Not racist? That’s good, but it’s not enough
To the Times:
Raise your hand if you want to do something to combat racism. I’m guessing that the majority of you have your hands in the air.
That’s good, but it’s not enough. In recent weeks, tens of thousands of people across the country have taken to the streets to demand an end to systemic racism, police brutality, and social injustice. Angered by the video of the heartless murder of George Floyd and with fresh memories of so many other people of color killed recklessly, citizens of this country and others have made their outrage and anguish public.
Signs and chants proclaiming that “Silence is Violence,” “I Can’t Breathe,” “No Justice No Peace,” and “Black Lives Matter” have filled television screens, newspapers, and social media platforms. Demonstrations and protests have drawn black and white, male and female, old and young. That’s good, but it’s not enough. Corporations have issued statements of support for the righteous causes that the protestors espouse. Amazon, Nike, Mastercard, Twitter, JPMorgan Chase, the NFL, Google, Target and other massive companies have joined the chorus as have colleges and universities across the nation. They have endorsed concepts that, until recently, were not in their lexicon: microaggressions, Juneteenth, anti-racism, and white privilege.
That’s good, but it’s not enough. Popular culture has signaled a surge of interest in racial understanding. The number of viewers of the Netflix show Dear White People has more than tripled since George Floyd was killed. Best-selling books include titles such as How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo, Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad, and I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown.
That’s good, but it’s not enough. The cynic in all of us forces us to remember other times and tragedies when the pain seemed unbearable and the outcry for a reformation of hearts, minds and public policies seemed to be an unstoppable tsunami. Think Sandy Hook. Until we couldn’t agree how to fix it. And media conglomerates shifted their focus to newer stories. And we forgot.
America’s original sin is racism. Its unforgivable sin is a short attention span.
By now, you’re asking “What is enough?” I freely admit that I don’t have all the answers to this question, but I do have one. It’s time for people in power, mostly white men like me, to stop talking and start acting. My experience is not in business, so I won’t be so bold as to offer advice to CEOs and heads of multi-national corporations.
As a lifelong educator, however, I know there are steps that colleges and universities can take to foster the “uncomfortable conversations” that produce insight and self-awareness: listening sessions, with ground rules for civility, that allow students and faculty to share and absorb experiences from a variety of perspectives; training programs with experts in racial and cultural inclusion; hiring black and brown faculty and staff; expanding curricular offerings to respond to critical social issues; and inviting prominent speakers to campus to address issues of social justice and equity.
The Catholic college where I serve, Neumann University, has traditions steeped in Franciscan values of reverence and service. Every year for decades, we have educated hundreds of students who are the first in their families to pursue a college degree. Students of color are more than onethird of our undergraduate enrollment. We provide a welcoming environment for all who choose to attend.
That’s good, but it’s not enough. We will do more.
Sadly, even if colleges across America adopt all of the concrete steps I have suggested, racism and bigotry won’t disappear. Both sicknesses will certainly be apparent in our society for generations to come; however, we must commit to a sustained effort. We have just witnessed enormous protests that continued for weeks, carefully crafted pledges issued by companies about their core values, and surges of interest about race in popular culture. These phenomena appear to be shifting behavior. But will our short attention span stop us yet again? Let’s begin by promising to extend our attention span – for rest of our lives. It is time for us to act and commit to ongoing change even in the face of a 400year affliction.
I look forward to the day when colleges, businesses, and government entities no longer have to say, “That’s good, but it’s not enough.”