Every Sunday, you hear the Good News

Among like-colored faces in the pews.

Does not your soul feel somewhat amiss

In your holy temple of monochrome bliss?

The Lord’s church—a sanctuary of piety—

Has become a reflection of an ugly society.

Racism can be a subtle sin,

But it will cause you to lose your soul, my friend.

To God’s will, are you truly committed?

Or by Satan’s deceit, have you been outwitted?

The place where you strengthen your spiritual education

May be Satan’s greatest tool to cause segregation.

Racial division lives within this worldly theocracy,

But the Lord may see it as shameless hypocrisy.

“A house divided, cannot stand.”

The principle is simple, yet the wisdom escapes man

My heart goes out to everyone who has suffered injuries and/or lost friends and family during the tragedies of September 11, 2001.  It is pretty much impossible for me to even begin to imagine the type of pain, grief and despair that persons who were directly affected by the heinous acts still suffer to this day.   I do feel the greater sense of insecurity and latent fear that has taken every American hostage as a result of the evil deeds.   After days of reflecting on the events—trying to understand why men would wreak such havoc upon other people—I have come face to face with true irony.

Following the unprecedented massacre on September 11, of thousands of innocent victims, many white Americans see the importance of uniting against a common enemy in this time of crisis.  I have seen many on television espousing their love for their nation.   I have heard some people ask, “Why do they hate us so much?” The “funny” thing is that though these citizens may sincerely believe their notions of an American utopia where everyone is quick to proclaim their democratic ideals, they may not meaningfully and actively express the values that are embodied in our constitution and the spirit upon which our laws are based.  To me, these people have placed on stage—for the entire world to see—the very facade that has existed for decades within America.   It is true that we are a great nation of people that are united in outrage and resolve against those who would do us harm, but all is not well within these united states.  We are not truly united.   Why espouse seemingly unfettered patriotism in our time of crisis when you don’t even give your own compatriots their proper respect in times of peace?   I realize that perhaps I am being cynical, but to see whites declaring their love for America during these “dark days” borders on profound hypocrisy.   Moreover, it has given irony a new meaning and life of its own.

Not only are the patriotic cries ironic, but I feel that it is also ironic that many members of our federal government who control and/or make policy towards foreign governments and political organizations fail to realize that their actions (or inaction, as it were) play an indirect role in the birth and nourishment of “terrorist activity.”

Perhaps our government should learn to listen not only to the concerns of so called extremists, but to those whose warnings are usually scoffed at and ignored by Washington.   After hours of intense reflection, I have decided that many terrorist organizations use deadly strikes upon their perceived enemies because they feel disenfranchised. The powerful, especially many within the United States, will not sincerely entertain the concerns of these people.  In much the same way, America has disenfranchised large segments of its black citizens along with other non-whites.   Though blacks and other ethnic minorities (e.g. native Americans) have cried out for socioeconomic equality for decades, many politicians and their constituents continue to neglect and/or reject the heartfelt appeals of their compatriots.  Fortunately for all of us, most Americans have chosen to use peaceful and civil methods to bring about change, notwithstanding that it may take centuries to get America where it needs to be.  But the time may come when patience and understanding is gradually overcome by violence. The desire for justice, as well as social and economic equality is compelling enough to quickly transform sanity into insanity.   Even misguided Americans who do not believe that the U.S. is a melting pot of ethnic cultures, religions and ideologies have carried out and/or made veiled threats against our way of life.  Timothy McVeigh’s bombing of the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City in 1995, exemplifies one of America’s own biting her in the hand. Ironically, I feel that our government’s unwillingness to truly lead the way when it comes to fostering socioeconomic freedom is that which breeds hate, resentment, and a lack of tolerance for other people. Our society’s backlash against altruism, spirituality and basic equality nurtures the atmosphere of misunderstanding, jealousy, hate and spite that drives the diabolical intentions of the Timothy McVeighs and Osama Bin Ladens of the world.   Moreover, America’s unwillingness to confront these real social problems have led these misguided persons to applaud each others’ bad behavior, as evidenced by some of the comments on white supremacist web sites following the attacks on September 11.

Until our leaders decide to sincerely lay the foundations to provide equal opportunities for all people regardless of eth-nicity, religion, culture, finances, etc., there will always be an underlying mistrust, resentment and ignorance within our society.   In other words, if our top officials would make it their personal mission to become role models in the fight to rid our country of racism and discrimination—and all the evils that result from different forms of prejudice—this would become a practical mandate for all Americans to rid their lives of these ills.  If this were to happen, partisanship, divisiveness, deceit, distrust, ignorance and hate would be minimized to a point where true love, caring and concern for our fellow human beings would gradually take their place.

The lives of those lost in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in a field in Pennsylvania on September 11, should not be used as a backdrop for a facade of patriotism.   Let their deaths be a reminder that regardless of our ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, etc., we are all people who want the opportunity to live productive lives and fulfill our dreams. Let all of us—particularly those in positions of power and influence who sing patriotic songs in front of the cameras and quote our constitution—live by the spirit and ideals upon which America was founded.   When America-the-reality learns to embrace America-the-ideal, then our nation will truly be a country that is held in high regard by the less powerful nations and people of the world.

Sometimes I feel like the terms “black” and “white” are pretty odd.  This became especially poignant when my son was a pre-schooler.  He had learned all his colors and began to challenge me when I would refer to this person as black and another as white. He would immediately point out something that was clearly black, like my computer, and say “This is black.”   Likewise, he would pick up his sketch paper and say “This is white.”  He is older now, and though he’s “figuring out” the racial differences, I still believe that in his innocence and naiveté, he still sees the distinction as “crazy”.

So what of us adults?  Are we so jaundiced by our history and experiences that we have really been duped into believing one great, big lie? Don’t get me wrong!  Due to cultural and historical contexts and restraints, I consider myself a black American.  It’s not only convenient, but it’s a way to identify with a group of people whose heritage and culture is like mine. I take pride in my “blackness.”  But, being that I obviously have a mixture of different ethnicities in my bloodlines—complete with a Scotch-Irish name—why do I have to accept being labeled as a color?  What about “blaucasian,” or “blindian”?   What about an “X-man”? How about plain old “whack?”  Of course I am being facetious, but you should be able to understand the point.

Perhaps color, in reference to labeling people, is a misnomer.   It not only allows people of all colors—even those within the same ethnic group—to divide themselves into different shades, it has allowed Americans of all races to divide their nation.