A New Normal for Racism

So far, the year 2020 has been a crazy one. We have faced a global health crisis, which precipitated an economic crisis, which has contributed to an escalation of a long-standing moral crisis of racial conflict. In talking about the pandemic, people have used the phrase "a new normal" to discuss the long-lasting impact of the virus on our society. Perhaps we can extend that concept to the issue of race. Maybe it's time for a new normal.

While racism is global, it is particularly problematic in the US. Since I live in the US, and I'm more familiar with my country's history of racism than elsewhere, I'll focus on that.

In 1861, the United States began to fight a war over slavery and/or states rights, depending on who you ask. The abolitionists, primarily in the north, framed the conflict in terms of slavery. The south, believing their states' rights were being infringed by the federal government, framed the conflict in terms of states rights. Those differing points of view persist today, though most people see the conflict today the way the north framed it. In war, after all, the victor tends to write the history books. But both views are valid.

I was taught to view the conflict in terms of slavery. And considering the moral bankruptcy of such an institution, I prefer that view. It reminds us of the darkness of our past and forces us to come face to face with our collective demons. While the issue of states rights is a valid one, I find that view tends to reinforce and justify the ongoing racism that is still a plague on our culture. In my mind, the war was about slavery.

The US Civil War ended in 1865, but the conflict between races continued. This was especially true in the southern states, where many people viewed the recently liberated slaves as less capable, less intelligent, and less deserving of the rights and privileges bestowed upon them by US citizenship. This led to local persecutions, which sometimes led to violence. It also led to laws in many states that enforced a "separate, but equal" concept upon black people that turned out to be horribly unequal in most cases. And while it sometimes amazes me that it took as long as it did to come to a head, all of this eventually led to a social uprising in the 1950s and 1960s (almost 100 years after the war) known as the Civil Rights Movement, which ultimately led to the abolition of segregation and the repeal of many laws that enforced it.

Millions of people died in the Civil War. Millions more suffered in the aftermath, with persecution leading to the deaths of many more in the ensuing years. Almost a century later found us still fighting the same battles with fewer guns and fewer deaths, but with palpable pain and suffering nonetheless. And now, about 60 years after the Civil Rights Movement, in the wake of multiple incidents of black deaths at the hands of police over many years culminating in the horrific death of George Floyd in May 2020, the issue of race is gaining national (and global) attention with a force we haven't seen since the 1960s. George was not the first black person to die at the hands of police in what appears to have been a flagrant display of unnecessary force. But the details of his death at the hands of a police officer were sufficiently heinous to spark a flurry of protests that have gained momentum and are bringing this racial war to the forefront.

George Floyd, pinned to the ground by a police officer kneeling on his neck

My heart goes out to black people who are subjected to racism throughout their lives. I can't really fathom the difficulties that I have been hearing about recently. The way black people have to teach their children to behave when confronted by police is appalling. As a child, I was taught to behave respectfully toward law enforcement too, but with a LOT less fear that we would be randomly questioned or detained by police officers. And with no fear that we would be perceived as a threat just because of the way we looked. I know I have only the beginnings of an understanding of what it is like to be a black person in the US. I would like to better understand the challenges they face. At the moment, I confess that I struggle to understand their situation.

I also struggle to understand the philosophy behind white supremacy groups. I struggle to understand racism. I struggle to understand why I should treat anyone differently because of the color of their skin. I would like to understand why white supremacists think the way they do. I have heard people say that racism has no place in our public discourse, but I disagree. While I see racism as a social cancer, I don't think the cancer will go away if we ignore it or if we fight to suppress it. It will simply go into hiding, continue to fester, and explode in our faces at some difficult time in the future. I want to understand it. And perhaps, with that understanding, I can be a more effective agent of change.

During the Civil Rights Movement, we were fortunate in this country to have a man like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. There are a few people throughout history who have used love to bring about social or political change, and Dr. King was one of them. Agree or disagree with his political views, but it's difficult to find fault with a philosophy that leads a man to write something like:

Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.

And from my limited study of the man's life, he tried hard to live that philosophy. Inspired by his love of Christianity, the Bible, and the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, and inspired by Gandhi and his application of ahimsa (non-violence) to combat social injustice, Dr. King was a light to a society struggling to come to terms with its racially diverse population. Where racial tensions often led to hatred and violence, Dr. King preached a message of love and non-violence.

Hatred is the fundamental problem here. Love is the antidote. These intangibles reside in the heart. Ultimately, racism won't go away until we change our hearts, and that's a tall order. Religions and philosophies have been working on that for thousands of years with limited success. If I can change only one heart during my lifetime, the effort will have been worth it. But the only heart I can really change is my own. Though that sounds limiting, I have also found that as I purify my heart, making it more a source of love than hate, that love tends to radiate and inspire others to find a little more love in their own hearts. I know that's not very comforting for those who are currently victims of racism because a collective change of heart will probably take a LONG time to come about. But I think it is the ultimate answer to the problem.

In the short term, we need to continue the national dialog to better understand one another. We need to discuss the systemic issues that lead to racial profiling and unfair treatment. We need to explore ways to correct those systemic issues through positive change. I don't know what the answers are, but I am ready to listen. And I hope I can contribute to the solution in some way.

Let's build a new normal for racial relations. A new normal based on love. And perhaps, by working together, we can finally begin to realize Dr. King's dream.