It happened again. Each time it happens, I am annoyed and not sure what to do. I’ve learned that drawing attention to it doesn’t help. It just makes an awkward situation more awkward. But I can’t ignore it. Let me explain. A couple Sunday’s ago, my partner and I decided… Read More »Living with Racism: A White Man’s Perspective
I arrived at church on a Sunday morning in 1996. I was pastor of a congregation in Miami Beach. Walking in the door, a group of people asked, “Do you know about Richard?” I learned that the night before Richard, a white man in his late 30’s had been murdered.… Read More »Hatred and Violence: The Importance of Safe Communities
A few months ago, I was asked to be part of a panel discussing policing, public policy, and race. The event was sponsored by a professional psychological association and was titled, “After Ferguson.” I was invited to be part of this panel because I am faculty in a graduate school… Read More »Black Lives Matter
It was something of a surreal moment. My sister and her family moved from Pennsylvania to South Carolina. I think the year was 1979. My nephew, no more than 8 years old at the time, when visiting my parent’s home for Christmas reported what he learned in school. He said… Read More »Re-Writing History: The Confederate Flag and Southern Culture
It was an invitation I didn’t expect. A representative of the Georgia Psychological Association asked if I’d be willing to speak on a panel. The topic is similar to one I see in many places: police and community relationships after Ferguson. It turns out that the person who asked me… Read More »Prejudice and the Culture of Fear
Is it possible to get over our racism? As the events in Ferguson, MO continue to unfold, one has to wonder if it’s even possible for racism to be relegated to the pages of history. It’s been 150 years since the US civil war which was fought to maintain the… Read More »Moving Beyond Racism
The job was taking much longer than expected. I didn’t know enough about it to understand the problem. It was clear to me that above the drop ceiling in the family room, a bundle of cables and various electronic boxes had been stashed out of sight. Somehow, this rat’s nest… Read More »Ferguson, Racism, and Overcoming Fear
I am in awe that all four of my grandparents were part of a great exodus to the United States. From 1890 to 1914, 70% of the immigrants to the United States were from Eastern and Southern Europe. It was an immigration phenomenon that brought 1.2 million people to the… Read More »Lessons from My Family about Immigration