So, there’s been a recent uproar over racist remarks from a certain political figure. Have you heard? Someone may have mentioned a thing or two about it. If you’re weary of hearing about race-related issues, you may want to quit reading.
I’m weary, too. I’m weary of the need to speak out against racism and saddened by the many *Christians* who’ve responded in defense of said political figure. Trying to navigate the silence and shrugs both sobers and saddens me. Where is the collective condemnation and call for lament, especially from white *Christian* public figures who are so quick to denounce other sins?
In 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said,
“A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right.
A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice.
A man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true.”
If these words have merit, death might be imminent for our country–we’ll choke on the [white] *Christian* moderate response that says, “Be bothered but not too bothered. Don’t speak up or you might offend your family or friends. Play it safe. Best to keep these ‘controversial’ issues off the table.”
There are many who continue to read the history of our country, slavery, police brutality, peaceful protesters, and comments like ‘s***hole’ countries through their lens, which is usually white. Historical facts on racism, white supremacy, and mass incarceration have been distorted, covered, or ignored. I’ve observed *Christians* turning away, refusing to see that racism runs deep in this country.
The past several months have reminded me that many in the white *Christian* culture have an empathy-deficit in matters of racial justice. Oh, we’ll cross the ocean for 10 days with our church groups and take selfies of poor, black kids who don’t speak English. We’ll sponsor brown kids all over the globe in the name of ‘doing good’. We’ll even give our money to fund transracial adoptions. But move closer to our black neighbors? Invite them into our homes? Reach out to minorities to hear their stories? Stand up to racism in our own country? Nah. Too personal. Too uncomfortable. Too risky.
In the wake of Charlottesville, I observed silence. Toward peaceful protesters, I heard outrage. With these recent racist remarks from 45, I heard excuses. What do these responses say about the white *Christian* culture?
I liken this empathy deficit to how we feel about our favorite pair of shoes. We like our shoes. They’re comfortable, well-worn, and conformed to the shape of our feet. Stepping in to the shoes of another feels awkward, maybe even painful, and often forces us to adjust our gait. Who would willingly choose that discomfort?
If we’re going to be a nation that believes in ‘justice for all’, those of us in the white majority need to wear the shoes of our black and brown brothers and sisters. Yep, it’ll be uncomfortable. Awkward at first. And likely painful. Most of us don’t want to do this. We might be asked to explore our deeply held beliefs, presumptions, stereotypes, or sin. We might have to adjust how we relate to those who are different from us. We might need to connect with the pain of another, to confess that we’ve been complicit in racial inequality, and to repent for turning our backs on those begging to be heard.
Good readers, we don’t have to agree on every issue. But can we agree that racism exists? Can we agree that our silence and excuses prevent healing and empathy? If we want to move forward in the ways of Jesus, we must be people of empathy and compassion as we pursue racial justice. We must be humble enough to try on their shoes.
Many of our black & brown brothers and sisters are telling us that they hurt—they’ve been hurting from years of oppression, no matter how subtle. The white majority doesn’t get to decide whether that’s true. Our minority friends have spoken. Our responsibility is to listen, reach out in love, collectively grieve, confess, and repent.
Today we celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. To honor his dream and in my (tiny) effort to make his dream a reality, I’ve compiled a list of resources that I hope will aid in your efforts to build personal and communal empathy and create a more just home, community, city, nation, and world.
The list below, which is certainly not exhaustive, has helped to increase my awareness and better understand the deep layers of racism, specifically in America. Check Google for specific story lines and use your own discretion on what is appropriate.
Books for Kids:
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Eric Carl
The Bear That Wasn’t by Frank Tashlin
A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni
The Colors of Us by Karen Katz
Let’s Talk About Race by Julius Lester
Separate is Never Equal by Duncan Tonatiuh
Ruby Bridges Goes to School by Ruby Bridges
Whoever You Are by Mem Fox, illustrated by Leslie Staur
I Have a Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
Books for Adults:
The Color of Water by James McBride
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Real American by Julie Lythcott-Haims
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Color Blindness by Michelle Alexander
Night by Elie Wiesel
One by Deidra Riggs
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne
Book of Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals by Shane Claiborne and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove
The Bible by several authors
Books for Adults-on my list to read:
Racism: America’s First Sin by Jim Wallace
Trouble I’ve Seen by Drew G.I. Hart
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Slavery by Another Name by Douglas A. Blackmon
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Movies: Listed with rating and year
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? (Not Rated,1967)
The Color Purple (PG-13,1985)
Ghosts of Mississippi (PG-13,1996)
Amistad (PG-13,1997)
Glory Road (PG,2006)
The Help (PG-13,2011)
12 Years A Slave (R,2013)
McFarland (PG,2015)
Hidden Figures (PG-13,2015)
Race (PG-13,2016)
Movies on my list to watch:
A Raisin in the Sun (1961. Remade in 2008)
The Central Park Five (Documentary,2012)
Fruitvale Station (R,2013)
Dear White People (R,2014)
Selma (PG-13,2014)
I Am Not Your Negro (Documentary,2016)
13th (Documentary,2016)
![When I think back to the early months of motherhood, those bleary-eyed, overwhelming days (nights?) of colic and learning the needs of my first born, I can hardly believe we're here.
