Listen to other’s viewpoints.

Yesterday, in my online church service, our white pastor spoke with his friend who is a black pastor in a Kansas City, Missouri church.

Our church is a predominately white church in the suburbs of Kansas City on the Kansas side. Our pastor’s friend’s church is a predominately black church. The pastors spoke candidly about all that is happening in the world today in regards to racial inequality.

I was so glad to hear the other pastor’s viewpoint and to hear my pastor agree that work needs to be done to bring the races together. My pastor did not hold back with the tough questions, nor did his friend hold back with the answers. I really appreciated this.

As a white middle-class woman, I always got defensive when I heard the words “white privileged.” I work hard for my money, and I am far from rich. I have debt to pay and live paycheck to paycheck as many other families. I do not feel “priveleged” as I thought the word to mean. However, after hearing these two pastors speak, I realize I am part of what is seen as the “privileged” race. It actually makes me a little sick to my stomach.

Being willing to see the other side of an issue is so important. It takes a bit of empathy and understanding, but we all should be willing to put that forth to make a fully conscious decision about what we believe is right. Taking a defensive tone or attitude does no one any good, and people will not want to talk to you about important issues if you are not open to listen or if you are constantly interrupting them with your viewpoint.

I know many people that “just believe what they believe” about things and that is the end of it. I feel that way about recycling, but am still willing to hear the other side to have a further understanding of what keeps someone from recycling.

My husband and I have an understanding that there are just some things we will not agree on. Some days recycling is one of those things! Usually, it is when I am pulling something recyclable out of the trash that he has put in there! But on the important issues, we talk it out and really try to see each other’s side. We may still keep to our own beliefs, but we have given the other person a chance to explain their side.

We need to be open to hearing the other side of things when it comes to racial bias. I did not grow up in a racist area. I did not grow up with racist parents. I never heard my parents say anything about our race or any other. It was never an issue for me growing up. I had black friends and did not look at them any different than my white friends or asian friends.

But, that does not mean that they felt the same way. There were not many black students in my junior high or high school. I wonder how they felt about that? I never even thought to ask. I did not see or hear of any bullying going on, but that does not mean it did not happen. I never even thought to ask.

Now is the time to bring people of all races together and ask those tough questions. Now is the time to come up with new strategies of dealing with racial inequality so that we can extinguish it in our society once and for all.