Racist

(From a book called "Divided By Faith")
"My highly educated colleague James, an African American who recently moved to a new state, was driving from work, which is in a nearly all-white, well-to-do suburb, to his home in another nearly all-white, well-to-do suburb.  About a mile after he left work, a police car began to follow him.  It followed him all the way to his suburb.  "Why are they following me?" James thought, and as they continued to trail him, "Why don't they pull me over?"  The police continued to follow him to his street, and even to his home.  When James had pulled into his driveway, the police blocked the driveway entrance to the street, turned on the police car lights, and ordered him, over the loudspeaker, to get out of his car with his hands away from his body.  Neighbors peered out their windows, and those outside stopped their activities to observe their new neighbor and the unfolding scene.  Although frustrated, angry, and very embarrassed, he did as he was told.  The white police officers got out to search and question him.  After a few minutes they told him they were sorry for the inconvenience and he was free to go.  It turned out it was merely a case of mistaken identity; they thought he was someone else wanted for a serious crime.  James asked why they had to follow him all the way to his home, resulting in embarrassing him in from of his neighbors and likely reinforcing stereotypes about black men.  He never did get a clear answer."

If I asked you if racism is prevalent today, you may say, "It's a pretty subdued issue.  There might be a few radical racists out there but don't represent the majority."  During the late 1930's and early 1940's, there was a Swedish guy named Gunnar Myrdal who wanted to study race relations in the United States.  In interviewing many honest, good-natured people told him that though the U.S. once had a race problem back during slavery times (pre-Civil War), it no longer did.  As if to say, "There's no racism now because we no longer have slavery and don't consider black people to be less than human anymore, despite the fact that there are lynchings and 'white only' bathrooms, schools, parks, benches."  If I asked you if racism is prevalent today, you, an honest and good-natured person may say, "Though the U.S. once had a race problem back in the 50's and 60's, it no longer does."

Have you ever played baseball?  Imagine that you are playing a game that lasts one million innings.  For years of playing the game, the other team gets to use bats and gloves.  You, however, get neither.  You become frustrated when the opponent racks up the score because there's really nothing you can do.  They also get paid more for their performance (that's not how baseball works but just go with me).  You may even hurl out some choice words and feelings towards them for being given stuff that, in your eyes, you are just as deserving of.  In your eyes, your opponents have no right to be proud of something they didn't earn.  Then, the "Baseball Rights Act" is enacted and now everyone gets equipment except your bats are old and used, and the mitts are too small.  Yeah, everything's fair now!  Sure, but your team is behind in the game by an impossible margin.  Although the Civil Rights Act of 1964 eventually worked to get rid of discrimination and forced segregation, we are far from the end of racism.

In Divided By Faith, Michael O. Emerson writes that highly educated whites, compared to less well-educated whites, are much less likely to say they are uncomfortable with black neighbors, less likely to say that they would move if African Americans moved to their neighborhood, and more likely to say that they would consider moving to neighborhoods where African Americans live.  The implication is clear.  Based on what the well educated say, they should be less segregated from blacks than are other white Americans.  But when we looked at where whites actually lived by educational level, even after controlling for many other factors, such as income, college-educated whites are actually more segregated from black Americans then are whites with less education.  Reread this paragraph again if you don't quite get it.  I had to when I read it since it was worded kind of weird.  Anyway, this is important to know.  Do your actions match what your head and heart are saying?  This next sentence from the book shocked me, but then again was no surprise.  "Although many Americans believe residentail segregation by force of law is wrong (the Jim Crow method), they accept residential segregation by choice (the post-Civil Rights method)."  It's wrong to force segregational residence, I'll just choose to segregate myself and live over here away from them thank you.  That's weird to me.  Why does being a middle-class white person/family living apart from a black community, although with good intentions of opportunity, safety, and comfort, do more damage than good?  When white people with money leave, so do businesses, grocery stores, jobs.  Now the question becomes, why do we draw near to those most like us and hide from those different from us?  100% of the people that Jesus lived among, ate with, healed, and taught were not like him; they were sinners.  Maybe black people are a bit too slang or too loud or too blunt or too poor for you.  I don't mean to come across as judgmental so if I do I apologize, but I just want you to think about and try to imagine looking at life through the eyes of a black person in a poor community and how they may feel towards white middle-class people who are given everything from opportunities to jobs to cars to food to expensive electronics to money for wasting.

Having nice bats and gloves is not bad, but looking down on a team that is losing the game by a landslide due to unfair rules years before is bad.  Please thank God for what you have and ask Him if there are better ways to spend the money he has given you.  These poor and predominantly black neighborhoods don't need your money, they need your presence.  They need to know you exist, that you understand the injustice that prevents reconciliation from occuring between black and white.  Relocating to a more diverse/poor neighborhood may seem irresponsible in the eyes of the world, but I believe is one of the most responsible things a middle-class Christian white person/family can do in order to shed those fears and prejudices and stereotypes and begin building bridges and relationships with the least of these (Matthew 25:40).  I've signed with the Jacksonville team and I look at my new perfectly fitted leather glove and my long and strong wooden bat, only beginning to undertstand the game I'm playing in.