I know there are quite a few who don’t believe it, but racism is still alive and well in the USA. I’ve seen people flat out deny it. The racism-deniers are, in my experience, always white. And all day today I’ve seen white people CONTINUE to act in racist ways.
In North Carolina, people of color had been called the n-word while trying to go into a store.
I’m not saying that racism is back on the scene in a new way. I AM saying that the current climate in the USA has created a place where racists feel free to express their views. Go read the comments section on ANY social media site or News story and you cannot avoid the racist comments, slurs, and insults.
And this is NOT to say that everyone who voted Republican is racist. Not at all. I know good Christian men and women who are Republicans and regularly vote that way. But we cannot deny that the Republican Party has become the landing zone for terrible attitudes, thoughts, and actions. These are the kinds of people Hillary Clinton infamously put in “a basket of deplorables.” Not every Republican – just the deplorable ones.
The problem is that many Republicans approach the current issue of racism from their own lens and say, “I’m not racist, and my family members aren’t racist, so people who complain about racism are just inventing problems.” White people are STILL not listening.
The Bible uses the word “listen” over 600 times. There’s something to be said about hearing – really listening and not missing out on the conversation. For example:
- If you listen for Lady Wisdom, attune your ears to her, and engage your mind to understand what she is telling you… (Proverbs 2:2)
- All who have ears to hear, let them listen. (Mark 4:9)
And what conservative whites need to hear is that people of color are genuinely concerned. The safe space created for racists to speak openly is a threat to brown-skinned people. I cannot tell you (literally) how many times I’ve seen people talk or write about “white genocide” and that we need to save the white race. But behavior that pushes away and harms people of color is NOT a biblical attitude or characteristic. The Bible IS filled with words about helping outsiders and loving the outcast.
He enforces His justice for the powerless, such as orphans and widows, and He loves foreigners, making sure they have food and clothing. (Deuteronomy 10:18)
It’s time for white Christians to ACTUALLY listen. It’s time to recognize that we have for too long been dismissive of the thoughts and feelings of anyone who is different – the outsiders. Then it’s time to act in solidarity and say, “We have heard your voice, and we stand in solidarity that this is not acceptable.”
- Denounce white pride/white power movements.
- Look for ways where we can actually listen to the voice of the “other” and not be dismissive.
- Be an active participant in bringing reconciliation between all people.
What do you think? Have you heard any of these racist remarks or seen any racist behavior? Share your story! Just be polite – I will not tolerate rudeness.
** Author’s Note – the original post mentioned a KKK march in North Carolina. Those reports have been debunked – it was a pro-Trump group participating in the “Flagging 40” event. There was no connection there to the KKK.
Chris Linzey 
I live in NC and on the Channel 11 news they said that the group with flags was “Flagging 40” and not at all KKK as reported. As a mother and wife in an interracial marriage with 3 biracial children myself, I was sickened at hearing this might be the case after the already bad news last night. I am a Republican who voted against Trump. i have always voted Republican until yesterday. I wasn’t going to vote until I decided that I wouldn’t feel at peace with myself if he got the ticket and I didn’t vote. So, he won, but at least I know I didn’t contribute to that. My father would qualify as one of the uneducated white men who is all out for Trump. He texted me to see if I voted for Trump this morning although I told him I disapproved of him more than Clinton a few weeks ago. So, my reply was, “Heck no, but oh well.” It is what it is. I cried this morning thinking on what this must mean. I think people believe he is going to make America safe again and what their idea of normal is again. It is a scary time with the comments that came out of that mans mouth. I just saw Robert Dinero on Jimmy Kimmel express his own anger at Trump’s win. He called him a dog, punk and a joke in addition to saying that he would like to “punch Trump in the face”. I already would hear so much racism before this election and got consistent emails from my family (when Obama got in) with racist innuendos. I sent one back with a reply all to my favorite aunt even which simply said, “return to sender,” because it was pertaining to watermelon and chicken etc,- stupid stuff.” I have fought this kind of stuff against my own family for 20 years and it is still not over. The same aunt sent me a youtube today of Braveheart roaring in triumph letting me know she was happy and apparently thought I would be to because I am a Republican Christian but I was not happy. I look at it like this: I know our family not only would not be accepted at a Trump rally but might even get beat up or worse. And I’m supposed to vote for that or be happy about it? On the other hand, I have never voted Democrat due to moral issues and yet, the crowd reflects my family. He claims to be a defender of the unborn, yet he doesn’t respect the living. It wasn’t long ago he was a Democrat himself so how is the unborn now so important to him? I just could not bring myself to support him with all of his negativity with all of the people who have gotten beaten up with pretty much his orders. My family-parent and sibling- tried to convince me to vote for him even though part of them don’t even like him, saying we have to be careful who the judges are going to be and that they don’t get more liberals in there to make the country worse. I told my dad that Trump didn’t know the first thing about politics and didn’t even know how to answer the questions when he was asked to the point he would answer something that was not asked and he said he liked him because he wasn’t politically correct and that hasn’t been working so far. He said they (Government Officials) sit in Washington and don’t care about people like him. Trump definitely reached people like my dad even though I honestly don’t think it adds up to bring someone in who knows nothing. He said Hillary is just going to be another Obama. I love my dad but voting for Trump would have been voting against my own family that I created. The crazy part is, I am the only one in my immediate family with a college education- so, it’s true about the primary demographic Trump attracted. I hope he makes some effort to pass an olive branch to the ones he has offended but I feel it is going to be like the guy said on CNN last night- He got it and now he is going to do just whatever he wants. The question is, “What is that going to be?”
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