I took down my rant about nobody benefitting from racism. It was just too much of a red herring. After all, I don’t think anyone is suggesting that people who are not directly harmed by racism should be discriminated against just to be fair — obviously the goal is the opposite, that discrimination should be eliminated instead.
And if I truly want to overcome racism and demonstrate the oneness of humanity, then I think I need to cultivate patience. After all, an ill that was inflicted by hundreds of years of brutal slavery, systematic destruction of families and cultural institutions, followed by decades of legislated discrimination and hostility, cannot be cured overnight. And not patience to wait for things to get better, but patience to accept and forgive any anger or bitterness that people may feel, rather than belittle it as irrational or misplaced, and yet still work to realize universal brotherhood. No need to argue.
Here’s a story from today’s local newspaper:
If someone’s mad about that, it’s not helpful to ask them not to direct their anger towards me. Obviously, a sympathetic ear will go much further.