Building a ‘beloved community’ for everyone starts with each of us rooting out racism

In this time of tension, some are surprised to see just how real racism is, how ongoing it is in both visible and invisible forms. For others, it’s always been real – and painful. Racism did not end with the Emancipation Proclamation, or with the 13th Amendment banning slavery, or with the 14th Amendment establishing birthright citizenship, or with the 15th Amendment recognizing that the right to vote cannot be restricted based on race, or with the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Racism is a sneaky evil. Everyone proclaims that racism is bad, but there are many ways that people will explain away racist acts or thoughts as something else. Racist acts and thoughts get downplayed or dismissed, or attention is diverted away entirely with, “But what about ... ” Some are more concerned about appearing racist or being called racist than they are of doing the hard work of undoing the racism that might lurk in their heart.

But undoing racism is not enough; it is only a first step. If we are to completely dismantle racism, we must not just undo it, but also build something to replace it. Dismantling racist attitudes, policies and practices must be accompanied by positive forces of good that heal and build up the community, and bring us together. We must build the “beloved community,” to borrow the phrase from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

How are we to build this beloved community in these challenging times? The Episcopal Church promulgated four aspects of this work a few years ago to help guide both the church and the wider community in this work.

1. Telling the Truth. It is not easy to tell the truth about the effects of racism, and it is not easy to hear them. The truth confronts our easy narratives and views, especially if we have not experienced overt racism ourselves. It takes imagination and empathy to listen deeply, and it takes humility to acknowledge that our own experiences are not the same as others. It also takes courage to face up to racist attitudes hiding in our own hearts.

2. Proclaiming the Dream. What kind of community do we want to be? What do we imagine the future of Boise, of Idaho, of the United States, of the world to be like? We cannot be content with a status quo that diminishes so many people. We must imagine – and share – a dream of a future where everyone enjoys dignity, respect and compassion.

3. Practicing the Way of Love. If there is to be a better future, it must begin with a better me. We cannot be content for someone else to do the work for us. We must begin with ourselves, our households, our faith communities and other organizations — and work outward. We cannot love God, whom we cannot see, unless we love the neighbor we do see.

4. Repairing the Breach. As we look to history, we see many wrongs and sins committed against others. As we look to the present, we see how those wrongs and sins have echoed, harming people today. We must set our minds to building a better future, not to doing the bare minimum to exonerate ourselves or our ancestors for any misdeeds.

We are not zeroing out some debt. We are repairing a breach with other human beings because we love them.

Building the “beloved community” will take time. How long it takes to undo systemic racism and oppression is up to us, and whether we are eager to show love for others. Let’s work for a better future, for a beloved community. Let’s work for justice and love.