Thursday, September 12, 2019

Calvin says he is better than everyone else because he is not racist.


It’s been quite a week at First Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Dismal Seepage. Calvin Anderson, one of the pillars of the church, said that he was above all the talk about racism because he is the least racist person of anyone in the congregation. Those who not only like Calvin and his partner, Justin, but admire him, defended his statement when it was challenged by another member of the congregation who pointed out that he and Justin had bought a condo in a complex that was all white.

Calvin stated that the whiteness of the neighborhood was a matter of income levels and not race and that he felt bad that people of color who couldn’t afford to live in the neighborhood.

When it was pointed out that the condominium complex had a private security firm patrolling its grounds rather than rely on the city police, Calvin said that the city police department didn’t have the resources and the staff to adequately provide security to their neighborhood and since the home owners association could afford it they just decided to hire their own security rather than rely on the city police department. Justin chimed in, “Yes, and the city police aren’t very gay friendly so we would just rather not have them here to avoid any misunderstandings.”

Some people in the congregation have noticed that Calvin and Justin are strong supporters of LGBTQ rights but when it comes to people of color they seem to be blind except when it comes to intersectionality when they do take an interest in the LGBTQ rights of their colored brothers and sisters.

Becky said, “I know that racism is a sophisticated and nuanced issue and white people don’t want to give up, or have to apologize, for their privilege, but they have it whether they recognize it and acknowledge it or not. It is one of those topics where “ignorance is bliss” because when a person becomes aware of how racist systems work, they often are ashamed and deny that they have benefited from  them.”

And so there is a bit of tension at First Unitarian Universalist where the first principle gets lip service, but when it comes to its application people get nervous and self conscious escalating anxiety and defensiveness. However at First UU all the people think they are loving, smarter than most, and the least racist of any church in the area.


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