The mainstream news media proclaim that America is racially divided. The President claims that we are not as divided as it appears. African-Americans say we have always been divided—nothing has changed. Latinos say, of course we are divided. Native Americans: “yes, from the Mayflower until today.” Whites express numerous views, and many are constantly seeking understanding. “Black lives matter!” “Blue lives matter!” “All lives matter!”
Concern for the state of race relations in America is appropriate. However, we are not hearing solutions that will have a significant or long-lasting impact on the heightened racial tension in America.
Some are using this sad moment in American history to criticize the establishment, institutions, government, white male authority and militant protesters, as “the problem.” Cooler heads among politicians, pundits and news anchors are calling for sensible conversations. But conversation without meaningful action is worthless.
Great moments in our nation’s 240 years include The Emancipation Proclamation, The Civil Rights Acts, the National Holiday for MLK and the election of an African-American President. But even those landmark strides have failed miserably in changing the status quo of a prominent racial divide in America.
Let me unpack a few episodes of the past to show you that most of the recommendations being put forth do not vary from most of the tactics already tried. The Emancipation Proclamation and The Civil Rights Acts were powerful documents that brought about measures of positive change. Unfortunately, the changes were short lived as the strategic maneuvering of man seemingly found subtle and discreet ways to ultimately maintain the racial divide. When blacks moved into a suburban neighborhood, the whites moved out. When churches established a gospel choir, white members moved to other churches. When schools were forced to integrate, white parents placed their children in private schools. Affirmative Action forced institutions and businesses to integrate, but the opinion of many in the majority never changed—that Affirmative Action was, and is, a bad thing, unfair and ineffective. Cries of “reverse racism” gave bigotry a fresh start.
Many would point to the fame and fortunes of Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, and Denzel Washington as success stories which prove that America has finally changed its ways and accomplished equal opportunity. Look a little deeper.
Michael Jordan’s success and finances did not prevent him from being denied membership in an exclusive white country club. Denzel Washington’s success in the movie industry has not balanced the scales for actors of color because of a predominantly white academy. (Could anyone miss the pain of Hollywood’s actors of color literally being shunned two years in a row?) There are countless other illustrations that validate the point that we are racially divided despite individual successes, Civil Rights Acts, Affirmative Action and numerous high level conversations on race. Depending on where you sit, you can see them every day.
So far, the results of virtually all of the actions to integrate the races seem relatively short-lived. One step forward—two steps back to a racially divided America.
Simply put, these actions comprise the wisdom of man, our best ideas and our most vigorous effort, all of which the Bible describes as “earthly, natural, demonic, resulting in jealousy, selfish ambition, disorder and every evil thing.” It’s time for help from above, a kind of divine intervention. What we need is the wisdom of God, which the Bible describes as, “pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy, unwavering and without hypocrisy.”
There is an answer drawn from the wisdom of God that is so profound and so simplistic that virtually all of the aforementioned persons and factions have completely missed it. If applied, this solution can solve the racial divide and the divide between the police and the communities of color. I have even seen this solution close the perennial divide that exists between Democrats and Republicans. The answer for a divided America is wrapped up in one simple word: relationship.
We must define and explain the authentic relationships that will cure racial division. Relationships must be genuine as opposed to superficial; permanent as opposed to temporary; and intimate as opposed to casual. A good phrase to help understand this definition of intimacy is: “into-me-see.” The Bible describes this kind of relationship in the book of Proverbs as “a friend that sticks closer than a brother.” Simply put, this is a relationship where divorce is simply not an option. In this kind of relationship, the only course of action is to remain committed to resolving the inevitable conflicts that arise in cross-racial or cross-cultural relationships. Some will say, “This is too hard.” All genuine relationships, even marriage, requires hard work to succeed.
Dr. Tony Evans (and many other preachers) have said, “We may have come to this land on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” Who would rather drown than stay in the ship?
I realize that many will not relate to the Bible; however, I believe that the best and most profound prescription for genuine relationship comes from the Bible and its many complex, complicated, multicultural interactions.
Many are saying what is needed is more love. I completely agree. However, we must apply it in the context of relationship. No less a voice that Jesus Christ Himself said, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” from a passage called “The Great Commandment.” Pretty high billing, and this is clearly the locomotive that must drive relationship.
Coach Bill McCartney, who had a collegiate Hall of Fame career at the University of Colorado, took a football team ranked dead last in Division 1, and coached them from the cellar to the ceiling as a National Champion. In the course of doing such, he recruited football players, half of whom were African-American. One half of his coaching staff was also African-American. The college environment was the 98-percent-white Boulder, Colorado, with a comparable percentage within the student body.
“Coach Mac” had to overcome racial insensitivity within the campus administration, on the City Council, with the police force, as well as within his own coaching staff and among the diversity of players. To be successful, Coach McCartney needed to have a coaching staff and players that functioned as one family. What was the genius of his success? Relationship.
In ESPN’s 30 for 30 documentary entitled, “The Gospel According to Mac,” more than a third of the film is firsthand accounts of the high visibility trials from the white coach and a half-dozen of his former African-American players. It’s a poignant demonstration of how relationships were developed, and serves as a workshop for race relations in NCAA football programs.
In 2012, Trayvon Martin was killed in an altercation with George Zimmerman in Sanford, Florida. After angry and violent protests, I was invited by leaders in the Sanford community to come and speak to the African-American pastors. I agreed only if they would assemble the white, Hispanic, Asian, and Messianic Jewish pastors as well. Together, we spent three hours in a seminar involving principles of relationship and reconciliation.
Knowing that these brave pastors would leave our seminar to face intense community pressure, I challenged the pastors of the Sanford community to be their own spokespersons, and not allow Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson to speak for them.
However, to earn the right to speak for the community, they needed to demonstrate to the community at large that they could fellowship, exist and stand as one, across racial lines.
The pastors in Sanford chose a leader among them to coordinate monthly meetings. The churches—even some with doctrinal differences—had joint meetings and developed meaningful relationships for the next 12 months. When the trial of George Zimmerman resulted in an acquittal, violent protests erupted in cities across America, but not in Sanford, Florida.
Why did peace break out in Sanford? The pastors became leaders in the community and became unified through meaningful relationships. This confused the national news media, who were there expecting to capture violent protests.
I believe these two examples demonstrate that the cure for the racial divide in America. The establishment of genuine, meaningful relationships can heal the wounds between the police and the communities of color, urban and suburban community leaders and churches, and community organizers and communities who are racially different, yet inseparably linked.
The key to achieving this critical reconciliation is appointing leaders in each of these areas who will assume the responsibility for coordinating regular and consistent activities on a monthly basis, specifically designed to engender genuine relationships.
Our nation is counting on it. {eoa}
Dr. Raleigh B. Washington is President and CEO of Promise Keepers. He co-authored “Breaking Down Walls—A Model for Reconciliation in an Age of Racial Strife” with Glen Kehrein in 1993. He’s been traveling the world over, teaching, coaching, praying and working for true racial reconciliation his entire ministry life.
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