The Race Card and The Hand We've Been Dealt

The news these days is so overwhelming. Just this morning alone I read about a Chinese yacht capsizing with 458 people on board and a petrol explosion in Ghana leaving over a hundred dead. It seems like the only way to cope is to put on one's rose-coloured glasses and get on with my day. Trauma after trauma can take you from shock to disbelief to exasperation to helplessness then numbness. That's if our conscience is even attuned to what goes on around us. It's so easy to be disengaged or indifferent to things that don't affect our immediate bubbles. At any given time we are going through some hardship of our own, our experiences are different to those of others therefore our reactions and perceptions of the world we live in could not possibly be unanimous. That's the common rationale. But sometimes, by no coincidence, you get to live the headlines, and you wait for the breakthrough moment but it just doesn't appear on the horizon. As you read this, I'm hoping you'll dig a little deeper, allow me to burst your bubble and let the fresh air hit you.

Poverty. Religion. Gender inequality. Racial discrimination. These elements have become synonymous with segregation. Although measures can and have been taken to mitigate poverty and gender inequality through initiatives like the Millenium Development Goals, it's almost impossible to gauge and sustain the success of interventions toward obscure issues such as race and religious harmony. I was compelled to write about racism and racial diversity because like many subjects, it incites rebellion within me. I found myself wanting to quit during the process, wondering how I could ever do justice to such an all-encompassing issue. But, to quote one of my favourites John Piper: "It is better to aim at understanding and fall short than to surrender at the outset." So venture I did. I read and read and concluded that I can not possibly exhaust the entire background of racial ideology, but I can address how our way of thinking shapes the realities we see around us today. 

Race remains an intimidating subject because of the pain, confusion and antagonism it has created for centuries. Racism is a weapon that was created, nurtured and wielded by one race- predominantly the white race- to subdue, dehumanise and control others. This statement sounds accusatory, even regressive in 2015, but it is true. To refute that is to be in denial and ultimately halt any progress in eradicating it completely. For this post's sake, it will be helpful to remember that matters of race and racism are not limited to black-white relations or skin colour tensions, but also ethnic biases such as anti-semitism. Mercifully, through periods of protest and bloodshed, independence was gained and today we can live in a day where violence and segregation are widely condemned, equal opportunities have become a common goal in the working culture and trade and co-operation have grown exponentially. But does this reflect unity? Does this mean justice is now truly for all? No. Not yet anyway. Shrapnel from a flawed establishment still pierces the society as a whole and innovative ways to marginalise the minorities still arise. Gone are the days when the Ku Klux Klan could wear a mask and rain terror upon black minorities, the masks are done away with but for many, unrepentant hate still bubbles under the surface. In the new generation, many of the minorities are left feeling resentful, and a phenomena dubbed 'white guilt' has emerged. Simply put, it is not illegal to hold racist or bigoted feelings, it is only illegal to act on them. When discussed frankly, I propose that matters of racism and racial diversity can be many things but not complicated. There is no way to be objective about this issue without being subjective. At the core of seemingly loaded matters is the human condition.

Unabated global racial tensions in the world today are a consequence of the history of a civilisation steeped in self-preservation, wars and colonialism. For centuries, a people has endured the horrors of oppression at the hands of others. Slavery, colonialism, apartheid, the Holocaust, the caste system in India, and most recently, terrorism and xenophobia. These are just the most well-documented, defining incidents. Whether you live in a neo-colonial Africa or modern-day Germany, humanity is still in transition. Multiculturalism has become a reality, but so has conservatism. Even without being particularly scholarly, cinema productions such as '12 Years a Slave' 'Selma' and 'Fruitvale Station' reflecting events that transpired decades apart reveal that the root of prejudice is as sprightly today as it ever was. Trevor Noah, a rising South African comedian, has made waves in the media for his no holds barred, satirical take on racial relations in the 21st century. These are just some of the issues that have been making relentless headlines in the past few years:

• Anti-immigration sentiments are at an all time high almost everywhere. A study released by the Migration Observatory of the University of Oxford revealed that the British public have an overwhelmingly negative opinion of immigration despite not having had a negative experience of it.

