Sometimes one has to wonder, will this country ever really change? Will America ever truly embrace the vision of "One nation under God"? Will racism ever be eliminated? And of particular concern here, will we ever understand the concentrated efforts of those in power to castrate totally and negate the significance of the black male?
The black male has experienced violent, painful, overbearing, agonizing, and clear evidence of the racism in our society. Take a serious look at the jails of this nation and you will find that there are more black men behind prison bars than in institutions of higher learning. Break through the corridors of history and you will discover that more than 85 percent of those who have suffered capital punishment were black. Spend a casual day at the unemployment office and you will observe black man after black man beaten down, their spirits depressed, their self-respect stripped away, and their sense of dignity annihilated.
Some of the clearest evidence of the presence of racism in America is the oppressive condition of the black male. Day in and day out, they come asking for tokens to ride the bus, seeking food for their hungry, often bewildered, children, and crying profusely for liberation from discrimination on the job. Often as the victim, he is blamed for his own demise and condition. Indeed it has become the order of the day to blame racism on the victims.
But what is really at stake here? Why is John - young, black, articulate - treated with such disdain, contempt, and disrespect? We must first understand that the overriding issue is not skin color but economic power. Poverty is the malignant incubator nurturing the seeds of racism in America. Couple this with the aversion and unwillingness of the religious community to confront seriously its own hidden and frequently elusive racist tendencies, and we perpetuate a government, a society, a Constitution, and a religious ethos founded upon racial prejudice.
IT IS NO ACCIDENT that, historically, the only independent body to address racism in America has been the black church. This means that the primary threat to the powers that be, and those who seek to maintain racism, is the black minister. The voice of the black minister is the voice of justice and parity for the oppressed people of this nation.
If one looks at incidents like that in Howard Beach in New York, where a black youth was killed, or Miami, Florida, where racial tensions are extremely high, or Forsyth County, Georgia, where the Ku Klux Klan tried to prevent a peaceful march, you will find economically independent, spiritually gifted, and politically astute black preachers representing the voice of God. They are not intimidated or despondent, but rather they are fearless champions for dignity and respect. Examples can be seen historically in Rev. Nat Turner, Rev. Frederick Douglass, and Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. But more important, in today's endless battle against racism you can see them in Rev. Benjamin Hooks, Rev. Jesse Jackson, and Rev. Joseph Lowery.
On the one hand, the black male is one of the most beaten, oppressed, alienated, and abused groups of people in America. But on the other hand, he has the potential to be his own liberator and champion. You can rest assured that his voice will never be silenced, his feet will not be halted, his dreams will not be denied, his hopes for America will not be thwarted, his spirit of love will not be overcome, and his contempt for injustice, racism, and bigotry will forever be strong. With God's help, we shall overcome.
Timothy McDonald was national director of special projects for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and pastor of First Iconium Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia when this article appeared.
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