The Conscientious Objector

I'm pretty sure if you found this page then you already have an understanding of how Biblical teaching coincides with accepting the realities of warfare. That is not to insinuate that all warfare is Just or even Morally Legal, it is however to stipulate that the Bible is not entirely a pacifist teaching. There are reasons that Christians should go to war, and even more directly the Bible refers to believers a 'Spiritual Warriors'. It is with that frame of mind that I'd like to address the individuals who wish to not get involved with the social unrest that is going on currently. The “conscientious objectors” to fighting for what is morally right. The people who say "I would rather not get involved", as if it provides absolution from any indirect attachment to bigots; those who should care, but won't.

I am often significantly involved in activities that in today's connotation are referred to as "social justice causes"; more often than not these are causes that deal with the underlying issues of racism and racial bias in America. It is an ugly topic that requires Americans as a whole, particularly white people, to take a look both inward and outward at the realities of being both white and non-white in this country. And, I have to admit that although realizing the level racial bias that exists in the country is depressing and disheartening for black and brown people it can be nearly equally as frustrating for white people; particularly those with a conscience. It is that frustration, especially when forced to deal with the ugly realities of our society, that often engender white people to choose to not get involved in anti-racist endeavors. The reality is that introspection is often the most painful; it of course goes without saying that all growth begins with some amount of discomfort.

I am of course giving the vast majority of individuals the benefit of the doubt by at least insinuating that it is their desire to not confront the innermost demons of society. Saying that such a choice is because they realize how awful those demons really are is not always true. It should go without saying that there is a large contingent of the population that refuses to admit that demonic forces like racial bias, bigotry and white supremacy even exist, but that topic deserves its own individual post. In the effort of providing an understanding of the outcomes of some individuals choose not to be introspective I am reminded of a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, “I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action;" who paternalistically feels he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by the myth of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection." This quote encapsulates a reality that I have experienced up close and personal and has frustrated and bewildered me to a level I cannot express in words. Those who choose to not fight for the rights of others are inadvertently standing with those who would otherwise denigrate the marginalized.

I am regularly confused as to how individuals who identify as Christian choose to ignore the meek, the poor in spirit, those who have cried out because of social injustice for centuries. The obvious connection to the Beatitudes in the Bible notwithstanding doesn't the entirety of religious teaching force us to identify with those exact people? Aren't we as Christians mandated to be good Samaritans? Are we not called on by God to fight for those who have been systemically unable to fight for themselves? And, while I understand it is much easier to ignore the reality of things, the ubiquitous nature of cell phones has helped define our reality for what it is; there are two classes of citizens in the United States, ones who are white and ones who are or not. Choosing to ignore this problem is like choosing to ignore cancer, eventually it will consume you - ignoring it only expedites the process.

Am I a Black white-spuremacist?

Okay so you got me, I'm not a white supremacist, nor do I subscribe to white- supremacists teachings. It is however true that white supremacy and those ideals are inherent in the person that I am because I was raised in the society in which white Supremacy is a founding pillar. Don't believe me how many of you saw Snow White in movie theaters and as a result have Associated the word or idea of fair with beautiful for your entire life, how many of you read the King James Bible and heard the story of Bathsheba, the woman whom King David wanted so badly who was black, but beautiful? Using the conjunction but bringing forth the connotation that even though she was black for some chance she managed to also pull off being beautiful. How many of you where raised in an era where He-Man and Thundercats presented boys with almost exclusively white superheroes and Barbies and baby alives presented girls with almost exclusively White options for beautiful children?

So no I am not personally a white supremacist however each and every day I have to fight the subconscious teachings of white supremacy that have infiltrated even the very essence of my being. Just as I have too everyday fight the misogynistic tendencies that I am predisposed to having from growing up in a patriarchal society.

Indeed the fact that most people are willing to accept one of those statements (the one about pratriachy) and not the other is indicative of how subversive racism is and as a result how effective white supremacist teachings have become.

I made this video on indigenous peoples day although I'm sure it won't be published until the day after, because I am so overwhelmingly tired hearing people tell me how they aren't racist. By distancing yourself from the problem of racism and racial bias we as a country distance ourselves from the first and most important step to any problem solving strategy - problem identification and acceptance. It doesn't matter what problem solving strategies you use it doesn't matter what counseling ideology you are beholdent to without identifying and accepting that there is a problem a problem will never ever be solved.

So what's the problem here - well to be quite simple the United States was stolen from indigenous people and its wealth and might that enabled it to become a democracy to the tune of about 13 trillion dollars in today's money was made off the backs of slaves who were treated as cattle from 1619 until 1865. And then, as should be expected, (because no one goes from being accepted as an oxen to being accepted as a human overnightl) those very same people were legally treated as subhuman until about 50 years ago and have then been subconsciously treated as subhuman up until this very day.

The reason for this is a doctrine of white supremacy that W.E.B. Dubois put as the "intellectual wage of whiteness", which gave disparate European ethnicities a commonality used to leverage against people of color. A wage that was shared exclusively by white folk from the founding of this nation up until now. A wage that plays a part, not just in how white people act, but in how black people act; because white supremacy is not having almost exclusively white males as the CEOs and Boards of Directors of Fortune 500 companies - it is the systematic exclusion of people of color from those very same positions of power.

White supremacy is nearly as deeply rooted in my brain as a black man as it is in the little white boy who called my daughter a nigger in kindergarten; and in the girl who called me a nigger in third grade; and in the man who called me a nigger a month ago while I peacefullyprotested a statue to white supremacy. It runs in the subconscious and it allows people to make the claim that they aren't racist but still allow for racial bias to exist; and in some cases bolster those who exacerbate its problems.

So before you make the claim that you're not racist know that I fight and grapple with white supremacist teachings and ideologies everyday and I am very much proud of my blackness; just as I am proud of the indigenous blood that runs through my veins; just as I am proud to be the father of 2 of the most beautiful women that have ever graced this planet. And as a father and a man I must equally fight the patriarchal and misogynistic tendencies that have been inbred within me as a part of being a member of this Society - as a part of being an American.

Racial bias, misogyny and white supremacy are as American as apple pie. They are the founding pillars of this nation. They enabled a country whose founding documents speak of freedom and equality to enslave a race without ever mentioning slavery in the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence. So for everyone who believes that because our laws don't include the word black or brown in them they cannot be racially biased I asked you merely look at the documents that promulgated slavery as a social norm. And equally look at the artist renderings of the people who wrote those documents. We need to swallow the very Jagged pill of realization that our founding fathers where white supremacist who invented those teachings in our culture and we have encouraged and allowed those teachings to continually exist. We are all responsible for their inculcation into our society today, just as we equally have to fight to strip them from our social norms. By saying 'I'm not a racist' you allow racism to exist; so stop saying that and become an anti-racist with me.