Perspectives on Racism
Perspectives on Racism Part 1
Dennis Prager often states that clarity is more important than agreement. That is particularly true with any discussion on racism. Even if we don’t agree, we need a clear understanding on what the disagreement is about, not an emotional tirade.
In English we only have one word for racism even though we have a spectrum or hierarchy of various kinds of racism. That can lead to confusion as to what is meant when someone is accused of being a racist. In that sense it is similar to the word “love.” The English language only has one word for love even though several different kinds of love exist. The Greek language has four words for love and they all refer to different kinds of love.
Today, if someone is accused of being a racist, it is the worst kind of an offence. It is considered worse than being a wife beater or a child molester. I would agree that the most extreme kind of racism may be worse than those other offences. However, the most severe kind of white on black racism doesn’t exist anymore. In my book “Rights vs. Responsibility” I classified racism categories from the most severe to the least severe. They are as follows:
- Hate that dehumanizes and desires destruction
- Slavery
- Codified discrimination
- Pejorative Speech
- Not liking a natural group [or person]
- a. Prejudice without merit
- b. Justified negative feelings
I don’t believe that white on black racism today includes any of the first 4 categories. The dictionary distinguishes between 5 a & b. We all have preferences between people groups and individual people. Sometimes those preferences are justified and sometimes they are not justified; or have any basis. With sport teams, we prefer some more than others. When I watch tennis or golf, I prefer some players over others just because I do. I believe we all do the same thing.
Based upon an Action Severity Index table below, documented in Chapter 7 of my book titled “Understanding the Anatomy of Evil,” level 5 racism has a very low level of severity compared with other things.
Action severity index
- Missing Heaven 1,000,000,000
- Murder of a child or unborn baby 1,000,000
- Murder of an adult 100,000
- Big lie that supports other evil actions 10,000
- Assault or injury 1,000
- Arson 500
- Identity theft 100
- Robbery 50
- Coercion 20
- Lying or deceiving 10
- Harassment or bulling 5
- Offending or causing stress 2
Level 5 a or b racism categories would be classified as severity index level 12, the lowest level severity on the chart. Today we probably need to add a sixth category with the “White Privilege” allegation where one can be prejudiced without knowing it and possibly even when one prefers black friends. One would think that “White Privilege” racism would be insignificant and not even discussed. However, that is not the case. I believe that it is the foundation for the current allegation of systemic racism that is the justification for all the burning, looting, injuries and murders. Notice that those things done as a response to alleged systemic racism like Coercion, Robbery, Arson, Assault or injury, promoting a Big lie that supports other evil actions, murder of an adult etc. are many, many times more severe than the invisible perceived racism charge. i.e. black on white racism is far more prevalent and severe than alleged invisible systemic white on black racism.
The other foundational truth eluded to above is the need to clarify that racism is a two-way street. Sadly, that truth is not accepted by activists, most people and even most pastors. If that truth is not accepted, one is starting with a racist position of partiality; a very unbiblical principle. This partiality by BLM, blacks or black supporters can get one fired for a true and honest non-racist statement like “all lives matter,” that somehow is perceived as a racist statement because they are looking through a reverse racism lens that justifies reverse racism.
In Part 2 we will discuss that partiality, prejudice, reverse racism or whatever you want to call it that identifies some groups as special and favored with other groups being denigrated and attacked.
Perspectives on racism Part 2
I stated at the end of “Perspectives on racism Part 1” that BLM has demonstrated that they are many times more racist than white people. That is based upon the high severity of their responses to perceived invisible white racism that is very low on the severity index chart or perhaps off the bottom of the chart.
One example that demonstrates this extreme reverse racism is George Floyd’s death. If George Floyd was white, none of us would even know his name, let alone justify burning cities down in the name of injustice. Whether a real injustice or a perceived injustice by the cops, BLM is willing to burn America down if the alleged injustice is done against a black person resisting arrest, but they have absolutely no concern if the same thing was done to a white person. If that is not racism and extreme partiality, there is no such thing as racism or partiality.
Another evidence of this reverse racism is Identity Politics. This new ideology has many names, new words and phrases that identify many groups as innocent victims and other groups as perpetrators. That is exactly what cultural Marxism or economic Marxism does. They believe that white people, males, conservatives, capitalists and bible believing Christians are the evil people that should be put in bondage of various kinds and be coerced to accept their false narrative of White Privilege and systemic racism. While at the same time those that they identify as “Sacred Cow” victimhood groups, are those that are standing strong against biblical principles and values in their beliefs and lifestyle.
The vocabulary of this new ideology includes, White Privilege, Critical Race Theory, Identity Politics, Intersectionality Wokeness, Political Correctness and more. The whole thing is based upon setting some groups against other groups and some people against other people by being partial toward some groups and having animosity toward and denigrating other groups. If this isn’t understood to be reverse racism, we are looking through the wrong distorted lens.
I am not saying that I am never partial and don’t have negative thoughts towards other groups including people different from myself. However, I am saying that we all should examine ourselves and not be hypocritical by accusing others of what we are guilty of ourselves.
Identity Politics goes against all biblical principles and commandments. Rather than forgiving others as the bible admonishes us to do, proponents of Identity Politics teach we need multiple paybacks for any and all past and present grievances. No matter what one does, there is no redemption. The only choice is to be a slave forever to their false narrative!
Level 5 or 6 racism that ranks 12th on the Severity Index table is not America’s problem. All those things that are above level 12 with lower rank numbers are the problem. They include:
- Missing Heaven 1,000,000,000
- Murder of a child or unborn baby 1,000,000
- Murder of an adult 100,000
- Big lie that supports other evil actions 10,000
- Assault or injury 1,000
- Arson 500
- Identity theft 100
- Robbery 50
- Coercion 20
- Lying or deceiving 10
- Harassment or bulling 5
We need to turn to God and follow the biblical plan for our lives in order to give ourselves a better life and make America a better place.
A great short clip on Critical Race Theory
Dear black people. Here is what you need to understand
Police officers have become the targets of violent activists who are seeking to upend America as we know it. Heather Mac Donald, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and author of The War on Cops, is in the studio this week to break down the myths behind “systemic racism” and “police brutality.”