Every society has ladders built into its social, political and economic framework. Most are not as obvious and pernicious as the caste system in India, but they are nonetheless real and present.
Do you remember the movie “Slumdog Millionaire”? The people way up the ladder did not fear or worry about the so-called “untouchables” at the very bottom rung of the caste ladder. No, that was the job of the people perched just one rung higher. They seemed to delight in figuratively stepping on the hands of any who dared to climb up to the next rung.
We have much greater social mobility in the United States, but we do have our own ladders, especially when it comes to our African American citizens. Like in India, those way up the ladder...those who have higher education, economic security and relative freedom from oppression do not usually worry or even think about their African American fellow citizens at or very near the bottom of the ladder of success. The posture of those way up the ladder is mainly apathy...not empathy that translates into positive action.
So who are the people who are most virulent in their oppression of African Americans? It should be no surprise that it is an entire class of white people who see themselves as just one fragile rung higher up the ladder. They would not admit it, but their hostility and racial animus is grounded in fear, as well as a degree of ignorance. Their worst nightmare is being literally jumped over on the ladder. The formula for preventing that is segregation, poor quality education, active discrimination, voter suppression and actual threats and intimidation.
I am not trying to paint everyone with the same brush, but this is the overall picture I see. It is not pretty. We still have the KKK right in our greater Richmond region. The other day, a thirty something white man intentionally drove his car into the path of a diverse group of peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters. By the grace of God, no one was killed or seriously injured. When the police arrested him, they found a literal armory of military grade weapons, ammunition and a KKK robe that the man proudly identified as his uniform as the grand dragon of our local KKK. And this is the year 2020! Come on now!
With all the protests, and the active involvement of people of all races in this nation-wide fabric of largely peaceful protests, the level of apprehension and fear on the part of those just one rung higher up the ladder is growing exponentially. Weapon sales are going through the roof, and some citizens are trying to employ a potentially lethal cocktail of their first and second amendment rights to intimidate local and state political leaders and anyone who actively supports the protesters.
Wrap all this up in the American flag, and add in unhealthy doses of pride, arrogance and fear, and you have the makings of a level of violence that has not been seen in many years.
We need to call this racial ladder what it is, take it down, level the playing field by systemic reforms of our educational, housing, health care, financial services and employment systems, and start rebuilding our country into the city on a hill that it was always meant to be, but never able to achieve. Let’s not tolerate threats of violence, by anyone. Let’s reform our policing systems but build up our police and help them get comfortable with community policing. It is a system that truly works. Finally, our churches and other faith based groups must take the field and help lead the way to a more perfect union. With God’s help and blessing, we can do it.
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