Regardless of Race

Overcoming racism in our hearts and in the world

09/13/2020

Today’s homily on racism is the second in a series of eight homilies I will deliver on important issues facing us in the upcoming election. Every Sunday in the bulletin you can find a copy of the previous Sunday’s homily in case you missed it. Last Sunday I touched on the topic of abortion and prolife, which is the bedrock belief not only of Christians but also of any just society. While it is the fundamental issue, prolife is not the only issue. Hence we turn today to racism which we can see convulsing our country from “sea to shining sea” making America not so beautiful. I will take most of my comments from the United States bishops’ pastoral letter on racism called “Open Wide Our Hearts” published in Nov., 2018.

I would like to begin with a little story of how I found a hint of racism in my own heart as a small boy. My family is from India, and my parents did an admirable job of teaching us children to adapt and acclimate to the culture and customs of our new country. For example, we spoke English and reduced our accents; we used a fork, knife and spoon instead of eating with our hands which we did back home in India; I loved pizza and burgers more than naan and curry (easy for a child), and so forth. But sometimes I think my parents were too successful in this inculturation. How so?

I attended St. Theresa Catholic School in Little Rock, and my classmates were predominantly of German descent. Our class was crammed with kids named Kordsmeir and Gangluff, Beck and Eukmann, Moix and our pastor was even Fr. Keller! But here’s the funny part: I worked so hard to blend in that I basically considered myself to be a little white German kid. No joke. This skewed self-understanding really hit home when we visited Kerala, India, the southern state my parents are originally from. I stared wide-eyed through the back window of the taxi, glancing at strange but handsome brown faces, and said to myself: “Wow, these people could be related to my parents!” Notice I did not say: “Wow, these people could be related to me!” Why didn’t I say that? Well, because I pictured myself as a little white German boy who attended St. Theresa Catholic School in Little Rock.

Now, naturally, my parents did not want me to look down on or denigrate our Indian heritage and roots; nonetheless, a small seed of racism had started to sprout in my heart, and I didn’t even know it. The United States bishops observed: “Racism can often be found in our hearts – in many cases placed there unwillingly or unknowingly by our upbringing and our culture” (Open Wide Our Hearts, 5). Obviously, my parents, my Catholic school and my friends all loved me regardless of my race. But it took me a long time to love myself in the same way, that is, regardless of my race. When we cannot love someone, even ourselves, because of race, that is called racism.

First let’s define racism and then apply it to two groups that have suffered severely from it, namely, Native Americans and African Americans. The U.S. bishops wrote: “Racism arises when – either consciously or unconsciously – a person holds that his or her own race or ethnicity is superior, and therefore judges persons of other races or ethnicities as inferior and unworthy of equal regard” (Open Wide, 3). I am really glad they included the phrase “consciously or unconsciously” because I felt some unconscious racism as a child. Before zeroing in on Native Americans and African Americans, the bishops identified a broad spectrum of the subjects of racist rancor: “Many groups, such as the Irish, Italians, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Poles, Jews, Chinese and Japanese, can attest to having been the target of racial and ethnic prejudice in this country” (Open Wide, 10). Our own culturally diverse parish of Immaculate Conception, made up of a cultural tapestry of Irish, Italian, German, Hispanic, Laotian and Vietnamese immigrants has probably suffered our own fair share of racism.

I want to address the Native American experience of racism because in Fort Smith we live right on the border of so-called “Indian Territory.” In fact, this past week, Larry Foley, a journalism professor at the University of Arkansas, released a movie called “Indians, Outlaws, Marshals and the Hangin’ Judge.” Foley is adamant about addressing the atrocities the Native Americans suffered, but also shows sympathy for them from Judge Parker, who said: “Twenty-one year’s experience has taught me [the Native Americans] are a religiously inclined, law-abiding, authority-respecting people.”

But the U.S. government’s policy toward Native Americans was rife with racism. The bishops wrote: “These policies decimated entire communities and brought about tragic death. The results were massive, forced relocations of people, such as the forced removal of Cherokee people from the Southwest to the Western territories, along the ‘Trail of Tears,’ and of the Navajo in the ‘Long Walk’” (Open Wide, 11). In other words, when we glance back over our storied past and shared history as a nation, we see the embarrassing – indeed evil – exploitation of minority ethnic groups by the power and greed of majority groups, in a word, we see racism rear its ugly head. The bishops conclude: “When one culture meets another, lack of awareness and understanding often leads to grossly distorted value judgment and prejudice” (Open Wide, 13). We who live in Fort Smith don’t have to travel far to see the results of racism in our country.

Now, let me briefly touch on the Black experience of racism. Of course, we can be proud of the abolition of slavery after the Civil War, of the addition of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, and of the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. But we still have a long way to go. The bishops write: “African Americans continue to struggle against perceptions that they do not fully bear the image of God, that they embody less intelligence, beauty and goodness. This reality represents more than a few isolated stories; it was the lived experience of the vast majority of African Americans for most of our national history” (Open Wide, 14). In other words, if we truly believe each person is created in the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:27), then on what basis do we discriminate because of a person’s race? Does one race bear “more” of the image of God than another race? That attitude and assumption is simply called racism.

The bishops also balance the explosive issue of racism and interactions with police. See if you agree with their assessment. They write: “We must admit the plain truth that for many of our fellow citizens, who have done nothing wrong, interactions with the police are often fraught with fear and even danger.” They continue, though: “At the same time, we reject harsh rhetoric that belittles and dehumanizes law enforcement personnel who labor to keep our communities safe. We also condemn violent attacks against police” (Open Wide, 5). Have you heard the old cliché, “Don’t let your confidence get ahead of your competence”? I am convinced that in the case of misuse of force by police, as well as violent attacks on the police by protesters, our “confidence” in what we believe runs too far ahead of our “competence,” that is, our common sense, in loving and respecting our neighbor. Both sides – protesters and police – need a healthy dose of humility, and let their competence (common sense) catch up with their confidence. Put simply: think before acting.

You will be happy to know I no longer think of myself as a little white German boy. I am happy to be related to all those beautiful brown people in India. I joke that when people return from their summer vacations to the beach, they really trying to “look more like Fr. John.” The white people want to look like the brown people, and the brown people believe they look like the white people. But maybe we should accept each other – indeed accept ourselves – just as we are, and love each other regardless of race.

Praised be Jesus Christ!