Racism is a sin: a sin that divides the human family, blots out
the image of God among specific members of that family, and violates
the fundamental human dignity of those called to be children of the
same Father. (USCCB Statement, “Brothers and Sisters to Us”)
Without a doubt you’ve been following, or at least heard about the recent news story involving the nationally syndicated radio talk show host, Don Imus, and his verbal attack on the Rutgers University women’s basketball team. His words were gratuitous, vulgar and insulting. As a result he was fired. Good.
The only thing that surprised me about the story is that Imus was fired now and not a long time ago. After all, he built his whole career on outrageous and offensive comments. He routinely insulted African-Americans, Jews, Catholics, women and homosexuals. But it didn’t seem to bother his fans. He had a loyal following and he made lots of money for his employers. That was enough, apparently, to shield him from negative reactions to previous rantings. This time, though, he went too far and pushed the wrong buttons.
The Imus episode, important as it is, opens the door to a broader discussion and points to a persistent evil in the human family: racism. The USCCB Statement quoted above begins with these words: “Racism is an evil which endures in our society and in our Church. Despite apparent advances and even significant changes in the last two decades, the reality of racism remains.”
One has to wonder if we’ll ever outgrow the sin of racism or if it’s an inherent trait of the human family.
I remember hearing the story of a school bus driver who drove both white and black school children in his bus every day. Regularly the journey to school was marred by taunting and fighting along racial lines. The driver quickly tired of the fighting and one day decreed to the children: “Beginning tomorrow there will be no more white children and no more black children on this bus. Beginning tomorrow, we’ll all be green!” The driver was proud of his solution to the burgeoning social challenge and thought that the problem was solved. Until the next day, when one little boy got on the bus and declared, “Okay guys, light green in the back; dark green in the front.”
In searching for evidence of racism, though, often one has to look no further than the mirror. Few of us, it seems, are completely immune to racism. Including me.
A number of years ago, I stopped to get gas in Ohio when a car pulled up behind me with the radio blasting, the bass thumping, and the refrigerator-sized speakers vibrating everything on the street. “Why,” I said to myself, “are these young black guys always so arrogant?” “Why do they have to inflict their obnoxious music on everyone else?” At which point I turned around and saw this skinny little white kid with blond hair and blue eyes getting out of his car. At that moment I recognized the ugly racism in my heart. I was embarrassed; I asked the Lord for forgiveness and resolved that in the future I would always try to avoid categorizing and stereotyping groups of people.
Overt expressions of racism are usually frowned upon today and aren’t socially acceptable. But more subtle expressions of racism persist. I wonder, for example, if the vehement anti-immigrant feelings found in some individuals are fueled, at least sometimes, by the bias against those with darker skin. The prejudice might not be intentional; it might be subconscious or subliminal, but it’s real nonetheless.
And while most prejudice is leveled against those with different skin color, its ugly first-cousin is found in anti-Semitism. Prejudice against Jews is ignorant and evil, contrary to the law of love and Gospel of Christ. Any remnant of it in society or the Church needs to be eradicated. The Bishops of the Second Vatican Council made it very clear: “[The Church] deplores all hatreds, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism leveled at any time or from any source against the Jews.” (Nostra Aetate, #4)
In this context it’s important to note too, that at least in some quarters, prejudice against Christians and Catholics continues to be acceptable, even fashionable. One can only hope that the mainstream media, social activists and general population will challenge and reject anti-Christian and anti-Catholic expressions with the same determination with which they reject other prejudices today. (You think Imus would have been fired if he had insulted Catholics?)
Racism can be found in every nation and among every people of the world and routinely results in discrimination, persecution, suffering and war. It’s as universal as it is deplorable. And it can affect relations among nations. As the Bishops’ statement observes, “Globally, we live in an interdependent community of nations, some rich, some poor . . . Racial difference should not interfere with our dealing justly and peacefully with all other nations.”
While we can’t forget, then, the global consequences of racism, the real battleground in overcoming prejudice begins much closer to home, by looking into our own heart and soul. Remember the proverb: “If everyone swept in front of his own door, soon the whole world would be clean.”
As children of God and followers of Christ let’s get rid of racism. It’s a sin, “a sin that divides the human family and blots out the image of God.”
