The Salvation Army recently published a mini handbook titled: Let’s Talk About….. RACISM
It was a rather depressing read. Since I was a small child, I have loved to run up to the hanging buckets and put my extra change in. This was my good deed for the holiday. When you’re not even a teenager yet, you think you have made great strides in making someone’s life better for the season. As an adult, for about 6 years in a row, I was one of the bell ringing volunteers. I even got my sons involved.
Imagine my disgust when I discovered they are just another major organization involved in a discriminatory, anti-White, and blatant racist position and wants White people to agree to it.
S.A. definition of racism: the prejudiced treatment, stereotyping or discrimination of POC (people of color) on the basis of race. Racism also refers to the system of social advantage and disadvantage or privilege and oppression that based on race. Racism is a marriage of racist policies and racist ideas produces and normalizes racial inequities.
Essentially, they, The Salvation Army, are making their own definition to suit their propaganda. They then expend it to discuss individual racism. Ok, I agree, individuals can be racist. No need to hash out the definition. We all know a racist person when we hear one / read one.
Then they define institutional racism. They say policies that result in inequitable outcomes for Whites over POC are racist. Then they admit that these institutions never mention any racial group, but the intent is to create advantages. So, they make a definition to suit their own needs while the rest of the world realizes there is no such thing as institutional racism. An institute is not a thinking, planning, scheming, racist entity. It’s not even a building. It’s a name of an organization. As such, it cannot be racist. I do need to point out their definition is an attempt to make sure all outcomes are equitable. Not equal. Here’s the difference. If you gave a learned artist and I the same paint brush, the same paint, the same canvass, the same room to paint it, the same model, etc. you have treated us both equal. However, the results WILL NOT BE EQUAL. But these people want the results to be equal – as crazy as that is. So, they treat us equitable. As such, they are going to make the learned artist paint with his non-dominant hand, in the dark, with one eye closed and they are going to give me a tutor. Guess what, the results are still going to be unequal.
I might be able to get on board with their definition of a “racist policy”. We all can. If an organization initiates a policy that is clearly discriminatory against someone for whatever reason, that’s a racist policy. You know, sort of like businesses having a person of color candidate who clearly struggled during the interview and a white male candidate who clearly knew what he was talking about and hiring the person of color because the company likes to diversify their hiring results.
The Salvation Army program ends with a section on repentance. That is, simply, demanding that all White people apologize for the crimes and prejudices of their ancestors. People generations removed from their birth. People they have never heard of nor have any affiliation with. And, under the assumption that their ancestors acted with racist intent!!! In other words, if you’re White, you’re a racist.
As critical race theory starts seeping into every corner of our lives, we, as White people, need to recognize when we are being discriminated against and then organize to respond. With that said, we, as White people need to make sure our thoughts, our actions and our spoken word is not racist. Period.
Kevin Driscoll 