Posted Sep 23, 2016 by Michael L. Brown

I get called all kinds of names on a regular basis – from Hitler to homophobe and from pitiful to pathological – but I don’t get called a racist all that much (unless, of course, I’m speaking against radical Islam, which somehow makes me a racist, as if Islam was a race and as if criticizing murderous religionists was unfair).

Last night was different, though, as I drew attention to the lawless rioters in Charlotte (near where I live), saying that this was not God’s way and that it was not the way of justice. But since I didn’t immediately assume that the police were guilty of killing an unarmed black man in cold blood – in other words, because I didn’t immediately disbelieve a black police chief, a black police officer, and other (presumably black) eyewitnesses – I was not only lacking in compassion, I was a racist.

One commenter on my Facebook page stated that, “Brown is a racist and that is clear,” explaining, “You are getting called out for being a racist. You have proven it time and time again with your posts. You see racist comments on here and you do nothing. That is because it is in your heart. Repent and leave God out of your foolishness!”

For the record, I sometimes see as few as 1 out of every 100 (or 1,000) comments posted, since we get as many as 100,000 comments per week on our various social media posts (although our team removes extremely offensive or profane comments when they are spotted).

But my concern is that disagreement is now branded racism, that failure to affirm each and every grievance is perceived as racism, and that anything short of complete acceptance of the major, PC talking points is called racism.

So, it is not enough to immediately post reports about police shootings on my Facebook page, including both the Tulsa and Charlotte shooting, along with the breaking news report that the Tulsa officer had been charged with manslaughter.

It is not enough to constantly discuss race issues on my radio show, where black callers and guests share the challenges they have faced in America and where a black Charlotte pastor and seminary professor said this very week that there is still systemic racism in our country.

It is not enough to end articles with lines like this: “It’s time for white Americans, like me, to stand side by side with black Americans, like [NFL star] Ben Watson, and say, ‘Enough with our flawed system. We stand with you against injustice and discrimination, and we want to empower you, not enslave you. America will not thrive until you are thriving.’”

No, unless I immediately side against the police, unless I buy into the prevailing PC narrative, unless I speak no critical words against protesters (or constantly balance them with caveats), I’m a racist.

A few years ago, a caller accused me of racism, after which a flood of black and Hispanic callers took this caller to task. They knew me too well for that, and on quite a few occasions, I’ve had the joy of meeting black listeners who just discovered I was white, meaning, that they perceived me to be anything but an enemy or outsider while listening to my show.

But I don’t write this primarily about me (although I have, quite obviously, used myself as an example).

I write this for the sake of others, in particular for the sake of my black American friends whom I love and cherish with a deep sense of brotherhood.

You see, if we throw around the “r” word too loosely, not only does the word lose its power, but it also diminishes one’s listening audience, since you end up preaching to a very narrow-minded, increasingly-small, sometimes-bigoted choir.

The fact is that it is not racist to say that the looters and violent protesters make everyone else look bad, and when that is the big news in my own city (all while a proper investigation of the police shooting is taking place), then that it is what I will call out.

It is not racist to state that black lives matter beginning in the womb, pointing to the disproportionate percentage of black abortions (which I take as a satanic attack on black Americans).

It is not racist to say that the welfare system has enslaved black Americans more than it has empowered them, also contributing to the breakdown of the black American family.

And it is not racist to respond to a black professor who, I believe, overstates his case in his letter to white America.

At the very worst, someone could say to me, “Look, what you’re saying is true. We’re just asking you to be more empathetic right now.”

But that is a far cry from being racist, as I hope all would agree.

I have often said that white Americans often do not see racism when it is there, while black Americans often see racism when it is not there, meaning that we all have blind spots and we need to listen to each other and learn from each other in order to recognize these blind spots.

Is it racist to make such a statement? I think not.

So, let us listen to each other, learn from each other, and stand with each other for justice, and let us be careful not to use the “r” word against each other unless it is really merited.

That way, when we expose real racism, we can do it with bite and power and conviction.

