A challenge to Gingrich and Santorum from their fellow Catholics

Tope posted this on Facebook (good times, fun conversations), but I’m blogging it now: Many Catholic leaders call on Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum to “stop perpetuating ugly racial stereotypes on the campaign trail.”

If pro-choice Catholic politicians can be held up as examples and urged to accept the guidance of their priests and bishops on life issues, it’s only right to deny these two socially conservative Catholic politicians a free pass as they persist in condemning — and mocking — poor people and people of color (who Gingrich and Santorum seem to view as one and the same).

As a Catholic, I wish I could believe that this would make the slightest impact on the two candidates, but alas, I don’t think that listening to or respecting people of color is how you get the nomination in the GOP. Nor is thinking too hard about or understanding the struggles of people who need food stamps.

As Catholic leaders who recognize that the moral scandals of racism and poverty remain a blemish on the American soul, we challenge our fellow Catholics Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum to stop perpetuating ugly racial stereotypes on the campaign trail. Mr. Gingrich has frequently attacked President Obama as a “food stamp president” and claimed that African Americans are content to collect welfare benefits rather than pursue employment. Campaigning in Iowa, Mr. Santorum remarked: “I don’t want to make black people’s lives better by giving them somebody else’s money.” Labeling our nation’s first African-American president with a title that evokes the past myth of “welfare queens” and inflaming other racist caricatures is irresponsible, immoral and unworthy of political leaders.

Some presidential candidates now courting “values voters” seem to have forgotten that defending human life and dignity does not stop with protecting the unborn. We remind Mr. Gingrich and Mr. Santorum that Catholic bishops describe racism as an “intrinsic evil” and consistently defend vital government programs such as food stamps and unemployment benefits that help struggling Americans. At a time when nearly 1 in 6 Americans live in poverty, charities and the free market alone can’t address the urgent needs of our most vulnerable neighbors. And while jobseekers outnumber job openings 4-to-1, suggesting that the unemployed would rather collect benefits than work is misleading and insulting.

As the South Carolina primary approaches, we urge Mr. Gingrich, Mr. Santorum and all presidential candidates to reject the politics of racial division, refrain from offensive rhetoric and unite behind an agenda that promotes racial and economic justice.

Show me your papers

From Catholic Archbishop of Mobile, Rev. Thomas Rodi (excerpt, full-text at link, emphasis all mine):

This is our right as Americans and as citizens of Alabama. Sometimes people will say that the U.S. Constitution gives us the freedom to worship. Actually, the Constitution gives us the right to the free exercise of our religion. “Freedom to Worship” means that we can come together on Sunday to worship. “Free Exercise” means that, when we leave church on Sunday, we have the right to exercise our faith in our daily lives. This new law prevents us as believers from exercising our life of faith as commanded by the Lord Jesus.

I did not wish to enter into a legal action against the government of Alabama. It is not my temperament to look for an argument. I prayed fervently about this matter, and my prayer kept bringing me back to the motto I chose ten years ago for my bishop’s coat of arms: “The love of Christ impels us” (2 Cor 5:14) Indeed, the love of Christ impels us to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit…” (Matthew 28:19). No law is just which prevents the proclamation of the Gospel, the baptizing of believers, or love shown to neighbor in need. I do not wish to stand before God and, when God asks me if I fed him when he was hungry or gave him to drink when he was thirsty, to reply: yes, Lord, as long as you had the proper documents.

Throughout our history we have been a nation of immigrants. The words of Moses to the Hebrew people should resonate in our own hearts: “You shall not oppress or afflict the alien among you, for you were once aliens residing in the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 22:20) As citizens we have the right to live our Christian faith. As Christians, we have an obligation to do so.

Colorlines: Five Comedians of Color to Watch

In response to Katt Williams’ recent anti-Mexican, anti-Latino “comedic” tirade, Colorlines has posted a great roundup of five comedians of color whose commentary on race is more constructive – including one of my long-time favorite comedians, Wanda Sykes, and a new favorite of mine, Elon James White of the smart and hilarious Blacking it Up podcast (which you should all check out!). I’ve posted the clips Colorlines shared from Sykes and Elon James below; the latter has some swearing in it, so probably NSFW.

Wanda Sykes on the i-word:

Elon James White on what to do if you’re stopped by the cops or ICE.

 

Advice for adoptive parents?

I’m writing an article on transracial adoption, and despite living it — and thinking and writing about it ad nauseum — I realized, when questioned, that I flat-out do not have so many great answers to the question “How can/should white adoptive parents help their adopted children who experience racist teasing — or worse — from peers?”

I’m interested in your thoughts, as parents, as anti-racists, and — if there are any of you TRAs reading this — as transracial adoptees. If you comment, please let me know if I can quote you in my article (using first name only, or an alias if you provide one). Or, if you’d rather not comment publicly, feel free to email me (nikki at jhu dot edu).

I know that when I experienced such teasing as a kid, it was my parents’ instinct to minimize it. (That’s partly why I stopped telling them about it from a young age.) They weren’t trying to undermine the legitimacy of my feelings; I just don’t think they really understood how it was different from any other sort of childhood teasing that they themselves had experienced. And probably they knew I was already “sensitive” about my “race thing” and didn’t want me to dwell on it any more than I already was. I’m not sure their response, even if different, would have made me feel better at the time. It might have made a difference in terms of our relationship, though, both then and now — I still have a hard time talking to them about racial issues, particularly my own as a TRA, and I know it’s partly because of those childhood instances. When I think back on it, though, I’m kind of at a loss for what they could have provided to me in the way of defense, coping skills, etc. I have a lot to say to adoptive parents on issues to consider before adoption, and issues to consider when discussing race with their child of color, but when it comes to actually confronting racism, I don’t have as much advice.

I’m talking with a professor of social work who has studied this issue in earnest, and says that 100% of transracial adoptees in one of her studies report being teased — or worse — by their peers. I know it’s only one study, but the numbers are extremely high in similar studies as well. Not very encouraging, America.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

Dr. Martin Luther King once lamented, “At 11:00 on Sunday morning when we stand and sing that Christ has no east or west, we stand at the most segregated hour in this nation.”

Sadly, in many places, his words still ring all too true.

I want to express my gratitude that at 11:00 last Sunday morning, this was not true at the church in my neighborhood.

If you’ve seen my “How Diverse Is Your Neighborhood?” post, you know that metro DC is generally very segregated. But my neck of the woods is one of the few areas that looks almost brown on the big map:

Each dot represents 25 people: Red means white, blue means black, orange represents Hispanics, green means Asian, and grey means other.

Not too bad for DC.

Of course, even in a pretty diverse neighborhood, churches can tend towards the monochromatic. The language spoken, the style of music, the preaching, the ministry leaders and emphases, the art, the way people dress… they can make some people feel more welcome than others.

As I looked around during the homily Sunday morning, though, I realized there’s something different going on here. In the pews immediately surrounding me, I saw eleven Asians, seven black people, twelve white people (I counted myself), and thirteen Latinos. Thank you, Jesus.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m definitely not claiming we’re done “preach[ing] brotherhood and mak[ing] it a reality within [our] own body.” And Dr. King’s call to “really go out and to transform American society” remains. There’s a long road ahead.

But I thank God that 11:00 on Sunday morning when we stand and sing that Christ has no east or west, at least in this one church, we’re beginning to do it together.