The toddler who traipsed around in Huggies and heels, singing made-up tunes and chatting with her hilarious imaginary friend, Lackey, outgrew my heels two years ago. And for the past year, I've been looking up to her--literally.
The longer I parent, the more I discover this gift to be one long, winding road of learning to let go. From the moment she said, "My do it, Mommy," I knew we had begun to leave the days of her tiny hand snuggled in mine.
And while I know these seasons of greater independence are part of her journey, I'm still surprised when they arrive with another milestone at my door, another invitation to release. Some days I ache to hold on just a little longer.
Happy 17th, Sissy.
You're a gift to our home, to your friends, to this aching world.
[ID: A white teen girl with brown hair in 2 braids, wearing black leggings and a black hoodie, is walking in the woods. Sun beams are coming through the trees as she walks away from the camera.]
#Parenting #LettingGo](https://i0.wp.com/www.katiecarper.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png?ssl=1)
Hi, Katie. Thank you for this. A couple suggestions: A Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. Understated and, maybe because of that, powerful. And this, which I stumbled across today: https://www.poynter.org/news/gene-pattersons-most-famous-column-flower-graves.
Kreg,
Thank you for taking the time to respond and for your book recommendation–a perfect read for this time of year.
I don’t remember ever reading that essay by Gene Pattersons. WOW. A profound, chilling, should-be-required read reminding me that often hate begins with a series of small decisions (and words!) that grow to be destructive and deadly. As a culture, we’re shocked when 4 children are murdered and we’re left to hold the shoe of one of the dead. How did we get here? It begins with language, minor exclusions, a refusal to speak against the hate, voting:
“We — who go on electing politicians who heat the kettles of hate.
We — who raise no hand to silence the mean and little men who have their nigger jokes.
We — who stand aside in imagined rectitude and let the mad dogs that run in every society slide their leashes from our hand, and spring.”
Haunting words. Thank you for sharing.
Katie, I’ve always liked your work, BUT…
…THIS…
….IS….
By FAR your best yet :). LOL…had u going for a second or two :).
Seriously, I’m sure I’m at least partly biased by my passion for the subject, but u reached another level here. Move over Jon Pavlovitz and Benjamin L. Corey, there’s a new sheriff in town. Katie’s got a metaphor…and she knows how to use it.
(I’ll post more on the details of the blog later…being called offline for awhile…).
Hey Dave! You did have me going there 🙂 Nice one. I look forward to more details when you get a chance. I know you’re a busy person!
Your kind words encourage me to steady this meandering pen. THANK YOU.
I appreciate your bold voice, your desire to bring His Kingdom here now, your work in hard places that nudge me to speak out for the marginalized.
May we all keep ‘preaching’ until we can all “join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, ‘Free at last, free at last; thank God Almighty, we are free at last.'”
FRIEND. THIS. YES.
Thank you for continuing to show up because of the mess and the brokenness and the love. I know life is not easy, and I’m grateful for you and your words.
Adult books:
Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin (1961) – this one is definitely dated and from a white perspective but still powerful.
The Help
YA Fiction:
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (2017)
Youth Fiction:
Addy: an American Girl
Thank you, Moriah, for your continual encouragement and support. I appreciate your perspective on life, grief, and everything in between. I wish we lived closer to process ‘stuff’ together in person.
Thank you for sharing more helpful resources, too. I’ll be sure to add those to my growing list.
Love you, my friend.
Thank you Katie for this, and especially for trying to reiterate that whites don’t get to decide whether someone’s hurt is real. This one idea which is simple and obvious in any other context is one of the roots of, yes, racism. In fact, to me this is the very definition of racism, not whether someone joins the Klan or not. I’m always curious when someone says “I am not a racist” what their description of a racist would be. Maybe they think no one is a racist anymore, that it’s just a historical relic of a word. I don’t know.
As for resources, I think that “13th” should be required viewing by every adult citizen. That documentary floored me, and I thought I was reasonably well-informed.
Continue to write and to beat the drum for “empathy”; you know that is an important word for me, and a key element of our Christian growth. You have a valuable perspective and a gift for communication. I find myself so grateful these days to hear ideas expressed eloquently and with compassion, since we have temporarily lost that opportunity from our head of government. Don’t give up.
Mike,
Goodness. As always, your support, kind words, and encouragement to be brave in the midst of this oft cruel world, ‘spur me on toward love and good deeds.’
Thank you for taking the time to respond, for helping me to articulate my own words, for your generosity and grace toward folks who differ in perspective. You are an example of speaking the truth in love and I’m grateful for the opportunity to see that, even if only from a distance.
I can’t say I’m looking forward to watching ’13’ but I’m glad to hear your thoughts on it. Your opinions matter to me and Glendon. I’ll let you know when we see it. He & I continue to find good reads and movies that relate to this issue and we’ve never been more passionate and aware. Next stop: podcasts. (Have you listened to the Phil Vischer podcast? Have I asked you this before? Deja vu.)
Here’s to more creative, gracious truth-telling, my friend!
Katie,
I am so proud of you. If you never write another thing, this piece will define you. You have shared your passion so eloquently. I pray it reaches many hearts and will be used to help change our world.
Mom
Aw, thanks, Mom. Your prayers and ongoing support sustain me.
I’m grateful to have been raised in a home where color did not determine our worth. Thank you for ‘bucking’ cultural norms and social systems in order to love all people. I hope to continue that legacy in my own home.
I love and miss you.