America confronts its sickness of racism

‘If not now, then when?”

This question is attributed to John Lewis, a leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s (he shared with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.), and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. The question is as relevant, pertinent, apropos today as it was when originally posed.

A little more than 60 years ago, when a sophomore at South Carolina State College (university), I made a decision to join a march — a march to sit-in at the lunch counter at the F.W. Woolworth Department Store. We were protesters. While on our way we were met by firetrucks that hit us with life-threatening pressurized water.

We were arrested, taken to the fairgrounds, placed in animal cages. We demonstrated because of Jim Crow, whose father is racism.

How I hoped that things would get better, but racism has so many children in so many walks of life — it is formidable.

Recently, one of racism’s children took a knee, not to pray, and snuffed out a life — the life of George Floyd, while three of racism’s other children watched. They aided and abetted; they consented.

America watched, no, the world watched. I watched. Then together we screamed: “Oh no, not again!”

It brought back the memory of the cruelty, the senselessness of the most recent deaths of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. Enough is enough!

Racism had had its way for far too long. The straw had broken the camel’s back; the genie was out of the bottle and was not about to make three wishes. Instead, the genie asked the question: “Are you racist or anti-racist?” Which are you? If you don’t decide now, then when?

I believe that protest marches are right; I also believe in being mindful of others’ rights.

(While writing, I had an epiphany. In my hands were meds to take for the day. They began to speak to me. They said: “I’m for this and for that.” Three others spoke almost simultaneously, “We’re for that.” The smallest of the bunch said, “You won’t feel good today unless you take me.” The allergy spray said: “Don’t forget about me.”)

I thought, there is treatment for what ails me. There is also a treatment for what ails us, America!

Racism ails us, and there is treatment. The treatment is a change of heart! If not now, America, then when? “America, America, God shed His grace on thee. And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.”

Amen.

The Rev. Florence Clarke is the former pastor of Walls Temple African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in New London, now retired.