Anti-Racism

Creative Spirit,
Whose Divine Spark lies in the hearts of all people,
we live among people
whose languages are different from our own,
whose beliefs are foreign to us,
whose ways we fail to understand.
We must remember
that all people are embraced by Divine Love,
that all spirituality is a response to the Sacred,
that the yearnings of other hearts
are much like our own.
We must recognize the Sacred
in words of truth, things of beauty,
and actions of love around us.
Let it be.
(Adapted from "You Embrace All Peoples," based on a prayer by Robert H. Adams, Jr.)


Song: Stay With Us Through The Night by Walter Farquharson and Ron Klusmeier
(This song may be difficult to find. If so, let me know and I will upload a version of it.)


The Creative Spirit has created, and is still creating,
a world rich with difference and diversity.
All people are created with the Divine Spark,
each expressing their being and living their life
in valid, special relationships with the Sacred.

For historical acts of injustice and oppression
perpetuated against Aboriginal communities,
Black and Latino communities,
and various Asian communities:
We are sorry. We must move forward.

For the times we have failed to recognize racism,
in ourselves, in our society,
and the times we have failed to take action:
We are sorry. We must move forward.

For complicity, complacency, in systems of privilege and power
over those whose skin colour, culture, creed,
differ from those of the majority:
We are sorry. We must move forward.

We need courage to never let a racist comment pass in our hearing or sight,
commitment to insist on equitable treatment of all persons and groups--
including ourselves, if we are oppressed--
even at the risk of being unpopular or misunderstood.
We must move forward.

We need patience to endure periods of non-obvious action,
persistance to resist the evil of racial oppression,
perseverance to work toward racial justice among all people.
We must move forward.

We need humility and wisdom to know that while we must do something, we cannot do everything.
We must do what we can, no more and no less.
We must move forward.
Let it be.
(Adapted from "A Litany For Racial Justice" by Wenh-In Ng)


Silence


Move forward with strong love and daring hope.
The world is created with the Spark of the Sacred.
The world is made beautiful by diversity.
Recognize the Sacred in every race.
Accept and honour the values of others.
All people long for justice, peace, and harmony.
We must respond.
Let it be.
(Adapted from "A Commissioning" by Sang Chul Lee)


*****


Suggestions For Moving Forward
1) Learn to pronounce people's names, no matter how foreign-sounding, rather than just calling them something easier.
2)Increase your awareness of everyday racism by talking, reading, listening...
3) Re-evaluate your words and actions to be sure they are as free from racism as possible. Then do it again.
4) Always be conscious of racism's effect on you if you are one of the privileged majority: never forget the backpack of unearned privilege on your shoulders.
5) Wear a hoodie on February 26 to remember the anniversary of Trayvon Martin's murder. If you don't know the story, learn about it.