[Peace-discuss] [Peace] a few moments to reflect on racism

[C G Estabrook]

https://theintercept.com/2018/10/31/donald-trump-2016-election-economic-distress/


> On Nov 1, 2018, at 3:35 AM, Debra Schrishuhn via Peace <peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
> 
> Amid the maelstrom of endless news cycles and bloviating politicians,
> we need to take a few moments to reflect on the underlying racism
> among ourselves. Sadly, the
> candidacy locally and nationally of people of color sparks negative
> and racist reactions from the electoral opposition in words and actions
> that range from dog whistle politics to outright acts of violence and
> hate crimes.
> 
> I commend all who work to raise awareness about the pernicious issues
> of institutionalized racism that pervade our society and community. We
> must begin talking with one another, not at each other, and we must be
> willing to go beyond our own comfort zones to learn how others
> experience the world. Here, I am not just talking about people of
> different political perspectives communicating, but within our own
> ranks, we must condemn
> the casual racism of disrespect and the tendency to dismiss
> individuals because their looks or their perspective or their speech
> or their dress is unfamiliar, not what we are expecting, or associated
> with a particular socio-economic stratum.
> 
> I think often of the Senegalese conservationist Baba Dioum:
> 
> "In the end we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what
> we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught." (paper
> presented to General Assembly of the International Union for the
> Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, 1968.)
> 
> Although his focus was the natural world, his words are applicable to
> much more than forestry and wildlife. Put another way, exposure leads
> to education, education leads to understanding, understanding leads to
> appreciation, and appreciation and love lead to action.
> 
> If you have a few moments to spare, please read this article:
> 
> https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/opinion-midterms-candidates-of-color_us_5bd0d365e4b0d38b587f6dcf
> 
> Be well,
> Deb
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