Confusing Racism And Racial Injustice - And Response (2)

  • Sunday, February 17, 2019
I guess many people confuse racism with racial injustices. They're only related in the sense when racism is used to make legal and physical racial injustices take place. Racism is an emotion anyone is entitled to. That's their cross to bear. Something the racist will one day have to give an accounting for. Racial injustices takes physical, emotional, psychological and mental actions that can cripple and destroy; physically, emotional, psychological and mental. It can break bones as well as the human spirit.
Racial injustices can kill. 

I never gave it much thought just how restrictive something as simple as movement can be for certain groups in a racially driven environment such as can be in America, until I had young boys of my own. Not that I hadn't experienced the same on certain levels in life, or while listening to stories of my brothers even while serving in the military. It was watching racial injustices take its toll on my own young sons and their friends from an early age that opened a newer door of awareness. 

Watching over the decades how strong armed, excessive and over the top policing in primarily minority and/or racially mixed neighborhoods often led to the decimation, further polarization, increasing poverty in already fragile communities; watching families torn apart...........creating hostilities among neighbors brought on an even greater awareness. The monster was always there, lurking and ready to pounce, but subconsciously and without thinking or realizing it, we manage somehow to avoid it as if thinking you can outrun your own shadow only to look behind you and the shadow is always there. At times the shadow was even ahead of you. You learn you can no more pretend nor ignore racial injustices than you can outrun your shadow.  

In poor minority communities people have been forced into transiency. Meaning they're not allowed to or given time to set down roots, raise families, create or build up themselves, one another and the communities they live. They don't have time to create yard of the month clubs or welcome anyone to a community, because they've learned their existence is so fragile they don't know how long they will be there themselves before being run off by some senseless new ordinance, gentrification or revitalization that does nothing to uplift--only destroy, scatter the masses where they have to try to pick up the pieces and start over again and again. There's no time or no funds left to worry about how your yard looks or make home repairs when you're forced to worry about where your next meal is coming from or to pay a court fee or fine after being ticketed or arrested over some senseless non-violent, or even made up  infraction. 

It's those type senseless racial injustices that keep people, groups, and communities from being able to stabilize themselves or move upward or forward, not because they are more criminally prone, but because they make soft targets. They have no or very little protection, leaving them vulnerable. 

It isn't the emotion racism that's the problem as much as it is the racial injustices which thrives on racism that cripples, land-lock its victims; restricting something as simple as movement, or standing still in one spot too long--or being the wrong skin color in a certain place can bring about dire consequences if you're not the right skin color and in the wrong place at a wrong time, or even in your own space at any given time for that matter. Something as simple as looking in the certain direction of someone, or taking an innocent picture of a bird in flight and the camera by chance accidentally captures a child at play can be misinterpreted, because of paranoia, suspicion, racial stereotypes. 

Don't confuse racism with racial injustice. Victims of racism have always found a way to out run its shadow. They just couldn't always outrun the lynch mobs when racism went into physical mode, and racial injustices took hold. 

Brenda Washington 

 

* * *

Acts 17:26
From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 

Only God can change a mans heart. Injustice has no boundaries such as race or income. 

Ecclesiastes 1:9
What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.

God's people (Jews) were slaves to Egypt.  Hitler slaughtered millions of Jews and on it goes. 

To this day and beyond their are slaves of Jesus Christ that are being killed. I too serve Christ and 
through Him am a child of God. 

This world and it’s wickedness is passing. But those who are in Christ obey His commandments and care very little about social injustice because there’s no such thing. It’s either justice or injustice, saved or lost, obeying God or obeying Satan. 

We are in a fallen world controlled by the father of lies. Be that light on a hill and that light of Jesus (the Gospel) ie. Good News will produce fruit - Godliness, patience, love and, yes, justice. 

We all know what’s wrong with the world, we are evil. Only God is good.  The only way to God is through His Son Jesus Christ. 

When our time comes to exit our jars of clay and we’re in Christ, the days of injustice and sinfulness will be over. 

I’m so thankful God looks at the heart and not our outward appearance, as man can only do. 

Michael Burns

* * *

Brenda, 

Usually your ops run in the same vein but I always read them hoping to learn something new.  This latest one was your best!  It helped me to understand "racism" from the eyes of the victim.

I didn't grow up in the south and trust me when I say if any of the six of us had showed evidence of being a racist Dad would have beaten us within an inch of our lives. More folks than you can count grew up the same way and it's difficult if not impossible to understand the thought process that goes on in the mind of a racist.  I still don't "get it" but you can bet I now understand what goes on in the mind of the victim.

I don't think this issue will ever go away.  There are those against women, against religions, against gays..you name it and there's someone that finds fault with it.  When Eve ate that apple things went downhill!  All of us have freedom of choice, we are free to love who we love, worship the way we want but everyone is subject to falling in with those that elect to throw fear into the equation.  To be frightened of the black guys walking down the street, to fear the Muslim women shopping in the store, and yes to even fear the police officer who stops you for what you believe not to be a fair act.  Fear drives racism, not love.  But one must keep in mind there's always a reason for the fear and it's up to each individual in this nation to show there's no good reason to fear.

Islamic terrorists knocked down the Twin Towers, should we fear all Muslims?  Two black men robbed the Dollar General in Chattanooga last week, should every cashier fear two black guys that walk into their store?  Gay men brought a legal case against a baker that refused on religious grounds not to bake a cake, should every baker fear gays walking into their store?  I dunno but common sense says it's difficult to put those concerns behind a situation that might arise.  It's up to every American to dispel those concerns, unfortunately it's up to the completely innocent person to actually prove their innocence.  It may not be fair but it is what it is.

I guess what I'm trying to say is any racism exists because of bad actions by bad actors.  No one wakes up in the morning and decides to be a racist, it's learned behavior based on bad experiences but it can be changed almost instantly by those of us that present a good, positive experience.  That makes the racist stop and think "hey, this guy/gal is great in spite of being __________(fill in the blank)."  

You always seem to be biased against the PD, that's were the rubber meets the road for me.  Without those brave men/women in blue we wouldn't have peace, safety or law.  Think those bad actors would suddenly turn into pussy cats if we didn't have the police?  Think again!  Thugs would take over your neighborhood forcing you to become "racist".  The police have no way of knowing who the person is they're now chasing/talking to/ arresting.  For me their only thought is to take the danger off the street and figure it out in safe quarters.  Their only job is to maintain the peace and keep the citizens of their community safe and I'm quite certain their first thought isn't "omg, am I going to be accused of racism?" I'm more inclined to think, in this day and age of police killings is "I'm going home to the family tonight and weakness is not on my agenda."  Blame the very thugs that scream racism for that one!  In times of emergencies the first person we want to see immediately is someone with a badge, it can be a black officer, a gay officer, one with two heads and green hair, I don't care as long as they represent the law and they can fix the problem.  You can tell I support 110 percent the police even though I myself have been stopped for the "license plate light isn't working."  I appreciate what they do, I wouldn't do it for what they get paid and neither would you.  For me it has to be a calling, to put your life on the line every single day for less that what a plant mechanic makes is just plain nuts to me but I'm thankful there is a small minority who see it as their duty.

Sue White


Opinion
Democratic View On Top State Senate Issues - March 18, 2024
  • 3/18/2024

Campbell bill seeks to save lives by studying suicide trends in Tennessee 3 p.m. Senate Regular Calendar — SB 1787 , by Sen. Heidi Campbell, would require state health officials to produce ... more

The Odor Of Mendacity - And Response (2)
  • 3/16/2024

The Fulton County judge, Scott McAfee, overseeing the Fani Willis prosecution of Donald Trump and eighteen other defendants has spoken. In response to a motion by defendants to remove Willis ... more

Capitol Report From State Rep. Greg Vital For March 15
  • 3/15/2024

General Assembly confirms new Tennessee State Supreme Justice Members of the General Assembly confirmed the appointment of Mary L. Wagner to the Tennessee Supreme Court in a joint session ... more