The "So Called" Systemic Racism

The "So Called" Systemic Racism Hero Image

This blog is a response to the many people who have asked for clarity on what I meant by "so called systemic racism" in the following Tweets, in which I said:

  1. Way more destructive to the African American community than so called systemic racism is...generational fatherlessness.
  2. Way more destructive to the African American community than so called systemic racism is...abortion: 77% of Planned Parenthood clinics exist in inner-cities.
  3. Way more destructive to the African American community than so called systemic racism is...Critical Race Theory teaching that blames everything on systemic racism and cultivates an identity of victimhood.

Here is what I meant by “so called systemic racism”:

  • By saying “so called systemic racism” I am refuting the notion that if you’re black in America, you’re automatically disadvantaged in every way, but if you are white, you’re automatically advantaged. (I refute "white privilege" in more detail in this video podcast, upon Biblical and political grounds)
  • I am not denying that systemic racism has existed in our country’s history (in slavery, Jim Crowe laws, segregation, etc.). Nor am I saying that racism no longer exists. But I question if the current systems of government, education, business, etc. are filled with white racists holding back blacks from succeeding. This video by Larry Elder is helpful in giving the same push back: https://youtu.be/zgUjCK2jMp0
  • I am denying the lefist definition of systemic racism that takes the past and makes it the current narrative, as if we still live in the era of Jim Crow, totally ignoring the progress made after the civil rights movement.
  • I am saying that any American of any ethnicity who graduates from high school, gets a full time job, and has children in marriage, is likely to succeed in this country. (Not to mention, there are multitudes of success stories of people with no highschool/college education still succeeding through hard work, and the plethora of single parents like my mother who worked hard, sought education, and succeeded financially, while raising 4 boys).
  • In my church community, I’m surrounded by Nigerian-Americans & other African immigrants who have worked hard and been extremely successful in the U.S. It is likely not a coincidence that most of them do not buy into systemic racism. (In this teaching video I share about how Nigerian immigrants make more money a year than "white" Americans, based on a committment to the values of seeking education, staying married, and having children in wedlock.)
  • There are too many examples of successful African-Americans (& Latinos, Asians) in this country (middle and upper class) in every vocational and political sphere, for the leftist definition of systemic racism to be true.
  • On that note, it is striking that the brothers who kindly reached out to me to share that my claims of “so called systemic racism” are "unhelpful" - are themselves privileged, successful black men in America.
  • I deny Systemic Racism as defined by Critical Race Theory. In this video with Lennox Kalifungwa from Zambia, we refute CRT based on the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. In this video with Pastor Chris Moran, we refute the unBiblical assumptions of CRT.

Bottom line question: is this Systemic Racism (which most of us have bought into) able to hold someone back in America who works hard and takes advantage of the opportunities at our finger tips (especially those who follow Biblical principles)? No.

Systemic Racism assumes all "white" people are morally guilty - even a part from any racist actions on their part - merely by participating in a society that is supposedly set up to advance whites and oppress blacks. But does the Living God impute such moral guilt to every person labeled as "white", a part from works? No.

  • The notion of systemic racism pumped out by liberals is actually a form of psychological enslavement causing many blacks to believe the entire system of government, business, and educational institutions, are all set up against them.

  • Although I deny the entire system is racist, I agree there are still racists in the system (and in the Church) - white, black, and everything else! They need to be confronted one at a time, instead of tearing down the whole system (and Church!).

  • To quote a pastor friend: “We must acknowledge the strides made against the systemic racism that undergirded our institutions prior to the civil rights movement. In theory, that ended systemic racism. However, in practice, racists didn’t just magically disappear. However, Critical Race Theory advocates don’t like speaking in those terms since their objective is not to reform the system, but to tear it down and construct a new (Socialist or Marxist) one.”

  • It is striking how all of the recent Democratic presidential candidates have spoken against "Systemic Racism" which is a "white problem." However, I would argue that most racist policies in our country stem from Democratic policies that kill black babies, keep people dependent on welfare, remove father’s from the home (BLM), and manage the country’s worst public schools. Ask yourself who is running your city? Do their policies benefit minority communities? And are all of these politicians white? No.

  • The fact that both white and black (liberal) politicians have policies that are destructive for African-American communities proves that our nation's biggest problems are deeper than Systemtic Racism. The “system of Satan” is his kingdom; since the Fall, sin ruled over humanity (Gen. 4:7), causing image bearers to hate, oppress, and murder other image bearers for all kinds of reasons. Only the gospel of Jesus ends the reign of sin/Satan so that forgiven sinners can learn how to love one another (Col. 1:13-14). The kingdom of Christ is expressed in His cross-cultural church where we can confront all offenses with the gospel. The world needs Biblical discipleship! The gospel is still the answer.

  • I once bought into the lies of “white privilege” and spent hours shaming other “non-woke” whites until they confessed their static racism. I was plagued by “white guilt”, trying to atone for the sins of other whites (whom I have no biological relation with, apart from being fellow descendants of Adam).

  • But now, any (real) “white guilt” of mine has been nailed to the Cross of Jesus Christ, and I bear it no more! Hallelujah!

  • I used to repent of my “whiteness”, but now I repent of my former “wokeness.” As a Irish-Polish-German-Scottish-English American, I am still fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s image! Furthermore, I am a part of Christ’s real “woke” - that is, resurrected - new creation humanity - His chosen race (1 Peter 2:9), which consists of those from every people, tribe, tongue, and ethnicity (Rev. 5:9)! Such is the reward of Jesus’ Sufferings. Come quickly Lord Jesus!