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Rev. Randy K. posted a comment · Oct 08, 2016
You’re using statistics too Soughtful7. Are you trying to justify fear and hatred of white police officers and white people by your statistics? Just because I can find some statistics showing a handful of preachers guilty of stealing money from the church, can we conclude that all preachers are in the ministry for the money? Of course not. Just because I can find some Doctors who have falsely reported medical claims to Medicaid for hundreds of thousands of dollars, can we conclude that all Doctors are ripping off Medicaid? Of course not. But that is the same kind of false conclusion you are trying to make with your statistics Soughtful7. Furthermore, if you are going to mention God and Black Lives Matter in the same comment, you are a very mixed up person. I have looked at the official BLM web site. It is anti-Christian in numerous ways. Their stated goal is to “disrupt the nuclear family.” They mention mothers and children but not fathers. That is exactly the problem in the black community—a serious lack of fathers in the picture. BLM are also strongly pro-homosexual and pro-transgender. You should read the book by black author Taleeb Starkes called, “Black Lies Matter.” It might help you to see things in a more objective manner Soughtful7.
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Soughtful7 posted a comment · Oct 07, 2016
Rev. Randy K: The way people who seek to justify their fear (and often hatred) typically try to use statistics, is what I find more interesting. Take a look at the articles in the links below. No amount of statistics you find, will ever truly justify fear and hatred of people who are murdered unjustly. At some point, all of us have to make a decision, to either love as God has commanded us, or give in to fear (and hate), which God has warned us of. Happy reading to you. http://atlantablackstar.com/2015/03/03/9-facts-white-white-crime-far-exceeds-black-black-crime-media-conceals/ http://usuncut.com/black-lives-matter/black-on-black-crime/
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T. Letoka posted a comment · Oct 01, 2016
Perhaps we black folks just need to outgrow something. Outgrow whining at the drop of a hat from some white guy looking at me funny to rioting at every shooting. It's a free world, if we used freedom and democracy to build better lives for ourselves in our own communities instead of contantly getting involved in drugs and gangs and impregnating girls and pollutingnthe environment - then perhaps we would not be having constant battles with the cops. We would feel better about ourselves and not care what some antiquated kkk thought about us.
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T. Letoka posted a comment · Oct 01, 2016
Perhaps we black folks just need to outgrow something. Outgrow whining at the drop of a hat from some white guy looking at me funny to rioting at every shooting. It's a free world, if we used freedom and democracy to build better lives for ourselves in our own communities instead of contantly getting involved in drugs and gangs and impregnating girls and pollutingnthe environment - then perhaps we would not be having constant battles with the cops. We would feel better about ourselves and not care what some antiquated kkk thought about us.
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T. Letoka posted a comment · Oct 01, 2016
Perhaps we black folks just need to outgrow something. Outgrow whining at the drop of a hat from some white guy looking at me funny to rioting at every shooting. It's a free world, if we used freedom and democracy to build better lives for ourselves in our own communities instead of contantly getting involved in drugs and gangs and impregnating girls and pollutingnthe environment - then perhaps we would not be having constant battles with the cops. We would feel better about ourselves and not care what some antiquated kkk thought about us.
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Rev. Randy K. posted a comment · Oct 01, 2016
Statistics are interesting things Soughtful7. For example, statistics showing an unarmed black man being shot by a white police officer do not include the unarmed black man trying to grab the police officer's gun--such as the instance in 2015 where three officers were killed with their own guns, which the suspects had wrestled from them, or the instance of unarmed black men in San Diego, CA and Prince George's County, MD attempting to reach for a gun in a police officer's holster. In the San Diego case, the unarmed black man actually "jumped the officer" and assaulted him. Here are some more surprising statistics: according to the Wall Street Journal, 2009 statistics from the Bureau of Justice Statistics reveal that blacks were charged with 62 percent of robberies, 57 percent of murders and 45 percent of assaults in the 75 biggest counties in the country, despite only comprising roughly 15 percent of the population in these counties. Here's another surprising statistic: Blacks commit 75 percent of all shootings, 70 percent of all robberies, and 66 percent of all violent crime in New York City, even though they consist of only 23 percent of the city's population. Here's another surprising statistic: According to a study conducted University of Pennsylvania criminologist Greg Ridgeway, in 2015 black cops were 3.3 times more likely to fire a gun than other cops at a crime scene. Here's another startling statistic: Even though blacks make up only 13 percent of the population, according to FBI data, they found that 40 percent of cop killers are black. According to Mac Donald, the police officer is 18.5 times more likely to be killed by a black than a cop killing an unarmed black person.
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Soughtful7 posted a comment · Sep 30, 2016
