Black leadership scrutiny

I recently read a Post article about Ibrahim Kendi. It makes for interesting reading. There is also a NY Times piece along the same lines. I have had concerns any time one persons perspective gets too much exposure. We need a variety of thinking on these issues. The issue of racism needs lots of exposure but we have to have exposure of the different layers and experiences of Black people. I believe in gaining guidance from a Black anti-racist leader but some of these leaders are at risk of profiteering or even the look of profiteering. Likewise we need to consider different viewpoints in our group. It does NOT mean we automatically compromise and meet in the middle. I seek truth and truth doesn't meet in the middle. I hear many points of view from my Black friends on Facebook ranging from activists to preachers to Trump supporters. I have said before I tend to read articles which may or may not represent a lot of peoples view but it's not a long trip on a single perspective. Some of the perspectives are shared as video and some as simple as a meme. A lot of the ideas are fairly simple. The history is more complex. The ideas include simple ideas like love your neighbor, treat us like people, I don't want to talk about racism all the time, I'm human. 

I tried to share a parallel to this idea in my teaching Sunday. We need to accept the truth that Black leaders share. There's something wrong. We need to hear that deeply. There is something we can do. We need to act with compassion. Even if we make mistakes the action tells Black people we're willing to operate in "dangerous ground". We're willing to expose ourselves to scrutiny. We're going to take a step today and another one tomorrow. Hopefully we won't have to step back because we went the wrong way, but we'll map our journey for others. We'll share our mistakes and our successes.

Others will be able to learn from our journey because we acknowledge and openly share our mistakes. I don't care who walked with Dr King 60 years ago. I care who is in the struggle today especially if they made mistakes before. They can share an understanding and some vital lessons. Our struggle is about life and the life-giving benefit of compassion for one another as Gods creatures. White people need to be given compassion and so do Black people. White people need to face justice individually and as a corporate body. Our white institutions also need to face scrutiny. Progress derailed within the last 60 years and white people by and large ignored it.

Article about Kendi in WaPo

Article about Kendi in NY Times