Giving Up Racism: My Project
This year, in addition to my regular dietary restrictions, in honor of Black History Month, which we are in the midst of and in the spirit of corporal works of mercy for Lent, I have decided to give up racism for Lent.
Although I generally don't think of myself as a racist, I can recognize in myself a lot of white privilege I take for granted and I know that I often participate in structures that prolong the oppression of minority races here in Chicago and the nation at large.
I would like to stop doing this, but I know it's going to be hard.This is where I need help. I don't know the first thing about not being a racist. My friend Dominique Gilliard made a bibliography for me this month, as well as linking to a number of videos on the subject. Compiling these resources I have decided to create a project to help me learn with others about what it means to be a Christian in a world of racial tensions. Will you help me? Take a look at the resources below and JOIN IN the project.
Giving up Racism: Reading List
- Reconciling All Things: A Christian Vision for Justice, Peace and healing
- Let Justice Roll Down by John M. Perkins
- The Beloved Community: How Faith Shapes Social Justice from the Civil Rights Movement to Today by Charles Marsh
- A Call to Conscience: The Landmark Speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Clayborne Carson,
- Race Matters by Cornel West
- Linking Arms, Linking Lives: How Urban-Suburban Partnerships Can Transform Communities
- Who Is My Neighbor? Lessons Learned From A Man Left For Dead
- Jesus and The Disinherited
- White Privilege by Paula S. Rothenberg (Feb 9, 2011)
How you can help
If you would like me to help me please to the following four things:
- Choose ONE of the books above to read
- READ THE BOOK
- Come back here and post FIVE things you learned from the book that will help people like me be less racist!
- Decide one action that you can do to help you and your own culture to become less racist, Post that idea too
Giving up Racism: Video Playlist
The first 3 set of videos that go together are a study that a teacher, Jane Elliot, did with her 3rd grade class in Riceville, Iowa just days after Dr. King was assassinated in Memphis
TN. April 4 1968. As you watch, think of the courage it took her to do
this assignment, the potential backlash that she knew she would face,
& think about what the motivating factors behind her doing this
could have been, because living in Riceville, Iowa she sure had the option not to do it, because "it wasn't there issue there in Iowa" in that part of the country.
You should also check out the documentary "Freedom Riders"
