Racism Recalled

Michael Gaffley

On The Sudden Death Of Your Child

My thoughts and prayers immediately went out to his parents. Parents never overcome the death of their child. I thought about the words of Psalm 39:9 I was dumb, I will not open my mouth. Death makes a parent dumb with silence. I was thinking about what to do and what to say to my daughter and to his parents whom I do not know. I was yet again reminded of the brevity of life and how we expect older people to die but the death of a young person still comes as a surprise.

I was thinking about what to do and what to say to other students on the campus, in the dorm, on the floor and to his roommate. What does one say, indeed? Although young people understand and internalize death in different ways the shock of death still affects them. Some of them have a faith to live by while others do not. Some of them have parents to turn to for solace while others do not even have a friend that they can share their feelings with and who will understand.

Death seems to be so final. You cannot bargain with death. You can only cooperate with death whether timely or untimely. I believe that death is not termination but mere separation. I also believe that life with a Savior leads to an endless hope. Life without a Savior is a hopeless end. Even believing this it is still difficult to deal with death. When my mom and dad died, I was stunned into silence. My mom died in my arms. What a contrast between life and death. What a contrast between breathing and not breathing.

No one can ever understand the grief of a parent over the death of a child, even if the child was wayward, difficult or hard to please. I know from my work with abused children that you become most attached to the child that was most troublesome. In death everything is made beautiful. Gone are the hard words that were said. Gone are the threats and the conflict. The deceased entertains no dialogue. You are subsequently left with your own "bubble" talk.

I pray that we will find ways to help others deal with death. I pray that we will dialogue with our young people about death because talking about death is as important as talking about sex, secrets and studies. I pray that we will co-create an epidemic of social support networks that can be a comfort as we grieve. I pray that we will have a vibrant faith because by the same faith that you live by, you will die by.

Please feel free to share your own article about death on Searchwarp.

All We Need Is Love

Racism Recall

Will you join with me in a quest to recall racism? Racism is overdue and does not belong in our civilized world.  It will take more than a strong resolve to tackle racism. Racism is caused by some and experienced by others. Racism in any shape or form is an unconscionable, inhumane and disgusting way of living your life especially in the global village that is hurting so bad. This economic crisis has underlined the fact that we are all in this together. We are all hurting as a result of the greed of some. We all need to be engulfed by an epidemic of hope, support and camaraderie.

In any nation where racism is thriving, we are all losers whether we are the exploiter-losers or the exploited-losers. In the short term, racism may look like a good thing but in the long run we lose. You cannot reach the goal of a non-racial society if you leave racism, unchecked. You cannot be a coward if you want to tackle racism, head-on. Racism has to be confronted, personally. Racism has to be recalled, by you! Even your de facto majority is not a license to be racist.

Racism refers to certain "superior" attitudes and actions of some people that in some way disadvantage other people on the basis of their deemed to be "inferior" race. This negative value judgment is both morally wrong and indefensible because of its intentions and its consequences.  You may have grown up with racism. Racism may have been entrenched by the attitude of your parents, your synagogue, your church, your mosque or your school, your college or your primary system. So much so that racism "happens" subconsciously.  You are responsible for your racism.

We need to revisit the way individuals interact with others. Just take a look at the courtesies we bestow, one upon the other. We need to just observe how downright rude we can be to one another especially in public spaces. I have often come away from these observations with the conviction that I could see nothing else at play but racism. When someone literally pushes you out of sequence in a line at a ticket booth or at the grocery store it is appalling, and even more so if that person is from another race. I have had many encounters with racists. One that stands out is what happened on a flight between Charlotte and Phoenix. The gentleman (of another race) took the magazine and placed it between my shoulder and his shoulder and he actually requested that I should not touch him. Wow! Racial categories appear biological but have an impact on social interactions and sanctions. Racial categories in the United States often appear mutually exclusive but may in fact be overlapping. Right now you can be African-American, Native-American, and Caribbean-American.

We need to look at racism in the institutions of our society. The quality of the interactions between people is a good barometer of the racism inherent in society. If you have an organization whose management consists only one race and the workers are comprised of all the other races then something is amiss. Why are minorities not allowed in the power sharing and management of the institution and or organization? We need to look at promotions and career ladders because often racism is the glass ceiling that prevents people from upward mobility. We need to look at the social and institutional structures that disadvantage groups by denying them access because of their race.

We need to look at institutionalized racism or racism that is so entrenched in the way society operates that it becomes normative. Racism has a long history and as such has seemingly benefited some while definitely denying opportunities to others.

No legislation or act of congress can undo what has been done and approved by governments and institutions under the banner of racism. No-one can erase the pain suffered as a result of racism.

We need to do something more than agree that racism is wrong. We need to engage in exploratory dialogues about race. Definitely, a national truth and reconciliation exercise can lead the nation to understanding and forgiveness en route to reconciliation and national rebuilding efforts.

We need to resolve to not allow people to make racist jokes or remarks in our presence. If there is not an ear to listen; there will not be a tongue to whisper.  We need to be aware of our own racism, prejudice and stereotyping. We need to unlearn old habitual ways of interacting with other races and if needs be seek counseling to learn new ways of interaction. Do something about the recall of racism, now.

• Previous Posts:

• On The Sudden Death Of Your Child
• All We Need Is Love
• Racism Recall
• Recession Proof Yourself
• Flatline Diversity Is An Inconvenient Oxymoron
• Blame it on Obama
• Do Not Stereotype Flatline Neighborhoods
• Relocating Overseas to a New Land

• Related Posts:

• Living Life Unconsciously
• The Reason for My Journey. Part One.
• Spiraling Toward Oblivion
• Nothing Matters
• What Is The Purpose of Life? Hope, Happiness and Joy Stem from It--Great Thinkers Offer Answers
• Daily Devotion: Obeying God - Being a Discipler
• Dumb, to Confound the Wise
• Loved By A Gay Man - The True Meaning of Love and Friendship

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