Oh Wait, You’re Not a Racist?

The Persistent Problem of Racism in America and Ideas for Further Progress

The oppressive heat of Georgia (USA) summertime pressed upon me like a force. Despite wanting to crawl into a beer cave at a local gas station and nap, I made my way to one of my least favorite stops for work. Every Wednesday around noon, I serviced a local repair shop for forklifts, boom lifts, scissor lifts, or any other piece of lift equipment your blue-collar behind needs. The shop stank of cheap coffee, cigarettes, grease, and sweat and was in desperate need of someone who gave a damn about order. This particular instance left a lasting impression on me.

Something was off. The dirty uniforms I needed to pick up were in a different spot than normal. No big deal, but noteworthy. The parts manager was in the shop working on his short game on a makeshift putt course, which happened to work around the dirty uniforms I needed to pick up, and we struck up a conversation. He said he didn’t know why the dummies decided to put the uniforms in a different spot, but he stopped trying to figure them out a long time ago. I laughed and kept working.

Every garment my employer rents out has an I.D. tape ( a barcode) that I scan with my handheld device. This allows us (in theory) to keep the number of lost garments to a minimum. I was scanning dirty pants (one of the highlights of my job) when the parts manager asked, “Do you find a lot of money in people’s pockets?” I said, “Honestly, I only look in my pockets when I hear coins. Every once in a while, coins turn into cash. But when that happens, I always look at the ID tape to see who the money belongs to and return it.” I had answered that question before, if you couldn’t tell. He told me I was a good man, to which I responded with a chuckle and said, “Maybe so. I just don’t want to get caught stealing money and get fired.” He insisted I was a good guy for returning the money and then told me a story about a former uniform company they used with workers he thought less of. “I left $20 in a pair of britches one time when their guy picked them up. I called to ask if he had found the twenty, and he said no, he hadn't seen any money.” The man insisted he knew the worker was lying. I felt the need to defend the unknown worker and said, “He was probably telling the truth. He probably wouldn’t have checked the pockets unless he heard noise. “A $20 doesn't make noise. He wouldn't have known.” To which he quickly responded, “No… he found that money. And he kept it. Stole it. Because he’s a ni**er, and ni**rs love to steal”.

My initial reaction was an expression of surprise and disgust as I looked into his face, which held onto the contempt with which he had just spoken. Upon seeing my reaction, the man began to back-peddle. “Ah…no… I shouldn’t have said that… It’s just, he stole it! I know he did!” I didn’t know how to respond. Trust me, I had plenty I wanted to say. But it would have been imprudent for me to cuss this man out while in uniform and lose my job. I think I said something about always wanting to assume the best in people, regardless of race. Right about then, I finished my tasks and made for the exit. My mind has ruminated on that conversation ever since. This man was older, and it’s easy to assume most racists these days are all older folks. Unfortunately, I would be dragged into another denigrating conversation in a few months by someone in their thirties like me.

December 18, 2022, was an amazing day in the world of sports. The nation of France looked to repeat World Cup glory while Argentina sought victory for the first time in 36 years. The world’s most talented young player, Kylian Mbappé, went toe to toe with the greatest player of all time, Lionel Messi (this is not up for debate), in a final match that most viewers will never forget. The drama, excitement, antics, and back-and-forth momentum swings left spectators breathless, emotional, and in awe. By the end of the match, most people watching had some idea they had just witnessed one of the greatest matches ever played. I was completely enthralled in this game with the rest of the world while, locally, my friends and family were watching and anxiously waiting for it to end. Here, American Football reigns supreme, and the game that followed was to be played by two major rivals. A few hours after Argentina proved victorious, we gathered together for Christmas celebrations. Knowing I was the lone soccer fan, a few others who had seen the match, or at least parts of it, came to talk to me about it. The conversation was pleasant and forgetful until someone said, “I didn’t realize France had that many black people. I started watching and was like, dang, most of the guys on the team are black! And Argentina didn't have any black guys, so I started rooting for them! Hahaha!”. I think the conversation between the others continued while I remained silent for quite some time. I couldn’t believe it. A beautiful game that was being followed by what was supposed to be a lovely Christmas get-together had been spoiled by yet another instance of prejudiced conversation.

As we made our way home, I reflected on what had happened, remembered the aforementioned story in the repair shop, and began to recall even more instances of encountered prejudice. I realized that over the course of my life, this kind of thing had happened dozens if not hundreds of times. It was actually so common that I considered it normal. I then realized if this was happening to me, it was likely also happening to others. The sad truth is that if you are white, particularly but certainly not exclusively Southern, you have likely had the experience of other white people saying racist nonsense to you, assuming you will be in agreement. When you’re not, they look at you like oh wait, you’re not a racist? If you disagree and speak against what they are saying, they act like it’s no big deal and treat you as if you’re the problem. That’s right. The problem is not their warped view of their brothers and sisters made in the image of God. It’s you. You’re just too damn sensitive.

