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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Original Message:
Sent: 07-14-2020 12:41 AM
From: Brenda Jones
Subject: Racism Is Killing the Planet
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
Original Message:
Sent: 07-13-2020 03:37 PM
From: Tonya Satchell
Subject: Racism Is Killing the Planet
"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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