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Racism Is Killing the Planet

  • 1.  Racism Is Killing the Planet

    Posted 07-13-2020 03:38 PM
    "If we valued everyone’s lives equally, if we placed the public health and well-being of the many above the profits of a few, there wouldn’t be a climate crisis." ~ Hop Hopkins

    Read the entire article here: Racism is Killing the Planet.

    What are your thoughts?


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    Tonya Satchell
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  • 2.  RE: Racism Is Killing the Planet

    Posted 07-14-2020 12:41 AM
    I personally don't feel that racism is killing the planet. racism without fuel is only a bad thought. but when you decide to feed that thought ( instead of casting it down and putting it in its place)  when you take it upon yourself to let the world know how you feel about people who are different from you, then i say we are killing our self. the planet will survive, but when you destroy a life, crush a spirit, those kinds of things are hard to bounce back from. I've always said that we as humans are our worst enemy. we bite, devour, and belittle one another. when in reality we are all nothing without. Racism is not the issue, racism couldn't exist without  us,  ( humans)  giving it life.

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    Brenda Jones
    Director
    salvation station
    Oklahoma City OK
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  • 3.  RE: Racism Is Killing the Planet

    Posted 07-15-2020 04:58 PM
    I'm not sure why I am feeling compelled to respond on such a hot button issue.  My personality is that of a peace keeper and arguing, confronting and/or debating is not my thing.  However, to give you some background, I am in my early fifties and grew up in an all white community in a small Texas Panhandle town.  I can only remember 1 black family even trying to attend our school and they didn't stay long.  They weren't in my grade so I didn't associate with them, I just remember feeling very sorry for them because they had to feel so out of place in such a "hick" place!  I knew black people existed.  I was raised by two God fearing and loving parents and was taught to accept all people.  We fostered at least 30 children of all backgrounds in our home.  I have a black brother-in-law and 2 beautiful, wonderful and loving black nieces that I would bend over backwards for!!  I am a very proud Cherokee woman!!  I would have told you I'm not racist.

    By the grace of God and the education from my sister's family, I am sad to say that I discovered recently that I have racist thoughts and tendencies.  Now, let me clarify, I would never riot against, or intentionally hurt anyone, but I have said things to my brother-in-law and to my sister that in my mind meant nothing!!!!!  I had no ill intent at all, yet, through her teaching and her question "But when you said it, did you have good thoughts about it?" I had to soul search, and the ultimate answer was no, not really.  My heart hurt!!  There have been several teachings from her that have made me stop and think.  Am I a racist?  I would still like to tell you no.  Do I have tendancies to judge others?  Yes.  Do I have tendancies to judge those of color or lower status more harshly?  Yes.  

    I guess, I could write several things here.  I agree with you and the article that racism is killing the planet.  It's also killing it's people, it's integrity, it's peace and it's love.  I agree with Mrs. Jones that racism can't exist without us humans giving it life.  I disagree however, that it is more than just a thought.  For me, my thought hurt not only my family, it hurt myself!  I agree with Mrs. Harper that systmeic racism exists and it's impact is vast and wide and effects our society down to our children!!!  I agree with Mrs. Saunders that we as a society have gotten so far away from what God's perfect plan for us is that we can't even see it any more!

    I don't know what the answers are, I don't know how to begin to heal our nation.  I just know that I have to start with me.  I have to have a willing spirit to search inwardly and point fingers at myself instead of throwing anything and anyone under the bus for my behaviors and my actions.  I have to be willing to accept that I could be THAT person.  The one that is angry and disobedient and believes that only I matter.  I also have to be willing to accept the loving counsel of those that have lived and are living the life who have been riduculed, shamed and mistreated in order to make sure that I'm not THAT person.  

    I don't know if this helped any, or even made any sense.  I just know I felt compelled to respond.  Thank you for the article. 

