Game Changers: The Conscious Culture Volume 2 Issue 8 | Page 11

Putting an end to Racism
and Social Injustice
by Thomas White
Silence in the face of racism
is participating in that racism.
There is no other way around it.
If you see blatant discrimination
and oppression happening and
you do not take steps to correct
it, then you are complicit in that
oppression.
At some point, Americans must
realize that hiding from a prob-
lem does not make the problem
go away. I hear people talk about
the resurgence of racism since
the election of Donald Trump.
The reality is that racism never
went away. The racists were only
quiet, biding their time until they
could openly proclaim their true
allegiance.
The sad part of the story is that
we knew they still existed. We
heard racism roar as Tamir Rice
took his last breath. We shouted
and protested that roar. We raged
against the complex that allowed
an innocent child die so cruelly.
We stood indignant against the
tide of hate that threatened us.
Two weeks later, the anger faded.
Yes, beneath the surface, anger
still boiled. Unfortunately, we
had to get back to our everyday
lives. Silence offered too much
comfort. We did not want to
be the only voice shouting. We
preferred to live our fantasy, our
illusion of peace and justice. We
chose to ignore the problem.
Now, we can no longer ignore
the problem. White supremacy
threatens to become mainstream.
The racist movement is almost
acceptable to some of the very
politicians that once condemned
them. Where is that condemna-
tion now? A few months ago,
family and friends chose to dis-
tant themselves from me because
I marched in the Atlanta March
for Social Justice and Women.
They claimed that protesting the
system was un-American. Where
are they now? Do they condemn
those that protest for the side of
hate? You
and I both
know the
answer to
that ques-
tion.
We need
people to
lead our
charge.
We need
organizers
to bring us
together.
We cannot
go back to
silence. I
challenge
every
communi-
ty leader,
myself in-
cluded, to
go beyond
the pulpit.
On Sunday
mornings,
make sure
that you
are preach-
ing about
injustice.
Make
sure that
you are
showing
your con-
gregations
a way to
find hope
and peace.
Do not
stop with
the Sunday
morning pulpit! Go beyond the
doors of your church or meeting
hall. Go into the community and
preach the message of change.
One person cannot stand alone
against the establishment, but
that one person can organize oth-
ers. We must march in numbers.
We must rally against the hate.
This cannot be just a moment in
time. This must be the shift in
our reality that truly changes the
game. Do not let the fire of rev-
olution die. Light your fire now
and contribute it to the flame of
the masses. Alone, our fires may
be small, but together, our flame
of change can sweep the world.
Silence is no longer acceptable.
Game Changers Magazine Sep/Oct 2017 - 10