Racism is Ugly... and So Are False Accusations

In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic novel “The Scarlet Letter,” Hester Prynne is forced to stand on a scaffold for three hours, exposed to public humiliation, and then to wear a scarlet “A” around her neck for the rest of her life after conceiving and giving birth to an illegitimate child. Sadly, the stigma and shame of her sin follow her and her daughter Pearl, and they are both ostracized by their community.

There is a bittersweet ending in that the father of the child, who just happens to be her minister, finally confesses and then dies in Hester’s arms. Meanwhile, Hester’s husband, who had been thought lost at sea, also dies and leaves Pearl a sizeable inheritance.

Thankfully, people who commit adultery (which remains a serious but forgivable sin) are no longer required to wear a scarlet letter around their neck. However, there are still several sins that – if you commit them – will mark you for life in today’s society. The first is being a pedophile, the second is being called a homophobe, the third is committing domestic abuse, and the fourth is being labeled a racist.

For the purpose of this article, I will not be addressing the act of pedophilia, which is one of the most heinous crimes known to man. I will simply say that Jesus taught that it would be better for someone who has harmed a little child to have a millstone hung around his neck and drowned in the sea (Matthew 18:6). And yet, Jesus also offers forgiveness for such a person if they truly repent, although they still must face the earthly consequences of their sinful actions.

As for being called a homophobe, no one should look down upon someone with a different sexual preference nor should anyone make that kind of accusation carelessly and without merit. After all, which of us doesn’t live in a glass house of our own making. That being said, the Bible clearly teaches that homosexuality is a sin – not a bigger one or a smaller one than others – and needs to be repented of lest that person miss out on heaven (I Corinthians 6:9).

When it comes to domestic violence, in my mind that ranks on the same scale as pedophilia. For a man to strike a woman, especially one that he supposedly loves, is about as low as he can go. Enough said.

As far as racism is concerned – or at least the accusations thereof – it is the modern-day equivalent of a scarlet "R". It is almost impossible to disprove once the allegation is made, and the accused person’s reputation rarely if ever recovers even if they are innocent. Ask a casual baseball fan what he knows about Ty Cobb, and he will most likely say that he was a racist despite recent evidence to the contrary. There will be no mention of Cobb’s 4,189 hits (the second most ever), his .366 career average (the highest ever), or his 12 batting titles (the most ever and including a record nine in a row).

The same goes for Mel Gibson, who uttered some antisemitic remarks while sitting drunk in the back of a police car in Malibu in 2006. It took almost 10 years – and a public plea for forgiveness from his friend Robert Downey Jr. – for him to be considered anything but a persona non grata in Hollywood.

Racism is pure evil, no doubt about it, but understanding what it is… and what it isn’t… is critical. Otherwise, that misunderstanding can lead to false accusations of racism, something that happens all too frequently.

Let me give you a recent – or should I say “Prime” – example.

Earlier this week, Deion Sanders, the coach of the University of Colorado football team, received an email from a professor at the school complaining about how disruptive his players were being in his classroom. Filled with righteous anger, “Coach Prime”, as he is known, read his team the riot act for their childish and disrespectful behavior.

I wholeheartedly supported Deion’s approach but took exception to his mangling of the English language in his videotaped remarks. My thought process was simple: If you are telling college students to behave better in class, it is best to do so while using proper grammar. Makes sense to me, but I’ll let you be the judge.

Here are Coach Sanders exact words…

"You present, but you ain't really there. You on the field, but you ain't doing nothing. You in a relationship but you ain't got no love. You at the mall but you ain't got no money. Got a lot of ability, but no darn talent because you don’t think.”

There was more to Sanders’ diatribe and like I said, I agree with its content 100%. I would just like to see a man who is a college coach – and a role model for so many black youth – use better grammar.

And yet, the keyboard cowards on social media had a field day lobbing accusations of racism in my direction for saying what I did. So what if, during my 37 years of ministering to hundreds of thousands of mostly minority inmates and at-risk youth throughout North America and Africa, I have seen first-hand the devastating effects of a poor education. Unable to communicate in a professional manner, doors to good-paying jobs slam shut in their face, causing many of them to see crime as their only option.

On Monday nights at our Living H2O Initiative basketball program for at-risk youth, we have a few basic rules. If you smell of alcohol or pot, you are asked to leave. Cursing and trash talking are not permitted, because the gym is on church property. And yes, your pants must be worn at the proper height, not halfway down your rear and exposing your underwear.

Finally, if you want to play basketball in a nice air-conditioned gym with lots of free snacks, you are required to stay for the halftime gospel message. Because as Coach Sanders told his team, we aren’t just building players, we are building men.

Those rules and that men-building goal shouldn’t be considered racist. Nor should encouraging Coach Sanders to use better grammar when addressing college athletes. In fact, those critics who think that minorities are incapable of learning and using proper English… or acquiring a photo ID in order to vote… are the real racists. They insist on lowering the bar and keeping it there. They likewise insist on portraying minorities as perpetual victims instead of potential victors.

Just ask Dr. Ben Carson or Sen. Tim Scott, both born in poverty to single mothers, how far a person can rise above their situation and surroundings. I think both men would tell you that a combination of deep faith, a good education, and positive role models was the catalyst to their success.

I guess what I am trying to say is that we should all refrain from categorizing someone as a homophobe, a racist, or something similar unless we really know their heart and their intentions. Once labeled as such, it is difficult if not impossible to shed the stigma… and that may be the worst crime of all.

If you don’t believe me, just ask Hester Prynne.