I share my birthday with the historic Supreme Court ruling Loving v. Virginia, which struck down state laws banning marriage between people of different races. The ruling happened on June 12, 1967. This was only 56 years ago. If it isn’t within your living memory and you’d like to learn more, I recommend the 2016 film Loving.
To strike down a law is one thing, but to dismantle the belief system that created it is a whole other journey. The United States is still on the journey of uprooting racism and all the ways it has permeated our systems and culture. The work before us remains extensive.
It’s common for those of us who are white to bristle at the idea of needing to do antiracist learning or training. Often I’ve heard people say something like, “I know racism is wrong. How can I be racist?”
If you find yourself reflected in this statement, I’d encourage you to sit with the discomfort for a little bit. Then, I invite you to practice curiosity. What would it hurt to learn more about racism? What would be the downside of attending an antiracism training?
There might be some discomfort, since being stretched comes with growing pains. But what a small price to pay.
In this issue, we’ve dedicated space to features on racial justice. I hope that as you read you can practice curiosity and open yourself to being challenged and stretched.
I also want to point out the back cover, which highlights the organization Roots of Justice. I’ve attended several trainings by Roots of Justice, and I recommend them to anyone who would like to learn more about racism and what it means to be antiracist. You can participate in trainings as an individual or as a group — a congregation, Sunday school class or work cohort. I can’t recommend them enough.
In our call for submissions for this issue, we quoted from the Birmingham jail letter of Martin Luther King Jr.: “The question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists will we be?”
We ask now: What kind of extremism does Jesus require of us in the face of current injustices?
Sit with this question. The answer will be different for different people. This question reflects Micah 6:8:
“. . . and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
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