Before I go further, I want to clarify why I feel the need to write this and clarify what I am not saying. The reason I feel the need to write this is because I see absolutely no balance in conversations about race today, either in the media or in daily life. The minute race gets brought up, conservatives throw their hands up in dramatic exasperation and cry, “Race baiter! Why are you bringing race up? Oh my gosh, get over it! That stuff is over!!” This is obviously untrue, but liberals are no better because they are, in fact, guilty of race-baiting. Like it or not, media and sports media (which should be apolitical) lean left. It just does, and everyone knows it. The tendency of race-baiting has recently reared its ugly head with the emergence of Caitlin Clark. This young woman has worked hard her entire life on her sport, had an extremely successful college basketball career with the accolades to show for it, and is now drawing tremendous attention to the WNBA. Many have tried to reduce all of this to the fact that she’s white and relatively good-looking. We cannot do that. The color of her skin or the shape of her face has nothing to do with her competitive drive or skill. Her success and notoriety have been earned. The only reason she is controversial is because the left-leaning media knew they could garner clicks, shares, eyeballs, and ultimately dollars if they made her story one about race. Think about it. Nothing about her is controversial. All she has done is play great basketball and get rewarded for it. If she had refused to stand for the flag and knelt during conservatives' favorite hymn, she’d be a darling of the left, but that never happened. So the left decides to play on her race, and now she’s in the news every day for reasons only peripherally related to basketball. This is exactly the kind of thing conservatives see and use for their race-baiter cries, and the cycle goes on and on. Now, here’s what I’m not saying.

I am not saying that all Southerners are racists. I am not saying that I think every single problem we have in this country can be blamed on race. That’s simply not true. I am not being dramatic and saying things are worse than ever in terms of race relations. I am not attempting to play the role of some white savior who is here claiming to have all the answers. What I am doing here is addressing the reality that there are still plenty of white Americans, many of whom CLAIM TO BE CHRISTIANS, who regularly speak and act with hatred towards our black brothers and sisters. I’m calling it out for the sin that it is, calling for repentance, and reminding us of our hope in the future.

There is an obvious question here. Why on earth, in the year 2024 of our Lord Jesus Christ, is this still happening?!? The short answer is that there is nothing new under the sun, and sinful people are still subject to broken ideas in a fallen world. The longer answer to that question is… well, I don’t claim to know the exact reasons why, but I will offer food for thought.

The first and most uncomfortable reason racial prejudice is still prevalent today is that parents, grandparents, and older family members continue to teach this foolishness to the children in their care. It’s really easy in conversations about race relations to say, “If you hear anyone saying anything wrong, just cut those people out of your life,” but in practice, that approach does not work. If you’re a 14-year-old white boy and your mom, dad, aunts, uncles, and grandparents all say racist things, what are you supposed to do? Run away? You can’t drive, you don’t have a job, you’re still in school, and you have no control over where you live. You’re stuck. I suppose you could speak out against your whole family, and that would be admirable, but then not only are you stuck with these racist fools, but they’re all mad at you. But let’s be honest. The most likely scenario for a 14-year-old with a family like that would not be for the teenager to have contrary opinions but to be convinced that the prejudiced views of his family were correct. If the culture or the world around you tells you otherwise, it’s because they are wrong. Not your family. Pretty soon, that 14-year-old grows up, marries a like-minded woman, has children, and the passing on of this heresy continues. When foul ideas such as racism are so baked in, you begin to understand why people get so uncomfortable when confronted about them. Being pressed to acknowledge that many of your family and friends who have otherwise been sweet and loving people are flawed in such an ugly way is harsh. A common response by those being confronted is citing the genuine progress that has been made.

Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mathew Ahmann in a crowd. 8/28/1963

One hundred and fifty-nine years ago, the United States of America officially (at least on paper) ended race-based chattel slavery. Of course, the rights and privileges of our black brothers and sisters were still extremely limited. Various leaders fought for their full freedom through bitter and often violent struggles. The civil rights era from roughly 1950 through the ’60s aimed to abolish legalized segregation, discrimination, and disenfranchisement. While things have never been absolutely perfect, on the whole, the civil rights movement made major headway and progress in terms of race relations in this country. Yes, there are still problems, and people much more educated than myself can and do speak on the current systemic injustices, but by and large, things have gotten better. In fact, so much progress was made that, at one point, many (not all) in my generation actually thought racism and racial prejudice were gone for good. I have distinct memories of conversations that took place in some of my senior classrooms (Class of 09’) where students, both black and white, had open discussions about race, and the consensus was that racism was a thing of the past. I even remember YouTube videos where young black men and women said that our generation didn’t have those problems. Maybe I just happened to attend a high school where everyone got along. Maybe my generation was just full of blissful idiots. I don’t know. But I know these conversations and videos gave me much joy and hope. Unfortunately, our over-inflated perspective of progress is part of what enables those who still espouse hatred. They point to all the legitimate progress that has been made to try and justify their views as “no big deal.” Let me assure you, to demean, disparage, or despise any person because of the way God fearfully and wonderfully made them is a big deal. These are sins, not only against our fellow brothers and sisters but ultimately against God.

