So, you may have heard about the president’s speech on his experience
of racism and how most of the African American community has heard the Travyon
Martin verdict.
One
line in his speech that particularly caught my attention was:
“There has been talk about should we convene a
conversation on race. I haven't seen that be particularly productive when
politicians try to organize conversations. They end up being stilted and
politicized, and folks are locked into the positions they already have. On the other hand, in families and
churches and workplaces, there's the possibility that people are a little bit
more honest, and at least you ask yourself your own questions about, am I
wringing as much bias out of myself as I can? Am I judging people as much
as I can, based on not the color of their skin, but the content of their
character? That would, I think, be an appropriate exercise in the wake of
this tragedy.”
With
the president’s call to church communities and to families in mind, now would
be a fine time to review the ELCA’s 1993 statement on Race, Ethnicity, and
Culture. To view this document click here.
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