A few days ago Jon Stewart, the host of “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central, apologized for being unable to write jokes in the wake of the Charleston shootings. His statement was moving because it reflected truth in a way I've rarely heard. It forced me to once again think about myself.
To many, these seem like "isolated incidents" from fringe groups that don't warrant our attention, but to the communities being targeted, they are another reminder that hate lurks everywhere, and violence is only a neighbor away.
The Apostle Paul was good friends with a Christian slave owner and the New Testament contains one of his personal letters. It’s worth reading, it’s called Philemon, but don't go to if you want a railing condemnation on the scourge of slavery and racism.
In 1900, W. E. B. Du Bois declared that “the problem of the 20th century” would be “the problem of the color line.” His prediction is just as true for our 21st century. Black men and women in contemporary America are judged not by the content of their character, but by the color of their skin.