Verses describing hatred towards others:

“We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Verses describing sins against others as ultimately sins against God

“Then Pharaoh hastily called Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭10‬:‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I did: when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.””

Joshua‬ ‭7‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?””

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭39‬:‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The truth is sad but simple. The virus of racial prejudice and racism still permeates throughout America today, spreading predominately through hate-filled speech and beliefs that are being passed on from generation to generation to generation. It may not be as prevalent as it once was, but we cannot pretend it no longer persists. We need to call it out for the sin that is it and work to kill this virus. How can we do that? Repentance, reconciliation, and restoration.

The first step of repentance is recognition of the problem. We’ve already established the recognition of existing racial prejudice and racism. So far, so good. The next step is to confess the part we have played in sinning. If you are someone who speaks or acts with hatred towards fellow human beings made in the image of God, you need to confess these sins. If your particular sect of Christianity involves confessing these sins to a priest, go to confession as soon as possible. If you need to find a friend or relative or loved one to confess to whom you know is a fair-minded, loving person, do it. If you need to fall on your knees before God and confess these sins to him directly. Do it. Really, do all three! The point here is to confess these sins. If you are someone who has not said these things but has heard them your entire life and has never said or done anything to call out or correct the behavior of others, you need to confess that as well. If you disagree with me about this, consider the Penitential Act, which has existed in various forms in the Christian Church for centuries.

I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned through my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do; through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault;

“In what I have done and what I have failed to do. Through my fault.” Let those words sink in. Others may speak hatred, and that is on them. But when we hear hatred and say or do nothing about it, we are allowing it to persist into a world that God created and called good. To knowingly allow such darkness to defile the works of God is a sin. If you are guilty of this, recognize it and confess it as a sin ( James 4:17). When we understand we have done this and confessed, we can move towards making changes.

To repent does not simply mean we need to feel bad for our sins, say sorry, ask for forgiveness, and then move along. No. To repent is to recognize our sin and the pattern of behaviors that enabled such sin, ask for forgiveness, and do an about-face, turning away from the sinful path of the world, which leads to death, and turning toward the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life. It means you need to live your life differently to avoid these sins. One thing to remember about repentance is that it should not be undertaken out of guilt. If, at any point in reading this, you’ve thought, “Am I supposed to feel guilty for being white and being born into an environment that condones racism?” the answer is no. No reasonable person wants “white guilt.” It’s an unrealistic expectation and leads nowhere good or productive. Instead, we need to recognize and reflect on the goodness of God.

“And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Reflect on the fact that God has sustained you despite your sin in his grace and mercy. Recognize your black brothers and sisters have been made in the image of God and that they are beautiful. Understand that God is working all things for the good of those who love him and who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Meaning He is working in your life, using all those moments of hatred to now call you to repentance and is using what the evil one meant for evil for your holiness. Use these good things to change your life and avoid sin. Stop labeling others as sub-human because of the color of their skin. See them as lovely children of God who reflect a different aspect of His beauty than you do. Stop using hate-filled speech and instead use compliments and encouragement. Don’t be weird about it. Don’t go out of your way to force some fake positivity every time you see someone of another race. Just try and recognize opportunities to be uplifting and act on them. If you see someone in need, where you would have once helped back out of evil, do for them as you would have done unto you because that is how God has called us to treat each other (Matthew 7:12). When this repentance has been undertaken, we can work towards the next step I the process which is reconciliation. Reconciliation requires reflection on the sins of those who have gone before us and an understanding of the consequences that continue to haunt us today so that we stop repeating those mistakes.

It is very useful for correctly understanding and carrying out the authentic request for pardon, based on the objective responsibility which Christians share as members of the Mystical Body, and which spurs today's faithful to recognize, along with their own sins, the sins of yesterday's Christians, in the light of careful historical and theological discernment. Indeed, "because of the bond which unites us to one another in the Mystical Body, all of us, though not personally responsible and without encroaching on the judgment of God who alone knows every heart, bear the burden of the errors and faults of those who have gone before us". The recognition of past wrongs serves to reawaken our consciences to the compromises of the present, opening the way to conversion for everyone.

