Advice For The Kids

Antiracism

With the upsurge of racism in the United States and as a former sinner who has struggled with this issue himself I wanted to provide some advice on what to do.  This advice could be for those who also have problems in this department, or for parents who are curious on how to raise kids in an environment where racism is prevalent.

  1. We don’t associate with or listen to racists. These people move you away from God (loving neighbor). See my Friends page. This includes news, podcasts, and social media.
  2. Soul vs Body – God created us all the same on the inside but made us different on the outside.
  3. Pay attention to what is taught in school history about colonization and listen to what the activists say about topics like systemic racism.
  4. Race Realism – Many in the United States are raised in a culture that promotes race realism. Race is not real from a scientific standpoint. We are all human and children of God. He created us all equally in His image. We will not pass on a culture of racism, division and hate to our children, but instead a culture of love and kindness.
  5. Identity – Rather than a person’s ethnic identity being mandated to them based off of some sort of ancestral or genetic quotient (what happened during colonization), a person’s identity should be something that they choose themselves based on their culture and upbringing. While race is not real, culture and upbringing are real things and shape who you are as a person.
  6. General thoughts on “How to be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi:
    • Systemic Racism is real and the policies are used to maintain the race/class hierarchy causing real harm to BIPOC communities.
    • You are either racist or antiracist. There is no in-between on this topic. Inactivity supports the status quo and systemic racism. While you don’t have to be an activist, your vote matters. You are either voting for candidates that support racist policies or for candidates that move the status quo towards equality and racial justice.
    • There are no good or bad races only good or bad people. There are good and bad people the world over.
    • People choose to be good or bad (Everything in life is a choice). One’s ancestry or ethnic origin does not affect their behavior or choices in life. God gave us all free will.
    • We actively stand against bullies and against racism (antiracism). This includes racist speech made by members of our community or family. Again I am not asking you to become an activist, but everyone can become part of the solution. A good place to start would be calling out racist speech made by members of your community who just need a tap on the shoulder and a gentle correction on their behavior.
    • That being said, actively work to correct your thinking – our culture tries to warp your mind with many racist stereotypes. You are in control of your thoughts and beliefs. Is this thought I am having true? Is it helpful? Is it kind? Is this thing I am about to say going to hurt someone? We only think and say things that are true, helpful and kind about others.
    • Confess when you make a racist statement or do something racist with the intent to either reconcile it or to prevent it from happening again in the future.
    • This is the general synopsis of the book which I would highly recommend reading.
  7. Many who suffer from the more serious grades of racism or bias have internalized one or more of the following psychological complexes which all lead to serious societal ills:
    1. White Supremacy – the idea that whites or people of European ancestry are superior to others on Earth. This should be an obvious evil as we are all created equal under God.
    2. Ancestralism – the idea that one’s ancestry, race, ethnicity, or ethnic features are in danger and should be preserved. This is a core concept that drives numerous evils including bullying, racial violence, segregation, systemic racism all the way to genocide (e.g. Nazi Germany and Rawanda). It is just an idea that gets into the mind and it is a great evil once the seed is planted. I want to be clear that this has nothing to do with the idea of wanting to have a family, which is purely a good thing. It is that one should not be concerned with this concept in any way shape or form.
    3. Segregationism – the idea that people should be separated based on race or ethnicity. This evil concept has driven policy from apartheid in South Africa to Jim Crow laws in the southern United States following the abolition of slavery.
    4. Assimilationism – the idea that other lifestyles or cultures that are different from your own are inferior and those that practice them should be forced to adopt your customs or lifestyle. Imagine being forced to abandon your culture or adopt a different lifestyle than the one that you want to live. When I talk about lifestyle I am talking about the following:
      1. Urban/Suburban
      2. Pre-factory farming/Small Family Farm (e.g. the Amish but also others who do not want to use factory farming technology).
      3. Close to Nature – various groups around the world who incorporate hunter gatherer techniques into their lifestyle (e.g. the Inuit peoples in Alaska, or the San Bushmen in South Africa).
  8. The overwhelming majority of migrants come to the country peacefully looking for work. They are just like you and me trying to provide for their families and make their way in this world. A lot of them are Christian, and the rest are potential Christians (we are called to evangelize as well as to work peacefully and democratically alongside people of other religions – there is one true God – it is a difference in belief). From firsthand experience it is very hard to learn a second language as an adult. I have been speaking Spanish since 2013 and I still am learning. While first generation immigrants may have trouble learning the language (English is a difficult one to learn), their children most certainly do and mix in to the melting pot that is the United States. Speaking of the melting pot, we have always had multiculturalism. It is nothing new (think little Italy). Diversity is a strength.

Diversity – God’s Beauty

Here is some awesome art from around the world. Everyone’s art is beautiful and showcases the beauty of God’s creation in unique ways!