Tag: racism

Not About Black and White

On By Dr. William James Carter, IIn Racism3 Comments

I have learned that there are times wherein unless things are made personal then true passion becomes elusive. With that said the matter of Black and White has become rather personal to me. Everything has turned to racism even when there is no racism involved. One cannot look at another anymore without there being some sort of racial connotation. Well, I have had enough. I am more than weary of the divide brought about my country by those that seek a divided nation by reason of pitting this group against that group. I must say it, and I must say it aloud – it’s not about Black and White.

Just the other day a police officer in McKinny, Texas responded to a disturbance call at a private pool in an apartment complex. There was fighting and other disturbances taking place involving a number of people in the community. There were Blacks, Whites and who knows what other people groups involved. And when this one officer arguably acted beyond his training all of a sudden the entire matter became one of racism and injustice. All this was determined even before all the facts have come out. This is not to mention the fact that paid agitators and race-baiters have been called to the scene in order to perpetuate the false narrative that police departments are inherently racist.

Baltimore was no different. A young man died while in police custody. The circumstances surrounding his death are still being cloaked behind the investigative umbrella. Even so the ever so eloquent Attorney General of Baltimore, Marilyn Mosby, decided that she would seek justice for the young Blacks of Baltimore as justice for them has been elusive for decades. Well, Mrs. Mosby, if there is no justice and, by the way, no opportunities how is it that you came to be in such a powerful position? How is it you are a Black female mayor who replaced another Black female mayor? Tell, me Mrs. Attorney General, how is it that the largely Black City of Baltimore is racist when it is often Blacks committing crimes in my beloved town? Yes, Whites commit crimes too which only lends to the fact that crime is not about Black and White.

We certainly cannot leave out the incidents that occurred in Ferguson, MO. Here another young Black male met untimely demise. Yes, this young man should be alive and well, however he made decisions which brought about his demise. And, once again, the powers that be employed the false mantra of racism only because the officer involved was White. Even Eric Holder’s justice department sought to find racial issues wherein none could be found. The fact is that it is not about Black and White and I am sick and tired of my country being torn apart by the injection of lies that have no basis.

Well, I have had my fill. Why don’t these haters of people look at communities wherein Blacks kill each other for matters as simple as disrespect? Perhaps these rebel rousers should go and lend healing to the Whites that kill each other over matters with such minutia that the issues would not make the nightly news. Yes, there are injustices and things perceived as injustice. Still, just because there are injustices does not mean that wrong actions (perceived or real) are the means of a racial end. Bad things happen to all people no matter their pigmentation. My heart is saddened because of the perpetuation of falsities that seek to divide the masses.

I am so glad that I am able to deal with people no matter their skin tone. One of my favourite families is a Chinese family in the Baltimore area. I have put my feet under the tables of Blacks and Whites in their homes and some in mine. You see, love does not succumb to negative views of racism. Instead, love could not care less about one’s pigmentation. It sees the heart of the individual and seeks to build upon the strengths of all concerned. This is much like what Jesus taught. He taught to first love God with all our hearts, minds and souls. He went further to advice that one loves his neighbors as he loves himself.

If one loves as prescribed by Jesus then this hate mongering would come to an end.  If there is love there is no time to delve in hate. If there is love then the idea of all things being Black and White would quickly come to an end. So, let us love. Let us love not because of skin colour. Instead, let us love of our fellow man because love will do much to repel the hatred spewed by a few.

Enough Already

On By Dr. William James Carter, IIn Uncategorized8 Comments

     The past few years in this country have caused me to wonder if I still live in the United States of America. It appears that there is division on every hand. Everyone seems to be angry with everyone else and all for false reasons. This is rather disconcerting because President Obama was lifted as some sort of messiah who would heal all. He would be the one to bind those that were pulled apart by reason of scandalous racial issues because he would be the post-racial president. Unfortunately the racial divide has only broadened since Mr. Obama has taken office.

     Blacks have been pitted against the Whites while Hispanics abhor Asians. Jews are against Gentiles and the Polish disdain the Italians. Further divides are evident as in the phony war against women. As such females have been pitted against males. The young are angry with the old. The rich and the poor seem to have nothing in common. Yes, this is the most divided nation since the Civil War. The difference is that then Abraham Lincoln was torn as to how to bring the people together while Mr. Obama seems to seek division on every hand. Enough already!

     And the “church” seems to be acting no better. It has been said that Sunday morning is the most divided time of the week. There are so many divisions it is not certain that all the breaches can be mentioned in this article. Still the racial divide cannot be ignored. There are “Black” churches and “White” churches. The “Chinese” and Korean” churches cannot be ignored. And while on the subject we might as well get to the “Hispanic” and other racially divided churches. But, the list goes on as to divides. There are Holiness churches and Pentecostal churches. Then comes the Baptist churches and the Freewill Baptist churches. Enough already!

