From: Clarence White
Columbus
This is a response to the recently published letter "Let’s Set the Record Straight: Columbus, US aren’t racist."
I would suggest that said letter is not only untrue, but it is disingenuous.
Racism is this country’s raison d’être. The country was built on racism, and we see the fruits of it in the systemic racism which permeates our entire society.
Even if people are not racist individually, there is no denying that the country is racist in the aggregate. The fruit of this is seen in laws concerning voting, healthcare, housing, and a plethora of other issues. It is simply false to suggest that the United States is no longer a racist country.
A candidate who appealed to racism just got 74 million votes for president. Thankfully, he lost.
I am a theologian. In theological circles the topic which is the hottest right now is critical race theory. Those on the conservative end of the spectrum do not want CRT taught. That makes little or no sense. All CRT is, is an attempt to look at the events of history through the eyes of those most disadvantaged in any situation. We dare not refuse to do this.
The writer of the letter I referred to above takes issue with BCSC for creating "a mentoring program geared toward the Black, brown, and biracial community."
Again, I suggest we dare not refuse to do that.
Whether it is the person who wrote the letter about the BCSC program or those in my profession who wish to ignore critical race theory, the common thread is a blatant disregard for the most vulnerable among us.
It is simply nonsense to whitewash everything — and I choose that word with deliberation — as though young persons of color do not have their unique issues which present unique challenges in their mentoring processes. Mentoring cannot be color blind.
In fact, those who call for color blindness do much harm because a color blind situation eases their own consciences and never requires them to face the reality of the systemic racism of which they are beneficiaries. Race neutrality perpetuates systemic racism because it negates the grievances of minorities and the unsafe conditions in which they live.
I commend BCSC for this program and am deeply grieved that someone in our community would criticize it.
