Difference does not imply deficiency.I agree with the statement in the abstract. I pained to admit that I don't think my current life reflects it adequately. The truth is, I more often than not associate with and talk to people who, by and large, have a somewhat similar world view to mine. I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in that, but working in a church, which, as most communities of faith, is one of the primary enclaves of self-segregation in the USA, exacerbates the situation. Am I setting myself up for failure, if what I say I want is more diverse community?
Another thing that frustrates me is that the need for dialog, or what have you, is so often referred to in a two-dimensional way, that is, as something that needs to happen between black people and white people. To be fair, I don't think race relations in the United States can be truly grasped without fully exploring this long history of prejudices, stereotypes, and outright racism and bigotry between whites and African-Americans. At the same time, speaking consistently only on that level is rather narrow and does not describe even the community here in Greenville, North Carolina. Rest assured, I don't labor under the delusion that I'm saying anything remarkably profound here. I am saying that until the conversation reflects our current reality a little more closely, I'm not sure where, if anywhere, we're going to get.
In the meantime, I show up. I show up to events held at different churches and communities of faith, not all the time, but on occasion. I show up in hopes that presence is important, and know that if I don't occasionally show up, things will probably not change.
Today I'm wondering how to be both hopeful and realistic at the same time.
Today I'm wondering how to be both hopeful and realistic at the same time.
