By Viola Larson, Naming His Grace.
Presbyterian Church (USA) Co-Moderator, T. Denise Anderson, in her article, “Confession time: How white supremacy hurts white people,” on the Presbyterian Outlook web-site, calls on individual white people to personally confess their individual racism.
Anderson insists that all white people in the United States are involved in racism and white supremacy because the founders of America were colonialist and involved in slavery. Referencing Kelly Brown Douglas, Anderson writes, that the puritans contributed to white supremacy believing themselves to be “the pure remnant of the freedom-loving and exceptionally moral Anglo-Saxons.”
Anderson continues, “The idea of American exceptionalism is intrinsically linked to not only faith, but Germanic (and Norse) heritage. That exceptionalism necessarily excludes those not of that heritage.” She also writes:
“Let me be very clear: One does not have to be malicious or hateful to be racist. One needn’t even be intentional about it. White supremacy is so pervasive, insidious and thoroughly woven into the fabric of our society that it is quite easy to be racist. In fact, it’s difficult to not be racist.”
I was troubled by Anderson’s essay for at least three reasons.
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If Ms. Anderson would read her own history (or even watched the recent amazing version of “Roots”) she would know that slavery could not have flourished as it did without the help of Africans who dealt with their enemies by selling them into slavery. Slavery has never been a white issue exclusively.
I’m going to have to agree with Denise when she says, “In fact, it’s difficult to not be racist.” I wholeheartedly agree. CNN, FOX, MSNBC, and the latest news channel, PCUSA, all report on, and preach about race. Kinda difficult to focus on the Savior when we’re too busy hearing about color…
As a son of Italian immigrants, my father was discriminated against, started his own business, and hired the first black bricklayer in our city. I worked beside him as a laborer, and have nothing to confess. Sorry.
http://townhall.com/columnists/jackkerwick/2016/07/22/racially-incorrect-facts-a-truly-honest-discussion-of-race-n2196401
12-14 million were enslaved in Eastern Africa by Muslims who armed and used blacks to capture other blacks. They went north and around as far as India.
Six million in the West enslaved by Portuguese and Spanish who did the same and shipped the slaves to the West Indies. Only 10% (600,000) ended up in the US proper – the rest went to Mexico, Central and South America. Let’s pay reparations proportionately, then 600,000/20,000,000.
(Source: The Early History of Malawi)
Mauritania still has slavery, and the majority 80% Muslims enslave the minority 20% blacks, if you believe the current estimates. Former estimates were 40% of the population.