August Blog
This month we will discuss:
- I have a lot to Learn
- Quotes
- Chesapeake News
I Have a Lot to Learn
Loyd Baker comes to our Wednesday small group dressed in his sheriff’s uniform, gun, cuffs, and all. At the beginning of the meeting, he wanted to show us something. He pointed to Kevin and said, “I only want Kevin to answer this question.”
Kevin is a self-described “big scary black man.” At the time Kevin approached 400 pounds, well over six feet tall and a bushy beard. At one time he had been on the wrong side of the law, and we have had many laughs in our group as we also have the district attorney in our small group.
“Kevin; why do white people bury their dead so soon after they die?” Kevin did not hesitate, “Because they want to get them in the ground before they turn black.”
Are you kidding me? What???
There was a roar of laughter; however, none of the black guys were laughing. A middle-aged black guy sitting next to me asked, “You mean that is not true?”
Other than Loyd, none of the other white guys had ever heard that. How can something so bizarre not be known? The reason is we simply do not know one another as well as we think we do.
In an age where everyone thinks they have the answer – they don’t. A lot of the folks that speak on sensitive subjects do not know what they are talking about, however that does not keep them from giving their expert opinion.
Our unity group has been meeting nonstop since January of 2021. We began our relationship studying my book, “Don’t Do Anything Stupid—A White Man’s Guide to Racial Harmony.” We have about 40 guys, close to equally split between black and white that attend and we average close to 20 guys meeting each week. We also do numerous things outside of meetings – service projects, attending events, and social occasions. The guys in that group are my best friends.
In this short blog, I will be unable to capture a small fraction of what we have learned. One tidbit: For the most part, white people look at things as “an event” black people look at the same thing through the “eyes of history.” That is a huge difference in perspective and impacts how people feel. For me to understand how my friend views an occurrence improves our communications and our relationship.
Most white people are apathetic regarding racism. That is a misguided perception. Whites are the only ethnic group in the USA that does not rank race as important.
So, what is my purpose for this blog? For white men – please realize you have a lot to learn and try to do so. Join a similar group or form one.
Learn and challenge your assumptions!
Quotes:
- The more critical thinking you do, the less likely you are to make a bad choice. Glenn Hascall
- The best leaders intentionally create strategic habits that produce the desired results. Crane
- Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. Matthew 6:21
- Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. Matthew 7
- The struggles you face can lead to a dark place, giving you a room where you can allow your pain to become a burden to you and a barrier to the relief your need.
- Summits and valleys come and go, but progress has a choice.
- No man ever became great doing as he pleased. Little men do as they please, little nobodies. Great men submit themselves to laws governing the realm of their greatness. Richard Halverson
- A life of surrender requires trust, and that trust is developed in the context of relationships.
- Be such a man, and live such a life, that if every man were such as you and every life such as yours, this earth would be God’s paradise.
- A lie does not become truth, wrong does not become right, and evil doesn’t become good, just because it’s accepted by a majority. Booker T. Washington
Chesapeake News:
We will have next free Leadership Development Introduction session on August 11th. These sessions will start at 11:30 and end at 1:00. We will be doing them at the Gateway in Alberta City.
- August 11
- September 8
- October 13
This hour-long overview is the same we give to our executive clients; and it is for free. We will put a limit on the number of attendees as we want to maintain a small intimate class for lots of interaction. The Gateway is a wonderful facility with plenty of parking.
We are doing these sessions as a public service to many who would never have this type of opportunity. We would love for you to take advantage of this opportunity.