My friend John Baker wrote and sent to me the following response to last week’s murders in America, murders that are based in racism, murders for which, John reminds us, we all have a part in committing:  

“With the killings of police officers and black men in this country, it is overtime for white people to own up to their complicity in the disease racism. It is not about "other"....someone else's problem. NO! It is a white issue! Racism is a birth child  of white privilege. We live in a white race based society and none of us has escaped this disease....none of us.

Until white people own up to their play in this disease can their be little healing for the total community. Implicit bias runs deep and it must be eradicated......and not with guns and hatred.

I suggest the following:

First to my white brothers and sisters consider your own racism.....which we harbor inside ourselves. It comes from ignorance and fear....if we take time to look within ourselves we might find that some of our fears are unfounded; we might even be able to see ourselves and neighbors in new ways.

Second don't judge me until you know me. Check your address lists. How many people of color do you hang? Are most of your contacts white? If racism is to be defeated, we all must begin to friend raise with those of color as part of our daily diet.

Third  check your own implicit bias. There is a test developed by Anthony G. Greenwald, Mahzarin Banaji and Brian Nosek of Harvard regarding implicit bias. It takes only a few minutes. www.implicit.harvard.edu. 

Fourth have friends join in taking the test and share results.

(Our nation is being called to have this engagement, based on a pluralistic society.) Again, healing has a chance only if we who are white engage in looking at our complicity in racism....none of us has escaped......denial has been the white response for too many years.

Fifth understand this is not an issue that belongs to "others"....No...it is one we promote and play in everyday of our lives. Many of us (including myself)are blind to what we do to oppress neighbors of color.

Sixth Take this engagement to your places of worship, businesses, social groups, professional groups. The good news is all black, brown and white US citizens share the same oxygen....oxygen that has circulated in our collective lungs...exhaled...inhaled...shared....it is the spirit juice we all are dependent! 

7th Remember these words as you go forward: "If you come to help me you are wasting your time. If though you come because your liberation is tied to my liberation then we can walk together and build a playing field accessible by ALL. Si se puede mi hermanos/hermanas."

Join me in this effort. As a white male I know I can do better; White privilege/racism have held me hostage too long. Dealing with my own racism has and will continue to make me a better neighbor for you and for me.

On hearing the death of Dr. King, Robert Kennedy shared, 

"What we need in the United States is not division. What we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness but is love and wisdom and compassion toward one another and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer in our country, whether they be white or whether they be black or brown."