"There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." -Galatians 3.28
Okay, so let us talk about the topic that has been on most people's minds lately: RACISM. First, let's look at the definition of the term:
racism - both prejudice & discrimination based in social perceptions of biological differences between peoples. It often takes the form of social actions, practices or beliefs, or political systems that consider different races to be ranked as inherently superior or inferior to each other, based on presumed shared inheritable traits, abilities, or qualities.
Please inform me, if anywhere in that definition, it says HATRED AGAINST BLACK PEOPLE ONLY.. Seriously, with our society today, when we hear the word racism we automatically think hatred amongst blacks against whites. I'm guilty of thinking the same thing too sometimes, but then I catch myself. I'm not saying that there isn't hatred against black's (I've been there and lived through that), but we tend to think if people are not like us, they are beneath us. Why is racism such a big topic today when we seem to come across as this "new and improved" society? It's because we are not a new and improved society when it comes to racism.
If we look up at the verse from above, it says that no matter who you are, we are all children of God. So are you going to disrespect your brother, make fun of your sister, and treat them like they are the dirt beneath your feet.. NO. You're answer should be NO!
It's weird to think, as a black female mixed with any and every kind of race you could think of (I'm not kidding), I have to face a daily fear of being treated differently. I recently had a talk with a friend, and she asked me "Do you fear you will get treated differently because of your skin color when you're out in public?" and I so casually said "All the time." Why is that?
Why do I fear walking into an all white store? Why do I fear going to a certain part of town? Why do I fear the thought that I will be treated differently based on the color pigment of my skin? It's because that is what we were taught.
We were not born to hate. We were not born to think that one skin color demands more prestige than another. We were all born to love each other like they are family, and that's what I do.
I hate to think that one day my children will have to face this fear of hatred. Whether I mary a black, white, hispanic, asian, WHATEVER kind of person, my child will be looked at differently, not so much in a good way.
I have a challenge for anyone who reads this: BE NICE! That's all you have to do. Treat others with the respect you would want to be treated. Base your friendship on the quality of someones character, and not by the color of their skin. You may say that's too good to be true, but that's it..
"I have a dream that one day little black boys and girls will be holding hands with little white boys and girls." -Martin Luther King Jr.
Lets just say, I'm not letting him down!!
-Erika Watson
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