• Two decades after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the stifled social mobility in the 'Rainbow Nation' of South Africa is blatant. Despite vying for inclusive black economic empowerment, systemic oppression has left a disparity in access to quality education, health and many would argue, opportunity.

• Police brutality and mass incarceration in the USA. What more can I say?

Fast forward to 2015, where do we fit into the timeline of history? The millenial generation is deemed considerably more educated, opinionated, well-travelled, connected, homogeneous (if our colourful Facebook friends lists are any indiciation) dating and marrying interracially and therefore, tolerant. We are meant to blend more easily and speak out against injustices because we were not born into actively segregative environments, we are supposed to know better, but do we really? 

• A video surfaced online of a fraternity of the University of Oklahoma singing a racist chant. A study conducted by a Professor Spencer Piston at the University of Syracuse measuring found that an unexpectedly high percentage of white millennials rate black people's intelligence and work ethic lower than that of whites. No inferences, pure statistics.

• I recently read a report stating that since Barack Obama was elected into presidential office, a percentage of white Americans do not perceive racism. How many of us get irritated and accuse someone of trying to 'play the race card' when they experience discrimination that we cannot relate to?

• We ingest media that propagates stereotyping and many times advocating the superiority of one race compared to others. In her TED talk, diversity advocate Verna Myers suggests that we have default biases we wouldn't explicitly admit to.

Perhaps in Zimbabwe where I was born and raised is where I see most clearly a culture pervaded by the remnants of racial tension. The social, economic and political effects of colonialism continue to be a highly contested issue. 35 years post-independence; there are lingering reminders that history is never dead. In the backdrop of what once was a flourishing agricultural and mining economy, Zimbabwe took controversial measures to redistribute wealth to the black majority, forcing many white Zimbabweans to emigrate. For those left behind, it begs the question; what qualifies one to be Zimbabwean? Black and white children grow up together, go to school together, go for sleepovers and may even work together. It's all fun and games until the white boy wants to date the black girl and he gets the talk. Or the white woman marries the black guy and gets ostracised from the white community. The stories I could tell..! It seems there is an unspoken mutual agreement to be cordial or friendly with one another beyond racial lines and even go out of your way for one another provided you do not cross a certain line and fully integrate. Despite the apparent separation, a coloured (mixed-race) population emerged, with it's unique set of racial challenges. Outright racism has mutated into a dormant strain of sense of entitlement and racial apathy among a significant number of the white population. When we find only black people speaking out against racism, it can only follow that we are further from egalitarianism than before.

With globalisation on the rise, multiculturalism is calling us out of our comfort zones. Not just on some ethereal scale but in our zone of influence. We might not be able to change policy but we can target our attitudes. The solution comes in acknowledging several truths and addressing our hearts:

We are all responsible

It's easy to think when you have black friends, and like Jay Z and quote Mandela you're not racist. But by simply not taking the time out again and again to acquaint yourself with the nuances and plight of other cultures you will remain insensitive and ignorant. Black people can be racist too. Condemning extremism while harbouring a certain reluctance or rejection of things unfamiliar is a symptom of how oblivious we are to the brokenness of our core, regardless of our race.

This can be hard to grasp if your ancestors lit people on fire, but not you. But the burden is still yours to right wrongs every opportunity you get. If you live in a country where your race or ethnicity is the majority, a heart for the minorities will keep their eyes and hearts open to the well-being of those around you. Do you ever do more than make casual chit chat with to immigrants in your neighbourhood or at your workplace? We would do well to educate ourselves continuously on historical and current affairs. Malaysia battles with latent racism. India and Pakistan. Australians and aboriginal Australians, New Zealanders and Maoris. There is some kind of oppression somewhere and that should not desinsitise us to it, but instead spur us to fight against it. We ought to also resist the tendency to try and rationalise our way out of responsibility. Many in the USA argue that black on black crime is disproportionately higher than other forms of cime therefore a crime that so happens to involve a white person shouldn't automatically be labelled a hate crime. One problem at a time, I say. For the minorities, it means purging the hatred and revenge from those around us and perhaps the greatest challenge of all, forgiveness.

