Skip to main content

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?

Constant police harassment and being hashtagged is one thing, but there’s no racism quite like that everyday racism:


‘You’re not like the other nigroes’ or ‘You’re not the right fit’ or ‘I don’t know about her!’ or ‘You did it right, but I expected you to do it THIS way’ 


or ‘I know you have the credentials and the passion but tell me again why you think you’re the right person for this position’ or ‘Try harder fitting in’ 


or ‘You’re arrogant (the new uppity)’ and countless other evils that aren’t as obvious as ‘keep your head down like a slave’.


The truth is that we all think bad thoughts all the time, and I’m sure that there are epic internal battles being waged, visually, I see nothing and that says a lot.


So let me start: I remember years back how I thought that one of my employers short changed my pay. And in my head (never aloud) I thought “Well, he’s Jewish, so...”


It took me a while, but I finally got up the gumption to confess it to him personally. Now he had every right to fire me but he chose instead to laugh it off.


Since then I expose my Anti-Semitic conditioning along with many of my other failings, not because I’m some sort of masochist (at least I don’t think I am),


but because The Almighty calls us all to be better and this is one way (boasting about our weaknesses); to work out our salvation, to fear God rather than men and trust in the redemption that cost Jesus suffering, separation and finally his life,


I expected to be in a very, very long line, meaning everyone’s so busy opening up about their sin as Scripture teaches that I have to wait my turn.


But come to see that I can go right up to this window - no waiting. It’s funny how it NEVER gets much easier. I agonize and hold back and make excuses for why I don’t need to ALL THE TIME!


But I remember a dude named Arthur who studied the Bible with me some 32 years ago along with Frank and  Vincent and the two women who lead me to them - Noralie and Janet.


Arthur was a white guy who asked me if I were the only christian around (or left), would God find faith on the earth or would the words of Jesus die with me?


Later I would watch him confess his lustful thoughts to us. After that I would see him call out another white brother out for shortchanging my Scripture grade. 


And he did it in a way that said ‘We do these things because we’re white and of course we don’t see it because why would we?’


And then I saw folk who probably never met Arthur or Vincent or Frank doing the same thing and it inspired me.


But the words stuck with me: What if I were the only one? And Arthur is dead now - cancer. But he lives on.


And my conviction is that the only thing I need fear when I leap out in faith is not leaping at all.


Be well.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ON REPARATIONS

Never banter with white folk about reparations. It’s like arguing with your boss about wages they haven’t paid you. The only acceptable answer, whether they can give it or not, is “Yeah… You right!” Anything less from them is pure toxicity.
Post a Comment
Read more

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PERSUASION AND CONVICTION

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PERSUASION AND CONVICTION Decades ago, in my teens, my oldest brother and I had a talk where I said, “Can you believe that they’re having another gay pride parade?” He told me that he participated in a gay pride parade. Then we just stared at one another - and because many don’t know how to communicate without language, I will translate: Me: (But you’re not gay) Him: (True, but our struggle is their struggle and theirs is ours) Me: (Hmmm. Now I have to rethink everything because this is my brother whom I love challenging my core beliefs). I was persuaded that day. Today, my brother is long dead but I’m still reposting. That’s called CONVICTION.
Post a Comment
Read more

Rigged Legal System

Search words: Rigged Legal System, Gauntlet of oppression, racial profiling throughout  Years ago on jury duty, I was asked to render a ‘fair and impartial’ judgement regarding a young Black man accused of possession on the Upper East Side. There were only two Black people on the jury, myself and another dude. After a very long time, we ended up finding the defendant guilty. That’s the end of the story but not the narrative. The twelve main things I came to realize: 1. Several Black potential jurors were citing a mantra about their unwillingness to participate in a prejudiced judicial system. It was my first time hearing it but should I be called again, I’ll google it and voice my objection in the same way. 2. The suspect was stopped for a broken taillight, but as his wife said when she examined their car at the station, the light was never broken. 3. The white judge, however, ruled that the bust was still legit even though he was clearly stopped for drivin...
Post a Comment
Read more