Saint John Paul II, Homily of the Holy Father, Day of Pardon, Sunday, March 12, 2000

You’ve likely never owned slaves. You may have never said a racist thing in your life. However, chances are that if you are a white American, you have relatives today and in the not-too-distant past who hated people because of the color of their skin. The inheritance of those sins has gone on for too long, and like it or not, it is now our responsibility to do our best to make things right. Let me be clear. I am aware that we who are alive today are not held responsible for the sins of our ancestors, and we cannot repent for their sins. Deuteronomy 24:16¹ and Ezekiel 18:19-20² make this clear. However, we need to be honest about the sins of our ancestors, realize that many of us have inherited these sins and their consequences, repent for our sins, and work to repair the damage done by generations of unchecked sin. We need to make things right.

It is correct and only natural for us to seek justice. However, the truth is that sometimes, the crimes committed against us are so horrific and deeply wounding that true justice is unachievable. If someone steals your car or burns your house down, justice can be done. Your car or house can be replaced, and the perpetrator will still serve time in jail as punishment. But if someone murders a loved one, true justice is not possible. Your loved one cannot be replaced. No amount of money or prison time will bring your loved one back from the dead. What has been damaged and taken from the victim and you cannot be restored. The enslavement and all subsequent abuses, segregation, and discrimination against generations of black Americans at the hands of White Americans amount to debts and injustices that are incalculable. These are sins against God. Here, true justice is impossible. In light of this hard reality, and through our efforts to change and progress toward peace, what we need now is forgiveness. We need our black brothers and sisters to realize we understand the sins of our fathers. We know the damage that was done is beyond repair, and the debt they are owed can never be repaid. Any soul that was ever sold into slavery was sold for too little because every individual life is infinitely valuable. The harm that was done was an act of evil so great it’s beyond comprehension. We need to recognize this. We need this to be understood so that by the grace of God, they can look at us, their white brothers and sisters, and say your debt is forgiven. True, full forgiveness is the only way to continue moving forward. Yes, this seems impossible. But we know Jesus Christ, God of the universe, King of kings and Lord of lords, makes possible the things which to us are impossible, for nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37)³. With forgiveness, we may finally reach restoration.

To repent and turn from our sins is right and good. To be forgiven for the debts we could never repay, in full recognition of the grace that is needed and received, is good. Yet, to live amongst each other united by love, trust, and the recognition that we are all children of God would be the greatest good because this would mean full restoration. God desires that we be one with Him as He is with the Father (John 17:20-23⁴). This means we must also be one with each other. This does not mean we must start setting aside parts of our distinct cultures that make us unique and beautiful until we’re a homogeneous society with no chance of disagreement. No. The vision is much bigger than that. It means we need to be able to look at our brothers and sisters from every part of the world and see that the pigment of their skin is beautiful in the eyes of God and that each and every one of them is of infinite worth to Him. Above all else, we must see and treat each other as fellow children of Jesus Christ who live to reflect His glory and His goodness. We must show each other the dignity, honor, love, and respect God has graciously bestowed upon each of us simply by creating us in His image. We must be able to look at our differences with appreciation for how they present various aspects of our beautiful Creator with an understanding that He ultimately created all of us to be like Him and with Him. We can be like Him and with Him should we choose to love each other the way He has loved us.

In conclusion, there are two truths that need to be recognized. The first is that racism is alive and all too well in the United States. It’s not the source of all our troubles, and things have gotten better, but ignoring its present reality is sinful. The second truth is that whether we like it or not, the way forward is through restoration. We cannot continue living in this world as separate but equal. We need to be united and wholly equal as we are in the eyes of God. Here’s what we can do.

If you are someone who is currently harboring racist views and practices, you need to repent. You can no longer pretend that this is no big deal or in any way acceptable. The good news here is that you are not beyond the redemptive love of Jesus. Ask God to heal your heart and help you see all His children as He does.

If you are someone who has failed to speak up when you hear or see others being racist, practice using your voice for good. Recall the story of the man in the repair shop. The minute I gave him a look of disgust and displayed negative body language, he began to backpedal. Think about how much more impactful it would have been had I actually been brave enough to speak! Remember, God has given us a spirit not of fear but of power, love, and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7)5. Use that spirit; use your voice to powerfully speak truth on behalf of our brothers and sisters when others attempt to disparage them. You may get pushback, but if you get pushback for speaking truth with love on behalf of others made in God’s image, then so be it.

If we can get even just a few people to be honest with themselves about their sins and if we can live our daily lives in ways that simply but effectively eliminate the evil of racism, we can change ourselves and ultimately change the world.

I pray we may recognize the harm that has been done and the harm that continues and pray that it stops. I pray we recognize our sins and how we have sinned against each other and against God. I pray for forgiveness and reconciliation so we may be completely restored to each other and, ultimately, to God.

1. Deuteronomy 24:16: “Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. Each one shall be put to death for his own sin.”

2. Ezekiel 18:19-20: “Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. ²⁰ The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.”

3. Luke 1:37 “For nothing will be impossible for God.”

4. John 17:20-23 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, ²¹ that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ²² The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, ²³ I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.