emilynghiem
Constitutionalist / Universalist
Can we save everyone?
Me thinks not.
I like how brother Beau of the Fifth Column put it...
What about you, what say you, what's the best way to stop this vile thing called "racism/bigotry/prejudice?"
Dear MarcATL
The best way I know is to reach out and make a conscious effort to reconcile
and collaborate with people or groups you most hold responsible for racist exclusion.
I look at the effective examples set by
* Center for the Healing of Racism Center For The Healing Of Racism | Internalize Oneness
(their guidelines for sharing that work most effectively to bring diverse people and groups together to share solutions:
http://www.isocracytx.net/hp-org/CHRguide.html
* Daryl Davis who befriends hundreds of Klansmen and has collected over 200 robes they gave up after deciding to leave the Klan
How One Man Convinced 200 Ku Klux Klan Members To Give Up Their Robes
* Alternatives to Violence Project
that started by outreach to stop racist gang attacks in prisons
and expanded to teach workshops to the greater public as well:
www.avpusa.org
* Rachel's Challenge that has transformed entire communities previously divided by rivals bullying and vandalizing each other's schools
www.rachelschallenge.org
One factor these programs have in common is HUMANIZING the issues and addressing
people as individuals again instead of attacking "whole groups".
This process involves steps to forgive and heal relationships first, in order to correct the problems underneath.
(Most people want to correct the injustice first, then they can forgive AFTERWARDS and work with people "after problems are solved",
but in practice, the FORGIVENESS has to come first, then the healing, TO REMOVE THE NEGATIVE EMOTIONS DIVIDING AND DESTROYING PEOPLE, before people can even work together to address problems, before they can be fixed, corrected and prevented.)
===========================================
NOTE: If people aren't even ready to work with the above type programs, using approaches of Restorative Justice and healing, then I suggest starting with just the 5 Steps of Grief and Recovery, and working on one's own internal injuries before trying to work with others in a group program.
https://www.angermanagementresource.com/image-files/chartgriefstages465.jpg
https://dz9yg0snnohlc.cloudfront.net/new-understanding-the-stages-of-grief-1.png
Only when someone is healed enough to feel safe and confident to address people from other or opposing groups, would I recommend going further and proactively interact for external outreach. But if you still do not feel safe interacting with opposing groups, I would not recommend jumping into that.
Last edited: