Rhetoric Race and Religion
In my last post, I wrote that I will offer three challenges to White America. As I also wrote that in no way am I arguing that all White Christians are perpetuating White supremacy because historically and presently, I personally know some who have fought against the oppressive system. What I am saying is that overwhelmingly, White Christian America has held down, incarcerated, lynched, bombed and marked Blacks in America.
Therefore, my first challenge to White Christian America is to see Black people as being made in the image of God. Genesis 1:26 states: “And God saith, ‘Let Us make (hu)man in Our image, according to Our likeness…” (Young’s Literal Translation). I would like to point out two parts of this verse, “Let Us” and “in Our image.” The “Let Us” points to the Trinity and the community that exist between the God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. Therefore, community existed before creation. God within God’s self provides a picture of a genuine loving community (Shirley Guthrie, Christian Doctrine). Next, “in Our image” points to the fact that all of humanity was made in the image of God, even Blacks. When White Christian America could begin to recognize Blacks as beautifully made by God, to reflect God’s handiwork and craftsmanship, they could then fully value Blacks’ humanity. Further, viewing Blacks as beautiful will contribute to involving Blacks within the genuine loving community displayed by God. Also, Blacks being made in the image of God will place us on the same level as all other humans. To be clear, I am not referring to only Black Christians, but all Black people in America.
I also challenge White Christian America to do justice and not just acts of mercy. Food banks, cloth drives and temporary shelter actually could perpetuate the systematic oppression of Blacks. White Christians can go and help for a couple of hours and feel good about doing something. Or they could throw some money at a homeless person or some “church mission.” In doing these “acts of mercy,” they still maintain their position of power and can view their service as “helping those people,” in others words, the others who are beneath them. Real sacrifice would require “getting dirty” by spending time with Black people, listening to their story and looking at ways to work alongside and learn from them. We need to think about ways of addressing systemic issues. Instead of just providing tutoring, White Christians need to be talking to school administrators about high suspension rates of Blacks. Instead of just putting money toward some “helps” ministry, hire a Black person to work for you if you are a business owner. Or talk to those in your network about their hiring practices that contribute to the high unemployment rates of Blacks. Instead of getting behind politicians that continue to create policies that primarily hurt lower income Blacks in your area, either vote for politicians that will do things to effectively help or speak out against their policies.
Which leads to the next group I am coming at; the general White population in America. All Whites are not a part of the White oppressive system, but all Whites privilege from the system. Beyond White Christian America, who has a strong influence on American politics, I am challenging White Americans to step up in the political realm. You played an integral role in the election of Mark Sanford, Ira Hansen, Jake Knotts and Rick Santorum all of whom made openly racists remarks.
I am calling for you to check your privilege and your networks. Look at the ways your fellow Whites get access to jobs, schools and a number of other areas because of your cousins, friends, brothers or uncles who know someone. Speak out against injustice that you see within your networks. Don’t be silent when your friend makes a racists remark. Don’t retweet or repost that which would put Blacks down in anyway, rather that’s a Worldstar video that sensationalizes Black violence or a segment from Fox News. In fact stop watching Fox News and tell every single person you know to stop watching. Further, be suspicious of all media. There are numerous reports and books that reveal how the media creates racialized stigmas that unconsciously effect how Blacks are negatively viewed (Catherine Squires, The Post Racial Mystique).
My last challenge is for you to take up the mantle. Whites in America, you know Whites far better than I do. I know many of my colleagues who are tired of telling White people what they need to do about their problem.
The time is now. In the next 28 hours, another Black person will be killed a police officer or vigilante. Another Black male or female is about to be imprisoned in the mass incarceration system. The life expectancy for a Black transgender female is only 35 years. Another Black child is about to be suspended for school and on the way to prison. Another terrorists attack by a White male may be on the brink where a large number of people will be killed. Roof said that he did the killing in order to start a race war. Despite his direct and overt racist statements, some White Americans are still blaming Obama or just an isolated and mentally ill White male. How long White America until you recognize your race problem? How long will you continue to antagonize your fellow Black Americans? How long will you blame shift away from the oppressive system to the actions of Blacks? How long will you keep silent while Black bodies are being destroyed?
HOW LONG?
Travis Harris is a R3 contributor
Works Cited
Alexander, The New Jim Crow
Baptist, Edward E. The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism
Blackmon, Douglas Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II
Cone, James Cross and Lynching Tree
Entman, Robert and Rojecki,Andrew The Black Image in the White Mind
Guthrie, Shirley Christian Doctrine
Jacobs, Harriet Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Johnson, Walter River of Dark Dreams: Slavery and Empire in the Cotton Kingdom
Squires, Catherine The Post Racial Mystique
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