February in the United States is Black History Month. Anyone with even minimal cultural awareness recognizes the importance of one of our nation’s oldest organized history celebrations. Originally announced as Negro History Week back in 1926, every president since Gerald Ford through Joe Biden has issued a statement honoring the beauty, joy, and perseverance of Black Americans. Ronald Reagan once said that “understanding the history of Black Americans is a key to understanding the strength of our nation.” This understanding can help us heal from our ugly history of oppression, slavery, abuse, and hatred and move toward the equality that our Constitution grants to all people, regardless of their race, gender, or religious beliefs.
Sadly, the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, reports that hate crimes rose again in 2023 in the nation’s 10 largest cities. The summer of 2020 brought us to a peak for demonstrations against the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Rayshard Brooks. As COVID-19 proliferated, Asian Americans reported a surge in racially motivated verbal harassment, racial slurs, physical threats, and cyberbullying. Reports of anti-Arab, anti-Muslim, and anti-Jewish hate have soared since the deadly attacks by Hamas militants in October 2023 that sparked a brutal war in the Gaza Strip of Isreal. We’ve seen a rise in sexism against women and discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community. There is a deepening divide currently over immigration at our borders. Many believe the upcoming elections could cause another spike later this year.
Why can’t we call just get along? Yes, racism is an uncomfortable topic and some people prefer not to talk about it. But his topic matters to all of us so let’s not get too defensive but be open to the possibilities.
As I wrote in my Martin Luther King Day post, good men fight against injustice. They do their part to stand up against racism. It happens everywhere we go, in our neighborhoods, our schools, and our workplaces, and yes, even in our churches. We can no longer remain bystanders who accept or endorse these behaviors because we’re unsure what to do. God men must educate themselves about our history of power and privilege. They learn how to stand in support of those on the receiving end of hate. They realize that racism involves systems and institutions built over hundreds of years. Mature men realize they have biased attitudes but work to eliminate misdirected banter and inappropriate jokes. They realize this discussion is not about racial superiority but about avoiding prejudice, discrimination, and hatred.
Godly men know that we are of one race, the human race. They know that God, The Father loves all people. They know anyone can be saved from our rebellious nature by the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. Godly men trust the Holy Spirit to guide them on how to overcome racism to enjoy the world as it was intended. They love people as Jesus did so everyone will thrive equally in God’s kingdom together.
Wisdom for Men is my opinion on topics that help men become better. The sources used are not fact-checked but support my theory that men are better with deeper, more authentic friendships. This GodBuddy theory is based on biblical principles but applies to all men, regardless of their beliefs. Better friendships can help solve the crisis of male friendship…and the world needs better men. It needs more men who desire to be more like Jesus, our ultimate role model.
[Feature Image by Unseen Histories on Unsplash. Black History Month references from an Associated Press article in Jesse J. Holland in the Chicago Tribune]
