknown consequences.
We can stand for the status quo. That too is not being a peacemaker. It
is like one saying “peace, peace when there is no peace (Jeremiah 6:14).” We
can be peacemakers. We all have different gifts and talents to do this. We can
recognize that our black brothers and sisters are suffering. We may not be able
to change every situation, but we can walk to road together. It will be difficult...It will be rewarding...It will be tiresome...It will be loving...
As everyone knows, in suffering, sometimes the best
“medicine” is a companion.
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