    Sincerely,

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    Shawn Wagner
    Owner/Director
    Kids' Campus Child Care
    Sweeny TX
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  • 4.  RE: Racism Is Killing the Planet

    Posted 07-15-2020 05:49 PM

    Thank you for that....  I was compelled to respond to and never respond to open forums like this.
    What I am loving about this time is the more open conversations with my colleagues in my local community and now across the US.  I appreciate your honesty- we are all bias if we are honest.  It is brave to understand our roles as we work with children and families. 

    Michelle 



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    Michelle Harper
    Associate Professor
    ProfesoorHarper
    Murrieta CA
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  • 5.  RE: Racism Is Killing the Planet

    Posted 07-15-2020 08:17 PM
    Please don't get tired of me, but I really felt compelled to commend Shawn and Michelle for your responses. You see, with me it's not about Racism m it's about the feeling that all of Humanity is about to totally Self Destruct anytime now. Animals have no concept of Hatred. Only we have that capacity. Now, how can we all collectively turn this demented vice around? Our Heavenly Father already told us, and sent numerous folks to remind us all what to do and how to live. Isaiah 48:18 - how to bring about Peace. John 13:24 …new Commandment that which you Love one another as I have loved you. Matthew 22:39 …" You must love your neighbor as yourself." Ephesians 4:31…"Put away malicious bitterness, anger, wrath, … everything injurious. Col 3:8-10 same message. God Our Father has already told us what to do. It just that too many people have chosen to follow Satan instead ( 1 John 5: 19) . I have chosen to follow Col.3:12 and Romans12:10. In due time, everyone will have to make the same choice. Dr.Martin Luther King stated, "WE MUST ALL LEARN TO LIVE TOGETHER  AS BROTHERS, OR WE'LL ALL PERISH TOGETHER AS FOOLS"! Peace to All!

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    JoAnne Saunders
    St.Thomas
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  • 6.  RE: Racism Is Killing the Planet

    Posted 07-17-2020 08:46 AM

    Shawn:

    Thank you so much for your response.  I really appreciate and respect your ability to be vulnerable, to search yourself, and learn.  I agree with everything you wrote.  As a white person I've had to learn to explore what whiteness means in our culture.  White people, which I understand you are not, are brought up to believe we don't have a race; race refers to other people.  Most of us are never told this explicitly; the messages are in everything around us.  That's a mark of systemic racism.  Racism is not always obvious--it can be insidiously subtle.  

    When I first began to think about and educate myself about race I read about the experiences of Black and Native people in this country.  That was important but it's only been the past 7 years or so that I understand that I need to look at whiteness and what it means in my life.  Reading and listening to white activists like Tim Wise and Robin DiAngelo, as well as Black activists like Bryan Stevenson and Monica Cannon-Grant, has helped me in exploring my own implicit racism and recognizing and responding to it when it surfaces.  It's a continuing exploration and I'm glad that educators are bringing it up here. Thank you for your words, and to Tonya for the original post. 

    To those who claim not to see color I share this graphic, which was sent to me without attribution, so apologies to the original creator:




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    Aren Stone
    she/her/hers
    Child Development Specialist
    The Early Years Project
    Cambridge, MA
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  • 7.  RE: Racism Is Killing the Planet

    Posted 07-17-2020 05:07 PM

    Aren,

    Thank you for your words.  I love that what you said about not being taught about race because it refers to other people.  It is so true!!  I am grateful for my sisters love and patience, but most of all for her love and willingness to teach me.  When in reality she could have gotten bitter and angry and held me at blame for something that I innocently didn't know.  I wish more people had that disposition of teaching instead of hatred and lashing out. 

     

    Shawn Wagner

    Kids' Campus Child Care

    Owner/Director

    979-548-3443

     






  • 8.  RE: Racism Is Killing the Planet

    Posted 07-29-2020 12:21 AM
    This graphic is from https://www.ohhappydani.com/

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    Mary Kay Scanlon
    Program Director
    Holy Trinity Early Educaqtion Center
    Lenexa, KS
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  • 9.  RE: Racism Is Killing the Planet

    Posted 07-30-2020 03:57 PM
    Thank you for sharing the website.  I immediatly went surfing and this lady is amazing! She has some beautiful and inspiring things.

