PARAKLETOS

I know to some of you that the very idea that white people have certain privileges because of their skin color is a very offensive concept.  But my education and experience has led me to the conclusion that I have been give certain things just because I am white (we could also talk about “male privilege” but that will be a later conversation).  One of the great American lies is that we all have equal access and if we just work hard then we get ahead.  So under that thinking all that we have is what we have earned or worked for, but I have many brothers and sisters of color that have worked just as hard if not harder then me and still have not got what I have.

Here is some of what I am talking about:  for every $1 net worth for white families, black families have .08 cents.  Part of that is because the government through FHA loans gave out housing loans disproportionally to white families which led to what we know of today as the suburbs. (do a little research on “Red Lining”)  And it is in those suburbs that land values have sky rocketed while properties in the city core have not done anything close to that.  Today the average home in my neighborhood is selling for $50,000, while I know of others in the suburbs selling their “average” house for over $200,000.  When you come for a family that has made a fortune on real estate then college becomes much more of a possibility and with a college degree a good paying job becomes a reality.. see how this can just keep going?  Have access to that “land” has been huge.

Or here is another privilege what I have had.  When I went to college I never thought about anyone treating me differently because of my skin color.  College brought all kinds of challenges my way but I did not think of being called racial slurs or stereotyped because of my skin. But my I have students who here at
Bethel face those evil realities everyday.  I just had two students today tell me their stories, stories that bring anger over this issue to the surface, stories that if I would have had to face I would not have made it through college, stories that lead me to write about these things no matter how uncomfortable it might make me feel or anyone that I know.

I have never thought about working hard to prove myself because of my skin color, but just yesterday a friend of mine talked about how that is part of their daily reality.  They are always trying to prove themselves to be capable.

I have never thought that if I failed that I would be considered a discredit to my race, but I hear stories of others who feel the pressure to not let their race down because if they fail others will say “all those_____” and then fill in the blank.

Those of us who find ourselves in the dominate culture have to get real with ourselves and face the reality that we have been given certain things because of skin color.  We have to grow up, repent, and start trying to see things from the “other” perspective.

If you want to read more here is a good article.  http://seamonkey.ed.asu.edu/~mcisaac/emc598ge/Unpacking.html

So it has been sometime since we last blogged.  August got to be a crazy month starting back at
Bethel.  But it has been a really good month 1/2.  I took a 2 ½ day training on anti-racism.  I learned a lot, got very angry about some of the things I learned, and I learned how to channel that anger into working towards a better future.  I am hoping to blog later today on some things that we talked about.

Our neighborhood BBQs came to an end in August.  I think all of us have had our fill of BBQ hotdogs for awhile.  Over the 9 weeks we averaged about 25 people each night and it really helped us all get to know each other better.  For the first few weeks after we ended we still had neighborhood kids asking if we where going to have the BBQ that week.  Those weekly gathering became a place for all of us to share our lives with each other and when they where done we all have missed them.

The garden is coming to the end of is production, but we are still getting peppers, broccoli, and tomatoes off it.  Just last night I was getting a pepper for supper when Bobby a neighbor came by.  He was going to make chicken for supper so I gave him a hot pepper and a few green tomatoes.  That garden has been such a holy place of meeting others and entering into relationship with them.  I got to know Bobby because one afternoon we worked in the garden together.

This Sunday we are starting Catalyst a gathering of northside neighbors, who are committed to the idea of neighboring.  If you live on the northside and you want to connect with others people in the neighborhood we are gathering at Cross Connections at 6pm-7:30 pm on Sunday.  We are going to be having some food/ conversation and unpack more about what it means to neighbor.

I am planning on being back this afternoon to talk about “White Privilege”