We Must Not Go Back to Normal - The Network, Christian Reformed Church in North America

At some point we all would like to get back to some kind of normal. But we should not go back to a dysfunctional normal (of white privilege and systemic racism).

"Normal" has not been good for everyone. It is time for a normal that restores an identity in Christ in us and all of our neighbors, especially our Black neighbors.

My normal as a white person does not require me to think about who might be watching me or how my actions might look to someone else merely due to the color of my skin. I can pass by neighbors, most of whom are strangers, without people perceiving me as a threat or wonder what I’m doing.

Black people in the U.S. live a different reality on a daily basis than I do as a white person.  Their reality is one that they can't step away from because they're perpetually being judged by their skin color.

The reality of systemic racism requires our Black brothers and sisters to be wary, on guard, careful about their surroundings and the people near them 24/7 - whether going for a run, a drive in the car, shopping, or bird-watching.

That’s their normal, and we should not go back to that normal.

Black leaders are speaking and creating a new path forward. It is time for a normal that listens and seeks to understand.

If we wish to be faithful to God in doing to others as we would have them do to us, we must do something. The racism baked into the systems of our society will not change unless we continually take action.

The full article is available here

I Have Prejudices and I'm Part Of Systemic Racism - Rev Jennifer Holmes Curran in The Banner

Racism degrades bearers of God’s image, even while it distorts our own humanity. It is abhorrent in God’s eyes. And I am complicit in systemic racism as a white person to the extent that I benefit from it and to the extent to that I fail to fight against it.

As a white person, racism has been trained into me through a lifetime of stereotypes in movies, TV shows, and the news. It is part of my felt experience, living “across the tracks” from the more dangerous and diverse neighborhoods.

There are lots of different definitions of racism, but any worthwhile definition has to include prejudice against someone of another skin color or ethnicity.

While I have prejudice, my racism is much bigger than it. That's why it is so important to note that prejudice is much more destructive when it is perpetrated by a dominant culture.

I didn’t make all of these structurally racist problems happen, but in the end, just by virtue of being identified as white, I stand on one side of this conversation. Because I am white, I can have the luxury of not thinking about these problem and the luxury of not working to fix them. I am complicit to the extent that I benefit from them and to the extent to which I fail to fight them.

My racism degrades bearers of God’s image, even while it distorts my own humanity. It is abhorrent in God’s eyes. And I am guilty of it.

Confession returns me to the humility I need to be able to listen to my brothers and sisters of color. Knowing I am a part of the problem makes me want to press in and keep learning. Knowing the bottomless grace and love of God gives me a sense of steadiness when I feel defensive. It allows me to slow my knee-jerk reactions so I that can try to understand.

The full article is available here