One Race, the Human Race

I'm so happy that my bloggy friend Kera from Nugget on a Budget is hosting this great new link up. I needed something like this to inspire me to get back to the reasons I started blogging. I started blogging to share my thoughts on thing and to share my faith and to help others. It's so easy to get away from all of that when you get so caught up in gaining followers, fun link ups, giveaways, sponsors, etc. I've enjoyed all of that stuff, but I don't want to lose who I am and who I set out to be as a blogger.

{I know this is a Tuesday link up, but yesterday I had to introduce you to Kim. If you missed it you should check it out because there's a gift for you at the end.}

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Today, I'm going to write about a touchy subject because it has been on my heart and mind a lot in the last couple of years actually. My intent is not to offend anyone. I simply want to share my thoughts and would love to hear your thoughts as well.

I grew up in a small town (in case you didn't gather that from the name of the blog) in southern Alabama. When I was growing up, everyone in my town was pretty much black or white. I really didn't know any Hispanics until I was in high school. Even then, there were only a few. When I was younger, there really weren't even a lot of mixed race people in my town. Like I said, it was pretty much black or white. So, I didn't grow up experiencing a lot of racial diversity. 

I never considered myself to be a racist person. I never hated or even disliked someone simply because they were a different color than me. I had friends at school and in my extracurricular activities that were black. However, these friendships never extended beyond school and activities. I think this was the way it was for most people. We all got along when we were together, but that was as far as it went. 

Despite all the work that had been done in the past to bring all races together, we all still chose to separate ourselves. My school cafeteria would always be one of the most segregated places. This was done by choice. People usually stood around at break with people of the same color. Churches are also a very segregated place in my town. Even where people choose to live creates separation. It seems that when given a choice, people still wanted to be around other people like themselves. 

While I say that I did not consider myself to be racist, I can look back now and see that I did have some stereotypical ideas. It was never something I was taught explicitly. It was never something I really voiced. It was just the thoughts I had in my head. I never really realized they were there until I moved away. Now that I live in a larger city with a lot more diversity, I can see a huge difference in "race relations" in a small town versus a big city.

I work in a large elementary school with students from all different races as well as mixtures of all different races. I have students in my class who are literally African American because their parents came to America from Africa. I have Hispanic students from different Hispanic countries. I have had students who are mixtures of black and white, Hispanic and white, Hispanic and black, Asian and black. You name it and there's probably a student like that at my school. But the funny things is, when I see those students every day. I don't look at them and think 'There's X, he's black.' I just see them as my students. At the end of the year, we actually have to divide the students into classes and we have to try and keep a mixture of races so we have to separate kids out by their race. This is the first time all year that we actually stop to think about what "color" the student it. 

Working in an elementary school has also shown me that children are probably the least judgmental of us all. They all will play together regardless of someone's color. They don't care if you're black, white, or purple. Yet as they get older, you slowly see that begin to change. Why is that? Why can't we all have the innocence of young children?

Living in a larger city has also broken away a lot of my stereotypical ideas. Please know that I realize racism exists everywhere- even in large cities. I also realize that just because you're in a small town, it doesn't mean you're a racist person. I'm just sharing my personal experiences.

So, all of this leads me to talking a little bit about the presidential election and double standards. Our president is black. I personally don't care what color he is. However, I'm afraid many people did vote for him because of his race just like I'm sure many people didn't vote for him because of his race.

Being from southern Alabama, you can probably guess who most of my Facebook friends supported in this election. I have seen a lot of comments in the days following Election Day where people stated their unhappiness with President Obama's reelection. What I did not see (on MY Facebook, not saying no one says it) was anyone saying they were mad that our president is black. I didn't see that this year and I didn't see it 4 years ago. I did, however, see some statements from President Obama supporters that I'm sure would be considered racist if they were coming from the other side.

Here are some gems that graced my Facebook page:
"MY PRESIDENT IS ________ BLACK U BETTA ACT LIKE U KNOW!!!!!!!"
or
"That's MISTER President to you, Cracker!"

My point in sharing this is to show that racism does not simply come from one race. All races are guilty of discriminating and making unkind statements about another race. I will also admit that when I am teaching history to my students, I am often embarrassed at our past. White men have a very long, sad history of mistreating minorities. However, we must also realize that our world has a long, sad history of people being mistreated. All races have preyed on "weaker" races throughout history. This is part of living in a sinful and fallen world.

Lee and I have discussed our thoughts on race and we would love to be a part of a multicultural church some day. Why do we separate ourselves to worship God? Heaven won't be segregated. I think a church can be much more effective when they are living out their love for ALL people instead of just saying they love all people. We also just might have a multicultural family some day. As I've shared on my blog before, we hope to adopt. We aren't there yet so I don't know where we'll adopt from, but we're open to whatever and whoever God leads us to.

When will we, Christians, stop conforming to the world and live out God's love by loving one another? 

So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.
-Genesis 1:27

 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. -John 3:16

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit -Matthew 28:19

 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. -Revelation 7:9

Do you have any thoughts you'd like to share on race?