443 Why Anti-Racism Could Fail Speakers: Leon Spencer and Rev. Keith Kron

A standing-room-only crowd brainstormed the question: why could anti-racism fail? Leon Spencer clarified and condensed the replies while Rev. Keith Kron attempted to sort them among three categories: individual, institutional, and cultural failure. Rev. Kron was encouraged that the number in the first category was small; he observed that we tend to focus on the second.

Some of the suggestions of why we might fail were:

• Our commitment is a one-time event.
• We are defensive.
• We blame others.
• We are smug; we think we are already successful.
• We arrive at solutions for people, not with them.
• Too much talk, not enough action.
• Unwillingness to move outside our comfort zone.
• The real issue is class, not race.
• Solutions are defined by upper classes; the price is paid by the lower classes.
• We back off because we are exhausted or don't have time.
• If we have no people of color, we don't have a problem.
• We confuse mistakes with failure.
• We assume one person is a spokesperson for an entire race.
• We confuse a need for identity with a need for separateness.

Leon Spencer compared this last item with his reactions when his wife wanted to join a women's-support group. "What is wrong with me that she doesn't want to be with me," he wondered.

The question was raised: are we expanding the welcoming-congregation program to welcome races? There are some differences, however. Some B/G/L/T persons feel more welcome in UU churches than in their own family. Also, traditionally there have not been gay churches whereas there have been separate churches for different races.

In summary, we need to continue our efforts to recognize, understand and oppose all forms of oppression.

Reported by Mike McNaughton; formatted for the web by Kasey Melski.