There was review of some research that was presumed to prove racial prejudice – as though we needed any scientific proof that there are human, even animal, prejudices. Prejudice is a given in nature, affecting virtually all biological beings. It is partly found in our natures, later permitted to take deliberate negative turns. The paucity of cannibalism in species is evidence of the invisible factor. Prejudices can only be countered by some force that affects change in the cultivation of our natures. A study was made of small children who had not been trained or educated in human prejudice. The children displayed prejudice in action and attitudes. The conclusion was that prejudice is in nature, although there are learnings that enlarge prejudice. It appeared to me that the prejudice was accounted for in innocent children because of real or perceived human differences. When encountering difference, say in skin-color in an adult, or another child, the studied children responded with attitudes and acts of rejection, removal, even emotional response we would interpret as negative to the context. The response was not learned but grew out of an attitude of nature that may interpret a human and biological difference as cause for negative reaction.
In a recent publication offering a list of evidences to support the belief in human prejudice as related to race, it was reported that social and business institutions did not respond well to phone or letter inquiries from persons with black sounding names. If response was given, that response came after response to white sounding names, or there was no response at all. The discovery was touted as proof of white prejudice. Then some busybody came along and checked out authoritative persons in the black category and found their responses to inquiry in the reverse of that found in the first review. Black favored black in responding to inquiry, in favoring the same factors as white as in employment. (It might be worthwhile in such a comparison/contrast studies in Barack Obama’s name recognition compared to other presidents. He noted that his name is not American sounding caused some difference in some exchanges he had with persons.)
If we give attention to the racial issues of recent centuries, both in long-range and short-range experience we gain variant responses in both racial and religious prejudice. In religion the matters would sometimes fall to warfare, as is the case currently with the radical Islamist terrorism against Christian, and even the secularism of the general society. Even Islamic armies are fighting Islamic armies in their different interpretations of the will of Allah and Muhammed. We may not have had the Thirty Years War during Luther’s lifetime had it not been for the Protestant and Catholic controversy. In the racial matter the Untouchables of India are just now emerging from long centuries of prejudice. Tribal differences among the ethnic tribes of the same race belong to the discussion. The native tribes of America, likely descended from Asian sources, were at war with the invading Americans, Americans that included both white and black adversaries to the American Indians. This story can be extended. What is learned from it all is that warfare does not settle the issues. The stronger military unit defeats the weaker – the issues remain. My life has included ministry among different races. I am impressed in the way the persons of Japanese background responded to the prejudice engendered in the formation of the American west, and by World War II. Japan defeated, both Americans and Japanese responded without public rancor or confrontation. Japanese-Americans kept their family names, and gave American first names to their children. They took jobs where they could find them, and aided each other in recovery from the loss of their properties. They voted, made friends in their communities, walked for a while with hat in hand, and joined to laugh and cry as Americans. They emerged without much blaming, accepted the general culture, and moved ahead. Japan is now one of the closest of American allies. They offer little tension or doubt. We could learn much for citizenship and grace by following the examples of these people. I spoke numerous times to Japanese conferences. When denied opportunity to be missionaries for standard church denominations, they formed their own Christian society, to send missionaries to Japan. Solution, not ill will! Bravo! *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020