     I Corinthians chapter twelve highlights some divisions that were in the early church. Paul sought to correct this heretical practice by showing that even though there were different administrations and gifts in operation in the Church all should be accepted as long as these works are indeed ordained by God. Verse twelve states that “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” This statement clearly shows that divides in the church are not acceptable and that such divides should be healed. Further Paul makes it clear that there are many parts to the body but that they all work together for the good. Versus fourteen through twenty-one read:

For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?  And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?  If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.  And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body.  And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

     Paul seemed to be saying enough already. There is no cause for divisions predicated upon superficial ideologies that serve only to bolster hatred. Even more these divides, by extension, exclude those that are seeking Christ but are turned away merely because they do not fit into the norm of the small society seeking only those that neatly fit into their shoebox of ideas. This is not of God and needs to be stopped immediately.

     God is a God of love and not of hate. It is impossible to love God while pulling away from the multiplicity of people that God has placed in the Church. Hatred is not an option and must be abhorred. God loves the world and all that are in it. It is for world that Jesus died and at no point does He suggests any divide. Enough already with this racism and divide in the house of God! It is past time we joined together with one voice in worshipping God and in serving humanity irrespective of nationality or skin tone.     

The Jaundiced Eye of Racism

On By Dr. William James Carter, IIn Uncategorized3 Comments

     It needs to be said even before the heart of this essay is addressed that some will find some of the discussion offensive. However there will be neither vulgar words used nor any profanities. With that said a much used term will be properly employed in this discussion to make the point necessary to not only bring about good discussion but to drive at the heart of what seeks to tear apart this great nation. Political correctness will not be the driver of this message rather the love of God will be employed to draw men from that which seeks to harm us all.

     I count myself to have been very fortunate on the most part. As a young man of eighteen years I became an active duty member of the USMC. While in boot camp I learned to live with all kinds of people. None of us had the liberty of any type of segregation by way of skin colour. In fact there was a certain mantra in the Marine Corps presenting the idea that in the Marine Corps there were only two colours; dark green and light green. In other words racism had no room in the Corps. This was a wonderful thing because as I was eventually stationed in Hawaii where I learned to work with many other people groups.

     In 1984 I was stationed aboard the USS Belleau Wood whereon I visited a number of nations in the Western Pacific. Among those nations were the Philippines, Thailand, Japan, Okinawa and Australia. There is one thing that stands out in my mind in respect to the many people I have been blessed to meet and that is that people, no matter where they are, are people are people. Even more those people, despite their physical appearances, were still people. They all eat, breath and bleed. Many were even Christians and had no problems celebrating Christianity in the open with whoever chose to celebrate with them.

     Yet in my beloved country, the United States of America, many have jaundiced eyes and see people through the fallacy of superficial conditions which have no bearing on the status of the heart of the people concerned. For instance Black males are often referred to as “niggers” while White males are referred to as “crackers.” While some Blacks may well be niggers, and some whites as well, no Whites are crackers. Now, I know some explanation is needed so let us understand what a “nigger” is and what a “cracker” is.

     While the term “nigger” has often be attributed to Black people at large it really has nothing, at least historically, to do with the pigmentation of a person. Rather the term, when properly applied, has much to do with the deleterious attitude of ignorance which seeks to demean others that may appear different from themselves. That is to say that a nigger is to be determined by the condition of one’s heart rather than by his physical appearance. On the other hand a “cracker” is not a person at all rather it is flat, crispy piece of bread that is very good with peanut butter and jelly or some cheese.

     The problem is that way too many today have followed the false narrative of the George Zimmerman case following the killing Travon Martin. Much of the news media wanted the killing to be racially motivated so that Mr. Zimmerman was referred to as a “white Hispanic” which was a term never before employed in describing people. Even worse, race hustlers such as Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton further bolstered the false narrative of racism if only to line their own pockets with filthy lucre. This case had nothing to do with racism and to suggest otherwise is purely to stoke the flames of racism that seeks only to cause a greater divide in this nation.

     The jaundiced eye of racism really does not see clearly. It is infected with the disease of hatred and ignorance. This diseased malignancy needs to not only be eradicated but also permanently destroyed so that it can no longer impair this nation. Racism is a danger to the individual racists as well as those around them. It operates on old wives’ tales as well as fables even while it seeks more and more reasons to harm those that appear different to them. So, let’s just set the record straight for once and for all.

     Most Blacks are not niggers, no Whites are crackers, Jews at large are not money grabbers; Asians are not thieves and so on. We are all the children of God which is evident in John 3:16 which shows that God loved the entire world so that He sent His Son into the world so that none would have to parish. Yet the jaundiced eye of racism shows Jesus in whatever ethnicity race hustlers choose to present Him. God created us as human beings thereby welcoming all into His gracious arms.

     The ministry of reconciliation is a ministry for all Christians. Let’s stand strong on the Word of God and stand one with another. The idea of the Black church and the White church are ludicrous to the extent that the Church has been divided by reason of ethnicity. It is ridiculous and uncalled for. Let us reconcile one with another, pray for the healing of those inflicted with the jaundiced eye of racism as we work to restore man to the love that was always intended by God our Father.