CHANGING HEARTS, NOT MINDS 

In a world filled with malice and bad intentions, we believe that most individuals do want to see an end to the insidious practice of racism.  Our office has received too many calls asking the same question, "What can I do to help?" for us to believe that nobody cares.  The most amazing thing is that for a problem that seems to be impenetrable, the answers come in very simple phrases.  "Love your brother"  and "humble yourself to all mankind" are two that come to mind which do not seem very burdensome or scientific.  However, setting out to instantaneously change all of humanity with words, however simple or truthful they may be, may be an attempt at rushing to the finish line.   

Having the answer means absolutely nothing if we don't understand the problem, so we have to start at the most basic element, which is the individual.  We are the problem...  period. And while you may not be able to change all of humanity, you can change yourself.  We've put down what we feel is a practical three-step approach to How You Can Help By Changing Yourself. 

  
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 
"I am a man of substance of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids - and I might even  be said to possess a mind.  I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me." 
Ralph Ellison from his novel Invisible Man 

Mother Teresa said the greatest disease from which the human race is suffering is not cancer or AIDS, but the  feeling of being unwanted or unloved.  Loving your brother is at the core of every major faith in the world today, yet the simplicity of that edict has eluded humanity since the beginning of time.  Until we can simply reach out our hands and acknowledge one another, separation seems our destiny.  How does this apply to you?  

1)    A simple "hello"  is the most basic thing you can do-not just to those whom you are accustomed to greeting, but individuals outside of your own race, creed, or color as well.  A simple verbal "hello", a wave of the hand, or more importantly, to look into the eyes of an individual allowing them the dignity of being acknowledged is more important than starting a foundation or donating money to any cause pertaining to racism.   
2)      Acknowledge, and develop an appreciation for, the legacy and achievements of another race, creed, or color.   We have to be willing to give dignity and credence to the lives of others, and most people define themselves by their origins. So acknowledging another culture's importance and place in history is the beginnings of you accepting someone outside of your own race, creed, or color as different but equal.

EDUCATION 
"The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals.  We must remember that intelligence is not enough.  Intelligence plus character -that is the goal of true education." 
Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Once you've started the process of acknowledgement, the inevitable next step is education, which is the act of exposing yourself to a body of work outside your own realm of experiences or knowledge.  Remember, while a formal education is important we are also talking about an education based on the formation of moral character, one that should help you identify with and understand the thoughts or feelings of another. So how does this apply to you? 

1)    Step outside your comfort zone and pursue experiences and relationships outside of your own race, creed, or culture.  You will find that this will only serve to strengthen your own character, and enrich the multitude of experiences you will encounter in your lifetime.  The warning here is to not force the issue, but to be more receptive to the opportunities you most certainly will be presented with in time. 
2)    Pursue a formal education on other races, creeds, and colors.  There are plenty of books you can read, museums you can visit, shows you can watch, or food that you can eat which will only serve to broaden your horizons. 

FAITH AND LOVE 
"There is so much frustration in the world because we have relied on gods rather than God.  We have genuflected before the god of science only to find that it has given us the atomic bomb, producing fears and anxieties that science can never mitigate.  We have worshiped the god of pleasure only to discover that thrills play out and sensations are short-lived.  We have bowed before the god of money only to learn that there are such things as love and friendship that money cannot buy and that in a world of possible depressions, stock market crashes, and bad business investments, money is a rather uncertain deity.  These transitory gods are not able to save or bring happiness to the human heart.  Only God is able.  It is faith in him that we must rediscover." 
Martin Luther King, Jr. 

"If anyone says, 'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar.  For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.  And he has given us this command:  Whoever loves God must also love his brother." 
1 John 4: 20-21 (NIV Study Bible) 

Martin Luther King, Jr. understood one very important fact early on in his quest for racial equality. He understood that his words alone could never compare to the power of compassion and love.  He understood that, ultimately, it was only God who could change a man's heart, and inevitably it was only a faith in God that could bring us an everlasting change.  The bottom line is, he understood men alone would never be able to reconcile themselves to one another.  It is undeniable that our nature has been, is, and will forever be the block on which all of humanity stumbles.   How does this apply to you? 

1)     Reconciliation through love -- it is impossible to reconcile the races through debate, political alliances, intellectual discussions, or literary essays.  Ultimately, our behavior needs change and we should not rely on ourselves for that change to occur.  By understanding the nature of our own sin, we can understand the nature of this sin (racism), and only then can we pursue an answer. So, if love is the answer, and God is love, then we must do as Martin Luther King, Jr. said above, rediscover a faith in God.

We can already hear the detractors to this three-step approach to eliminating racism.  Racism to them is a very complex and deep problem that requires much thought and discussion, and by no means do we wish to suggest that this pamphlet is the instrument that will finally put an end to racism.  However, it is our humble attempt at taking a first step in the direction of racial reconciliation.