Hello My Chickadees,
This morning I did what I always do—flipped on CNN to see if we still have a world, and if so, what’s happening in it. I became outraged when I saw Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis quoting the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as he introduced the “Individual Freedom” bill that would “Shield people (white people) from feeling discomfort over historic actions by their race, nationality, or gender.” This bill would prohibit public schools and private businesses from making people feel ‘discomfort’ or guilt based on their race, sex, or national origin. A similar bill also was passed in Tennessee which banned critical race theory (CRT) in schools and public places, calling it “State-sanctioned racism that creates a hostile work environment” according to news reports by CBS.
I am certain that if brother Martin was still in his grave, he would be rolling over in it to hear Gov. DeSantis take a line from his March on Washington, “I Have A Dream,” speech regarding not being judged by the color of one’s skin but the content of their character, and use it to justify silencing truth because it makes you feel bad. Dr. King delivered these iconic words to illustrate the evils of discrimination and racism, as he dreamed of a world in which his “four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” To take this quote and use it for the political agenda of suppressing truth and opposing teaching critical race theory is an insult to people of color who have been oppressed, disenfranchised, and abused throughout the history of this country.
Critical race theory is a concept that seeks to understand inequality and racism in this country. According to Bloomberg Equity, “Critical race theory, or CRT, proposes that any analysis of American society must take into account its history of racism and how race has shaped attitudes and institutions.” Mr. DeSantis called CRT “Crap” and said that he “would seek legislation that would allow parents to sue schools and employees to sue employers if they were subjected to its teachings.”
The Individual Freedom bill, SB 148, which was sponsored by Tennessee’s Republican Sen. Manny Diaz, passed in Tennessee in July 2021, reads in part, “An individual by virtue of his or her race or sex does not bear responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex. An individual should not be made to feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of his or her race.” WOW! So let me get this straight—they want people of color to deny truth and their reality, so that white people don’t feel bad about the atrocities their ancestors committed against a race of people because of the color of their skin. My initial outrage was, ‘the nerve of you.’ Where was the public cry for the human rights of black people and how they ‘felt’ when they were enslaved, beaten, used, abused, lynched, and the thousands of other ways they were humiliated and dehumanized? To be brutally honest, I was hurt, and I felt it was a slap in the face. Just as we are taking steps to heal the moral and racial divide in this country, you want to silence truth so that some people won’t feel bad.
In the words of Ambassador Andrew Young, “Martin Luther King Jr’s life was an effort to infuse our complex political and social existence with a spiritual power of ultimate reality.” Dr. King spoke TRUTH that sought to bring all men together as brothers and sisters. It was truth spoken in love and mercy that began a movement to change the course of history. In borrowing from CBS news analysis of critical race theory, it highlights the truth and challenges us in a way of thinking about American history through the lens of racism, to see how racism is systematic in the nation’s institutions, and functions to maintain the dominance of white people in our country.
I do not believe that Dr. King wanted us to ignore the issue of race and pretend like we live in a ‘color blind’ society. I, like the historian Taylor Branch, challenge all Americans “to deepen their patriotism by leaving their comfort zones, reaching across barriers and learning about different people.” In this way we can rid ourselves of those kinds of prejudices and biases that influence the way we think and the decisions we make. I too, believe in Dr. King’s dream that everyone should be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin. I also believe that everyone who believes in the truth of “Liberty and justice for all” has the same dream, but the harsh reality is, we’re not there yet; and we’ll never get there if we don’t face our demons and work together to eradicate them. One of the tenets of our Christian faith is, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), but redemption comes with facing that sin, owning and taking responsibility for that sin, making amends and a commitment to ‘Go and sin no more’ (John 8:11). This does not mean that we will not sin again, but what we’re committing to is not to do THAT sin again.
The ugly truth is, racism, sexism, and all the other ‘isms’ is a sin that America (We the People), must face in order to fix. In the words of the writer and philosopher George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.” Edmund Burke expounded on it by saying, “Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it”; and the British statesman Winston Churchill tied a bow on it when he said, “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” My question is, how can we learn if we are never taught?
Critical race theory is a step in that direction. “The Call to Conscience” is a call to DO THE RIGHT THING. We all have heard the saying that “The truth will set you free,” but truth is the constant. It’s the truth YOU KNOW that sets you free. It sets you free to be a more perfect union in which all its citizens have the inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as guaranteed by the Constitution to every citizen in this country.
Let’s not sweep our demons under a cloak of denial which only festers and boils until it erupts into riots, or worse, another civil/race war. As a country, let’s know the truth, ask God and those who we have harmed to forgive us for our sin, and work together to make our country and this world a better place. America with all its greatness, also has a dark and sordid past. We can never heal from our wounds if we refuse to acknowledge that we have them. We are as sick as our secrets. Putting a blindfold on and denying that racism, sexism, and discrimination exists prevents us from healing, and allows the sickness to continue and spread. Refusing to revisit the dark parts of our past, and the ugliness which that kind of hate and discrimination creates, prevents us from learning from it, so as to make the commitment not to repeat it.
In reflecting upon the issue of critical race theory, I leave you with a word from the apostle Paul to the church in Corinth when he had to confront them with the truth of their actions. He stated, “I am no longer sorry that I sent that letter to you, though I was sorry for a time, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to have remorse and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants His people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. For God can use sorrow in our lives to help us turn away from sin and seek salvation. We will never regret that kind of sorrow. But sorrow without repentance is the kind that results in death.” (2 Corinthians 7:8–12).
Happy Black History Month. Let’s honor our ancestors by acknowledging our history and our truth.
Hold on My Chickadees. “Good Morning My Chickadees, Messages from Mom” is at the publishers. Stay tuned!
