The Making of A Great America Uprooting the Spirit of Racism

This is an excerpt from the chapter entitled "Civil War":

What Dr. King saw are the aims of the spirit of racism: destroy America’s Christian witness at home and abroad by showing through racial division and unrest, and through apathy on behalf of the majority that the love of Christ is not stronger than the power of racial difference. That even the power of the indwelling Spirit of God is not greater than racial hatred or the power to only show true, lasting empathy towards members of your own race.

One major difference between our time and Dr. King’s is that there is no powerful black nationalist movement. There is no national “Black Panther” party, no “Malcolm X.” I’m concerned, however, that history is repeating itself with the white Church in America lagging behind other national voices in entertainment, sports, politics, and the media. The white church is too closely aligned with the current Republican Party ideology of law and order and the notion that systemic racism is a myth. As long as that is the case, there will be no lasting change produced. George Floyd has already given way to Jacob Blake, and soon there will be others. At some point, a more militant black voice will take the microphone riding on the strength of whatever the next inevitable black tragedy will be.

One of the previous quotes pointed out that our current political and civic leaders have “created an atmosphere in which paramilitary groups feel emboldened.” The article spoke of how “armed paramilitaries” are being allowed to roam the streets,” and warned that we “don’t want to be living in a war zone.”  

All it would take for the civil war, that many of the groups mentioned want to see, is to add a new militant black following to the mix of the inevitable next George Floyds/Jacob Blakes, armed counter-protesters, unsympathetic political leaders, media that praise far-right efforts, and the continued abdication of national leadership by the white Church. Dr. King said that back in his time that his efforts, or the black church’s efforts, to pursue nonviolence were the only thing keeping America from “a frightening racial nightmare.” In this racial nightmare, Dr. King envisioned “many streets of the South flowing with blood.” He envisioned “millions of Negroes” “out of frustration and despair” seeking “solace and security in black nationalist ideologies.” It’s troubling that in a time of despair that the Church in America might not be the first option to seek solace.

Streets flowing with blood, civil war that is what these groups want. It is what the spirit of racism wants.