We are all accountable.

Sometimes it's our needlessness to speak out against injustices or the way we passively accept privilege. Our silence is complicity. There is a natural inclination in the human heart to not only strive for security and validation but for greatness. A greatness that elevates our own images, comforts and agendas above others. Black v white. Light skin v Dark skin. Humanity will seize any opportunity to create a heirarchy. Most of us would readily condemn human rights violations yet turn a blind eye to the wickedness in our own backyard. Standing by while an employee is denied fair wages or criticising a relationship with racially biased motives or cracking foreigner jokes is a reflection of a deeply damaged mentality. Fighting racism is not a humanitarian project, it is evidence of a living conscience. One day, we will have to answer for every careless word spoken.

Something about our racial perception needs to be challenged.

We are more ignorant than we'd like to admit. The assumptions we easily make, the stereotypes we believe, the inclination we have to distrust a certain type of person. I have to personally work at not rolling my eyes when I think of Iggy Azalea. In my head, what does she really know about being black? We can sometimes be so protective of our ethnicity that instead of embracing someone trying to understand us, we reject them. Here's an example Greys fans might relate to; remember when Avery left Stephanie at the altar? I took that so personally haha. It was once again media reinforcement that the black woman has the hardest time finding love and is often slighted even by black men. The accuracy of this portrayal may just depend on the beholder but this inferiority notion is one I have to challenge, because statistics should not dictate our self-esteem, morality or even the choice of whom we love. These are just some of the mental barriers I have had to overcome, coming of age in Europe. Beauty and cruelty can be found everywhere and anywhere, the real challenge is opening your eyes to it. Sometimes it takes visiting other countries and being a minority yourself to appreciate the awkwardness and sometimes pure discomfort of standing out against the norm. There are probably specific examples in your own life, my point is, our subconscious judgements are something we personally need to work at instead of giving up. No one is predisposed to racism. We learn it and when we see how wrong it is, we have to unlearn it, one choice at a time.

The message of creation and of the gospel should inspire us to pursue reconciliation.
Christians have a unique commission in the fight against racism. God's calling to love your neighbour as yourself has many times been ignored in the church, with many of us choosing to stick to those we are most familiar with. Man in all his diversity was made in the image of God with equal value and equal promise. Jesus' life and death happened to point lost people from all corners of the world to God the father. In his book Bloodlines, theologian and reformed racist John Piper writes: "our bloodline in Christ is stronger and most important than our natural bloodlines will ever be. This is the identity that transcends any other. "One day," as John Legend and Common sang; "when the glory comes, it will be ours.." For Christians the fight against racism starts with practising a gospel culture and promoting diversity among the body of believers. Pray fellow believers and ask God to show you the ways in which bias has clouded your vision and your mission. We are the example, we are the light in a dark world.

Stepping out doesn't make you a sell-out. 
Appreciating or even adopting foreign norms can sometimes make us feel like we are losing our own identity but it need not. Opening yourself up to empathising with other people, embracing them, standing for them can create room for criticism from your own peers. As with all worthwhile endeavours in life, you have to go against the grain. Equality is a goal and at the same time, diversity should be celebrated. It is not a mistake or some serendipity that there are more than 7 billion people with different skin tones, unique features and genetic precision. It is the evidence of an omniscient, detailed Creator. More than being 'colourblind', we should strive to embrace each other's idiosyncrasies. In doing so, bonds will be formed and understanding will be achieved. Am I am blessed to have friends who cared enough to go beyond just a polite hello, they challenged my preconcieved notions, in pulling me out of my bubble, they became family.