The game of black vs white

In the game of black vs white, no one wins.

I have lived nearly my entire life in a city that is nearly 50/50 split between black and white people. As of the 2010 census, it was 56.6% black and 37.4% white with the rest being hispanic or biracial. I attended an elementary school that was majority white, but bussed in a small percentage of black kids. I attended a junior high and high school that was majority black and bussed some of us white kids in.

I remember vividly the white kids who harassed me and gave me trouble. I also remember vividly the black kids who harassed me and gave me trouble. What I learned from my integrated upbringing is that there are some white people that are punks, thugs and bullies. I also learned that some black people are punks, thugs and bullies. I’ve learned that you have to be on guard against those who would seek to do you harm based on their mindset, attitude and disposition and not as much based on the color of their skin. I seem to remember someone who mentioned the content of a person’s character being important.

I usually avoid the subject of prejudice and racism with the exception of preaching against it, but I’m noticing trouble as a result of the Ferguson matter. As I understand it, the rioters and looters in Ferguson do not have the death of Michael Brown at heart in their actions. No one in their right mind burns their own neighborhood down to protest the death of one of their own at the hands of another. The rioters and looters are simply opportunists who are using the decision as justification to engage in destructive behavior.

The media coverage is extremely divisive. If they can create a civil war within our country between black and white folks, they will have plenty of sensational headlines to report. I’m watching my black friends post articles and comments about the evil white cop that murdered an innocent black boy. I’m also watching my white friends post articles and comments about how black men are killing white cops and no one is reporting about it. It seems that many are choosing to respond emotionally rather than rationally. This, “One of yours killed one of ours so we’re going to kill one of yours” or “One of ours may have killed one of yours, but yours kill ours too” is not productive. It’s time we start viewing such matters through the eyes of justice and not emotion.

Criminal’s lives end badly, white or black. If my son ever gets shot by a black cop, I’m sure he will have done something to deserve it.

The day of the broad brush has to be retired. Whites cannot blame all blacks for being racist or criminal. Blacks cannot blame all whites every time a white cop misbehaves or does his job regarding one of their own.

White men throughout American history have committed great atrocities against other races. From slaughtering the Indians to enslaving black people, there is much blood on white men’s hands. But the current generation has had no hand in “whites” and “colored” drinking fountains. My children bear no more blame for the wickedness of previous generations than the children of Germany are responsible for the horrors of the SS.

Day to day life in high school was pretty uneventful. White kids and black kids got along just fine with only the occasional misstep. Nothing more than what happened with someone of our own race at times. But when the national media starts fanning the flames of white vs. black, we become irrational.

Maybe I am naive to think that we should be blind to the amount of melanin in someone’s skin and make our judgments based on their hearts as revealed by their behavior. It is, however, the biblical directive. Jesus spoke with a Samaritan woman. One whom He should have avoided based on cultural attitudes regarding both race and gender. Paul said that there is neither Jew nor Greek, but that we are all one in Christ.

Race is certainly a strange thing. I remember one day after gym a white kid named Chris White fought a black kid named Eugene Black.

There was no winner.