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    Shawn Wagner
    Owner/Director
    Kids' Campus Child Care
    Sweeny TX
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  • 10.  RE: Racism Is Killing the Planet

    Posted 07-15-2020 12:20 AM
    Hello,

    I believe that racism is a public health issue and is more than a thought. There are laws and public policy that systematic disempower certain groups of people for example the way we fund schools based on property taxes.  This funding formula disproportionately negatively impacts children of color. Stop and Frisk policies that were ruled unconstitutional that impression people of color, removing many men from their family structure.  

     I try to go by evidence based research on how we approach children and their well being.  Here is a guiding document in my diversity class that discusses the impact of racism on children and adolescents. If we as educators do no see the issues that may not impact us personally but impact the children we serve- we will do harm to children.  The NAEYC ethical code states  Do no harm. -- this included unintentional harm that may occur. 

    Here is the article from the Academy of Pediatrics that discusses racism as a public health issue for children.
    https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/144/2/e20191765

    I am committed to drilling down into the data and bravely facing some of these issues. 
    Michelle Harper

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    Michelle Harper
    Associate Professor
    ProfesoorHarper
    Murrieta CA
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  • 11.  RE: Racism Is Killing the Planet

    Posted 07-15-2020 08:21 AM
    Hello and Greetings from St.Thomas, USVirgin Islands! First let me apologize in the beginning for anything I'm about to say that may be contrary to what others may believe or have Ben taught. Please no that I mean No Harm, nor is it my intent to Preach. However, I've always been known to call things as I see them, which many times in the past ( especially as a Black child from Baltimore, Maryland's Inner City during 1950's -1970) I have been faced with overt and covert forms of Racism, which I was taught to Rise Above and try not to react to the Ignorance of others. To me, Racism is just another inhumane form of self Hatred. Human Beings have succumbed to all sorts of disgusting tactics to prove they're far Superior to others, simply because deep down inside they are consumed with Fear, Ignorance,Jealousy, Envy and Greed. But, how did this all happen? When did all of this hatred enter into the mind of humans? And why does it continue to escalate to the point when people of the same ethnic background turn on each other, and law and peace officers shoot down unharmed innocent people? "My people are all perishing for a lack of knowledge", stemming from disobedience. Free Will gave way to all sorts of tribulations! First God's most rational humans chose to disobey his commandments, until now so many have convinced themselves and their children that There is No God,so folks can do whatever they want ,except pray for deliverance. Racial Hatred and all forms of Abuse and Violence , even Neglect exists, simply because Humans chose Not to live by God's Holy Commandments: John 13:34 "I am giving you a new commandment, that you Love one another………", Matthew 22: 39 "……You Must Love your neighbor as yourself." Luke:31-33 "And as ye would that men should  do to you, do also to them likewise." So there it is, plain and simple! Racism and all obnoxious and hellish behavior that humans heap onto each other, exists because disobedience to Our Creator has given Satan negative power over us all!! I know that many readers will think I'm sone crazy person or a religious fanatic, but that's okay! This is what I have Free Will to believe and I do. Peace, Love and Unity to all. Mrs.JoAnne M.Saunders

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    JoAnne Saunders
    St.Thomas
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  • 12.  RE: Racism Is Killing the Planet

    Posted 07-17-2020 10:34 AM
    JoAnne reminds us that to understand racism enough to be motivated and knowledgeable to do something about it we may find it best to ask people of color to tell us their real feelings about what it like growing up among white people.

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    Jack Wright
    Child Development Consultant
    Success With Children
    St Ignatius MT
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  • 13.  RE: Racism Is Killing the Planet

    Posted 07-17-2020 09:02 PM
    This article is excellent.  I hope that people will also read the cited book, The New Jim Crow.  These are the cold hard facts, with footnotes, and as active as I have always been in social justice issues, I was never aware of the full extent of the injustices resulting from the mass incarceration of black men.  It is a must read if we are serious about exploring our biases and our ignorance of the facts.

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    Marilynn Weiland
    Milwaukee WI
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