Racism (as the term is used commonly today) is hate. Today we have systemic racism, to give it more umph! Ironically, because it is hatred with a reason imbedded in a system, it gives it legitimacy and thereby justifies more hatred. Recently, I witnessed roughly one hundred school children (about 10 years old) marching through town carrying signs against racism and fiercely shouting slogans. These children (mostly white) had been taught to hate racism. The atmosphere produced felt like fascism!
Would it not be better to eliminate the term racism altogether, and stick with hatred? And how about white supremacy? - another form of hatred. Then instead of looking at skin color, the effort to combat the hatred would be focused on the antidote, to love your neighbor as yourself - and there are some doing this with wonderful results.
Systemic hatred - when officials make laws to restrict others but exclude themselves, or when they make laws that are politically motivated but harm the people they apply to, they break the Golden Rule "Do unto others as you would have them do to you." If "We the People" are doing our part, we should be holding these officials accountable, not succumbing to helplessness, our blaming the distant past.
Giving hatred a label like systemic racism or white supremacy gives it a life and intelligence it does not deserve and misdirects attention from the real problem, and generate more and more hatred and guilt.
"Human hate has no legitimate mandate and no kingdom. Love is enthroned." (S&H) Love and love alone destroys hatred, just as light and only light eliminates darkness, and it starts right here with me.
"One universal God, good, unifies men and nations; constitutes the brotherhood of man; ends wars; fulfills the Scripture, 'Love thy neighbor as thyself'..." (S&H) - AND NOTHING ELSE DOES, and it starts right here with me, with what I think and feel and do now.
- Andrew W Kidd
(S&H - Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy)