Racism is not reserved to white on black.
- prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized.
I can’t tell you how sick it makes me to hear, whites never encounter racism but perpetrate it. It runs in every culture. Just because someone may not have the same experience as someone else, does not make it not racism. Or what some had once called “reverse racism”. There is no such thing. There is only racism. What I am about to say is the reality of racism.
My family was forced to leave our former parish and school, because my daughter was bullied, bad, for not speaking Spanish. Keep in mind this was a few years ago. We didn’t learn of the bulling until she had entered into the third grade. We were astonished to learn it had been taking place when she began school, in kindergarten. We were told it was no big deal. It was a big deal. My daughter was picked on constantly, had her lunch stolen daily and was ridiculed without any care for her feelings. She began to struggle in school and was having a hard time concentrating and we were told, it was no big deal. So racism against white children, was no big deal according to the administrators. We were one of two ONLY white family’s in that particular school. When the decision was made to place our children there, I knew it was mostly Hispanic but it didn’t matter to me, it was Catholic.
We left a week later, and entered into a new parish and placed our children into the new school. STILL the minority among a majority of a mix of Chaldean’s and Spanish. Also Catholic. We have never been more happy in this new place. The child who was bulled at the other school, graduated two years ago with many friends and a joyful school experience she will never forget.
Life is hard! Humility is needed among ALL of us, no matter what color our skin may be and believe you me, HUMILITY toughens the skin no matter what color it is, to forget the hate and love anyway. I forgive them. I pray for them. When someone says that I need to walk in their shoes, I have. But it doesn’t matter to most, because what is said in return by most is that I’m white, which is a statement that is actually the heart of racism in itself.
Please read here, Cardinal Turkson: Racism driving some Catholics from Church. I am very saddened to see this article only address one aspect of racism. One point I need to make regarding this article is here:
“The Lord is calling the entire nation to repentance,” Purvis said. Catholics should examine their consciences to see how they might have demeaned their neighbor in thought, word, or act. Catholics can always ask God, “please show me my brokenness,” she said. “He will do that.” “Offering a concrete way for Catholics to fight racism, she said “Listen to people of color. Just listen.” We are all different colors. Does my “white” skin exclude me?
As Catholics, we are called to be of One Body. Skin tone doesn’t matter. Hair color doesn’t matter. Skin deep faith is not our faith. Our faith cuts deep in the heart where racism is not present and only Love exists.