“In my life I have done all I can to demonstrate that the way of peace, the way of love and nonviolence is the more excellent way. Now it is your turn to let freedom ring.” — John Lewis
The members of the interfaith communities of Nevada stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and BIPOC — the Black, Indigenous, and people of color community — including our fellow Nevadans. This editorial is an invitation to address systemic racism, interlocking forms of oppression and transgenerational trauma.
We condemn the brutal and unjust killings of Black people by police departments across the country. We recognize George Floyd’s murder as well as each murder of BIPOC individuals as an unbearable series of lost lives due to systemic abuse by police.
We condemn all acts of violence against people of color, and against those who peacefully protest on behalf of people of color. We acknowledge that most law enforcement officers are sensitive to these issues, but that there can be improved protocols and cultures. May our community have the courage to require improved protocols and cultures of compassion.
We acknowledge that white privilege, unconscious biases, overt racism and the pain of our country’s untended legacy of slavery have encouraged the perpetration of brutality and institutionalized racism. We can no longer remain silent about institutionalized harm wrought on the Black community and people of color. Many of us have learned about slavery and blatant racism in history books; sadly, it has not taught us to be anti-racist. It has not prepared us for the lived experience of the Black community. It has not encouraged us to be conscious allies.
We believe that a step toward racial justice and equity within our community includes creating vibrantly diverse, and anti-racist, schools with curriculum at all levels, from students, young and old, to faculty to administration and staff.
We recognize that the oppression of Black people is intimately interwoven with the genocide of Indigenous people, gender oppression, neglect of marginalized populations and class oppression. An anti-racist community is diverse in all of its institutions.
We understand that true solidarity means not only fighting for the equal rights of Black, Indigenous and people of color, but also means acknowledging that many of us may consciously or unconsciously have been complicit in racism. We apologize for the times that we may have missed, denied and perpetrated racism and racist behaviors. Now, more than ever, is the time to tend to all persons as sacred, as well as to tend to the soul of the world, because inflicting pain on others cuts us off from our human potential as compassionate beings.
What we do at this time, individually and institutionally, speaks to our collective contribution to what the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. described as the “moral arc of the universe” and its inevitable trajectory toward justice. We as a community commit ourselves to being the change, recognizing that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Suggested personal actions toward being anti-racist:
• Vote, most importantly, in all local and national elections.
• Write or call your representatives to express your stances on issues important to you and continue to hold them accountable for their actions or inaction.
• Listen deeply to the experiences of BIPOC communities.
• Research: Educate yourself about the history of Black, indigenous, and people of color in the United States, finding sources beyond accepted textbooks, such as “White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism.”
• Learn that racism exists on a spectrum, from unconscious assumptions and “off-color” jokes to active hate-speech and violent hate-crimes.
• Realize you may need to have uncomfortable conversations with friends and relatives who exhibit racist tendencies.
• Avoid whataboutism, all distractions. Focus on the egregious behavior of U.S. systems, especially the criminal justice system, toward Black, indigenous and people of color, and how these systems have reinforced economic and societal racism and racist policies.
• Act: Sign petitions, donate to and/or volunteer with organizations that support social and economic justice for BIPOC communities; be an advocate for a more just society.
“Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year; it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.” — John Lewis
The Interfaith Council of Southern Nevada brings together leaders of different faith communities to promote activities that encourage understanding and respect among all people, all traditions, all cultures, all philosophies and all communities.