Saint Andrew Events

Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the U.S. The explanation for this holiday can get long and complicated but the core idea is that Juneteenth celebrates a significant step in the struggle against the evil of racism.

Racism seems so illogical. Why do people spend so much time and energy nurturing their hatred of other human beings? I’m sure much of it has to do with economics. If I can deny you a job or a chance to grow a business, I have a chance to take what you might have had. Or it may be politics and power. If I can build a coalition of people whose core identity is the hatred of another group of people, that has created a powerful political movement at certain times in history.

But all of this wealth and power is built on hatred and injustice. Building a life on a foundation of this hatred and injustice would leave a permanent rotten stench, it would seem. No accomplishment after such a beginning would ever feel honestly earned.

And so, how do we work against racism? As a pastor, I find myself saying the same things every Sunday. Every word from our mouths, every thought in our hearts, every action we make has to be done in a deliberate way to bring more good into the world. We cannot be neutral. We cannot be thoughtless or selfish. Or the evil of racism will use our words, thoughts, and actions to grow stronger in the world.

There are, of course, countless particular ways to fight racism in our world. Many books on anti-racism have been written and they each serve their purpose. But the first step has to be a refusal to feed the fire of racism. Do not let your angry words or thoughts overpower you. You must stop them in your own mind or they will take root in the world.

But not feeding the fire is not enough. Fires can grow without our help. Whenever you see a fire, you must dowse it while it is still small.  Insist that the people and organizations around you are always being polite, decent, and fair to all. Call them to task when they are anything less than this. It is easy to do when the problem is just beginning.

Unfortunately, we live in a society built on generations of racial injustice. The enslavement of Africans, the near extermination of Native Americans, the stealing of land from Mexican Americans… the list could go on for a long, long time. These giant, multigenerational works of injustice took decades to commit. It will take us generations to undo them and heal the wounds they have caused. And so we should start now. Do not turn your gaze away from the injustices of the past.

In the United States, we have the benefits of a democratic government and a strong economy, as well as a wonderfully diverse population. There is no better time or place in history to do the work of dismantling racism. As we celebrate Juneteenth, let us all pledge ourselves to the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all people. Discipline yourself so that nothing angry begins from you and, with kindness and wisdom, stand up to any and every word or act of injustice. A brighter future can begin today.