Racial Harmony.

“Because we all share this planet Earth, we have to learn to live in harmony and peace with each other and with nature. This is not just a dream, but a necessity.” Dalai Lama once said these wise words. In our modern society, the problem of racial intolerance calls for our attention. Whether we are white or copper skinned. Whether we praise the lord or not. We are all equal. Riots break out everywhere in our society today, feeding the fire of hate. Racial harmony is one of the most important social issues that governments should deal with. Why, you may ask. We are all one. We are all equal. Every member of our community plays an important role in making our society the best it can be. If we cannot learn to accept each other, the world will remain divided. A man named Marc Chagall once said, “In our life, there is a single color, as on an artist’s palette, which provides the meaning of life and art. It is the color of love.” So how can we achieve racial harmony?

Black lives matter because we are all human beings, just as any other culture in the world. We are created with purpose. We descend from greatness. We are created in the image of God. In most eyes, we all are great no matter what our flaws may turn out to be. Black lives matter not only because the Declaration of Independence states that all men are supposed to be created equal, but because our country is bigger than a stereotype. Through music, dancing, and poetry, the talent of our culture represents the greatness of our lives. What began as a small, yet fierce rebellion has exploded into a wildfire that has engulfed our country. It’s as if we all wear labels above our heads. Why do we label ourselves? I was once told that the human body was merely just a home for the soul. It’s what matters on the inside. We are all different, but that is what makes us equal. We may be different, but that is what makes us unique. African Americans have had it rough in America and it needs to stop. An eye may see the appearance of one, but to the eye, we struggle to look beyond our differences. Slavery, segregation, and more. In 1863, slavery ended. In 1954, segregation was abolished. But I have to ask, was it really abolished? Perhaps by law, but in reality we still treat each other as if we are completely different species. The Black Lives Matter movement also purposely avoids black on black crime, it seems that black lives matter only if they’re killed by whites.

Racial discord can tear a nation apart and set people against each other on nothing but skin color. The races were at war in the years leading up to the Civil Rights movement and they are still battling in spite of the movement. The fatal effects of racial discord on American society were why Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. dreamed that one day Americans would judge each other by their character instead of the color of their skin. There has been progress since those dark days of freedom riders, bus boycotts, and protests. Unfortunately, reality is nearly 50 years after Dr. King’s death, his dream remains just a dream.

Our society is a fire. The fire feeds on what we give it. If we continue to fuel this fire with our hate, soon the world will be nothing but ashes. We’re all convinced that we have our problems. Everyone does. For just a moment, put yourself in someone else’s shoes. It’s all about perspective. Our view of life is shaped and conditioned by where you sit. Keep looking through the same dusty lens, and pretty soon, you think that’s the way the whole world looks. You begin to see the world, not as it is, but as you are. By changing your perspective, you can see the world at a different angle. “It’s hard to see the real picture of life when you live inside the frame.” We all need to have an empathetic mindset. Empathy is the ability to feel what another person feels and to share their perspective.

A lot of conflicts will happen between the people of different races. Firstly, there will be social segregation. People will be living and existing separately in terms of work and play. It is not impossible for people not having to meet someone who is of different race. As a result, there will be a lot of misunderstandings and lack of understanding between people of different races. Secondly, the economy may be declining. The economy may be affected due to the conflicts which causes discouragement for other countries to invest in our country. This may cause a big number of unemployment for the people. There would also be unfair voting rights. People will be voting people of the same race or same committee. This can cause the people to be unhappy and as a result, there will be riots.

The teachings of Jesus Christ, according to John 13:34 tells us, “A new command I give you : Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” It is God who has made the various ethnic groups to be the way they are. He has done it for a purpose, a very honorable purpose. None of us have the power or authority to question the creative purposes of God. We are not given the position of insulting the creation that the Lord has made. It should be known that God created all things to work in harmony with one another, and this includes all the races of people that God created.

A disney princess once asked me if I could paint with all the colors of the wind. “For whether we are white or copper-skinned…” The world will always have complications and their differences. However, there is always light at the end of a tunnel. The light when black and white unite. “How high does the sycamore grow? If you cut it down, then you’ll never know.” It starts now. It starts with you. We can make a difference in this world. Bring harmony back into our lives. Racial harmony will not come to America tomorrow, but it is coming. No matter how hard one bails, a sinking ship eventually sinks, and the ship that is for racial discord have sailed for so long, it is definitely sinking.