There is no place for racism or oppression in any of its many forms in our world.
The values and moral teachings of all religions call for equality, inclusivity, and unconditional love toward all people. God made each and every being along with a planet and universe full of life and wonder. Each creation contains the DNA of its Creator. And God called every bit of it "Good." We are kin. We are family. We are brothers and sisters. What kind of warped, narrow thinking can rationalize the superiority or inferiority of anyone? It is time for a sustained anti-racism movement.
Many people are awakening to the reality of that there have been over four hundred years of unspeakable oppression for the descendants of Africans, kidnapped, sold and enslaved by white men. With the killing of George Floyd, (perhaps for the first time since the Civil Rights Movement of the last century) we have been forced to face culpability in our legacy of injustice fueled by power and privilege.
I’ve been a person who fought for changes in social justice. As a college student, I demonstrated for racial equality, justice, and peace. I wrote articles for my college underground paper promoting non-violence and social/civic responsibility. I took several courses on black history and black literature. But it wasn’t until 1990 that I began to explore what Jim Wallis at Sojourners called America’s Greatest Sin.
“The United States of America was established as a white society, founded upon the near genocide of another race and then the enslavement of yet another”
Members from the fields of education, social service, and leaders of a wide spectrum of religious communities gathered to explore systemic racism using materials from a Sojourners Guided Study. We were black, white, men, women, old, young, wealthy and marginalized. We also attended each other's houses of worship, ate many meals together, and invited one another into our homes. Real conversations built on trust brought about dynamic changes in ourselves and in the community. Groups of those servant leaders continue gathering to this day.
I learned a lot about my black friends that couldn't have happened without those soul to soul gatherings. I had been proud that my Quaker great-great grandfather was a leader of The Underground Railroad Movement in Iowa and ashamed that another ancestor had been a cruel slave-owner. An AME pastor from our group helped me come to reconciliation with family history. He told me that healing can begin at the doorstep of the church but must mature and blossom across dining room tables in our homes. His lessons helped forge my belief that change comes when we are willing to make ourselves vulnerable to one another.
The heat is on across our nation to re-create a law enforcement system that is fair to all. Lady Justice must be blind. Disparity in the way we treat white people as opposed to people of color will no longer be supported. We cannot kneel on the necks of oppressed people and then be surprised that riots and demonstrations follow. Systemic changes must be legislated from federal, state, and local governments. It is up to each of us to reach out in solidarity by gathering in homes, sharing meals, and acting like friends. Then, the pervasive character of racism that cuts to the core of all spiritual truths will begin to fade away.