If I’m honest, my biggest fear is for my sons. As my family was leaving a restaurant today, a lady was sitting in her car and smiled when she saw my 2 year old bopping to the car. At what age will he become a threat in her eyes? Not because of what he has done but because he fits the stereotype. That’s where the angst in the black community is coming from. Not an overtly racial initiative but a simple reaction to fear by the majority culture that is at the expense of the minority.
The problems in the black community are vast. Some people will steal, kill, and hurt anyone for their own selfish desires. The key word in that sentence is SOME. I often hear if African Americans want to be respected, they need to clean up their community and stop acting like thugs. Thugs act like thugs. It is unfair to make criminals who you gauge our culture by. That would be like making Al Capone and the mafia the epitome of Italian Americans. Furthermore, No culture is absent of degenerates and criminals so it’s grossly irresponsible to isolate them as the African American’s “biggest problem.” Most of us just want to live our lives, make a decent living, and be loved. Judge me by my character and not by a stereotype. I am a man made in the image of God.
I also extend this challenge to the African American community. We must remember that not all Caucasians are racist. Even during slavery, many white abolitionists risked their lives for our sake. Many Caucasians protested with us during the Civil Rights movement and many are standing with us now. We must remember that. We also must be gracious and patient. In the words of the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. I can assure you that many of our Caucasian brothers and sisters are just like us. They just want to live their lives, make a decent living, and be loved. Sound familiar? We can’t attribute the sins of some, to an entire people group. Furthermore, we cannot attribute the sins of past generations to people today. We have to allow room for hurt. We have to allow room from grace. We can‘t be heavy-handed as we seek to express our heart. Proverbs 15:1 says a soft answer, turns away wrath. But a harsh word stirs up anger. If we have any hope of reconciliation, it will be with love and grace.
That brings me to my final thought?
The reason we settle for stereotyping one another is simple…
Make sure you read:
- Act Of Faith: Beheaded Journalist James Foley On Praying The Rosary In Captivity
- T.I. Posts Deep Open Letter About Ferguson Unrest On Instagram
A Black Man Makes ‘The Case For Love’ was originally published on elev8.com