Dr. Brown: We should indeed be careful with how we use our words. We should indeed, be hesitant to accuse one another, especially as believers. As a believer, who so happens to be of African descent here in America, the Holy Spirit has made me very sensitive to this truth. The Spirit of the Lords moves to unite us, to love one another, even to love our enemies. However, there is another side to the coin that you do not appear to be fully seeing. I am grateful to the Lord that you see and have spoken out against racism before, and have done so sincerely. Yet, your take on so many of the murders of black people here in the U.S. at the hands of law enforcement is deeply troubling. Of course, we are all obligated to let the investigations fully bear out the facts in each case. Still, in so many of these cases, it is clear that these individuals either do not have weapons, or have them legally. Even in cases where an individual may have a weapon illegally, the concern I have,... is that the idea that the lives of these individuals are precious in the sight of the Lord, has truly fallen by the way side. Even among "believers." In some cases, especially among "believers." I know, you and others, will point to other things you have said or written, to argue that you believe these lives have value. You seem to assert in your article, that your refusal to automatically assume police guilt, unfairly causes you to be accused of racism. However, it is not merely that you "didn’t immediately assume that the police were guilty of killing an unarmed black man in cold blood" as you have stated in this article, for example. It is the fact that you, and so many others who assess these situations, don't seem to see that in all of these cases, law enforcement do not even seem to have a perspective that would even consider the possibility that these individuals could be apprehended without the loss of life. This notion, just seems to be completely absent in the response of too many law enforcers, and in the assessment of people like yourself. This is inconsistent with the heart of the Lord, who created these human beings, loves them, wants to save them (if he hasn't already), and desires to see them flourish. Below, I have given you links of several articles and news footage that show white individuals who clearly possessed firearms, and were apprehended by law enforcement without the loss of life. In some cases, without the cops having to discharge one of their weapons, despite the obvious threat. In one case, a young man named Jared Leone walked into a police station high on mushrooms, ended up taking an officer's firearm from that officer, and discharging that weapon right in the police station. Was he assassinated by a group of terrified officers? No, he was eventually apprehended, without to cops firing one round. In another case, a man goes into his car, retrieves his gun, comes back out of the car, and is waving his weapon around, while children are hiding terrified in the restrooms. While the police did shoot him, they aimed for a non fatal location on his body, and eventually apprehended him, without taking his life. Was he not scary enough? The poor children seemed the think he was. I won't summarize all of these incidents, as they are outlined in the articles or news stories provided in the links below. But the pattern is a clear one. I would love it if you could find at least eight scenarios where a person of African descent here in this country had a firearm clearly visible to the police, and was apprehended by police without having his life taken. The same luxury that was afforded the white individuals in the articles contained in the links I provided. I'm sure there has to be at least some cases, right? Although not nearly enough evidently. If you can find 8 examples, it would certainly make me feel a lot better. Like maybe some in this nation, are truly willing to love all people, including black people, and see our lives a precious too. God has clearly proclaimed that all are fearfully and wonderfully made by Him! In an attempt to find examples of black men with firearms, who were apprehended safely, I typed this phrase into google search: "black men with guns apprehended safely" The result? Nothing but articles about white men with guns who were apprehended safely! Perhaps your research skills are superior to mines. Perhaps you will find these hidden examples. Or maybe, these examples don't really exist. And if you can't find those examples...or at least not nearly as many of them, what do you suppose that reveals to us about how we value all life in this country? 1 John 4:18 (NKJV) 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. http://www.rawstory.com/2016/07/here-are-8-white-people-who-pointed-guns-at-police-officers-and-didnt-get-killed/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/men-who-had-guns-but-werent-shot-by-police-guess-what-many-have-in-common/2016/07/07/5830f510-4468-11e6-88d0-6adee48be8bc_story.html http://www.kptv.com/story/22961454/police-man-on-mushrooms-grabbed-officers-gun-fired-shot
Prophetjess1 posted a comment · Sep 29, 2016
To the Hebrewhelena (?) I really think it is narrow minded of you to say the Jews were the most persecuted of all peoples - They are the most recognized on film. The African slave trade was global. I also know for a fact that it more easy to hide the fact that you are Jewish (especially) in the the United States than it is to hide the fact that you are black since the lie was perpetuated that the Jews are white, just like the Native Americans . I do not feel that Dr. Brown is racist but I most certainly think that you are. My Great Grandfather was a full blooded Jewish man who raped my Great grandmother when she spurned his advances. Imagine that a Jew raping a black woman when she said no. I digress. The Holocaust is repeatedly brought to the forefront yet the 30,000,000 or more Africans enslaved, raped, beaten, torched, and dragged to the ends of the earth are told to take it like a Jew!
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Hebrewhelena posted a comment · Sep 23, 2016
Dear Dr Brown: Shalom! I read your article about being careful using the "r" word and here are some thoughts I really think you should think about. Me and my Jewish friends were talking (as you know, Jews are a race too and No ONE has been more persecuted then The Jews!) no one. Anyway, on with my thoughts...we were talking about how Jews handle antisemitism so much differently then how Blacks handle real or perceived racism. And I can't relate. I think it's wrong the way it's been fought. And I feel you should understand especially. People get fired from jobs etc for posting things that are hard truths! When we as Jews were persecuted in Europe, did you EVER hear about us complain??? Loot?? Burn our neighborhoods???? We never resorted to such evil behavior. Antisemitism is alive and well across the world but we as Jews just keep moving forward and up! Even if we were targeted by police, we still wouldn't make ourselves the center of all attention!! You would think the way the media is going that all America is known for is slavery!! Ridiculous!!! Blacks owned and sold slaves WAY before white people sailed to Africa! Also, With as much Bible reading and knowledge that you have...you should know that a few rogue cops are NOT the problem for our black Americans !! Fatherless homes are!!! Ugh!! Why aren't you protesting Black on Black Crime??? 73% single parent homes???? Thug, violent rap songs that glorify promiscuity and rebellion????? These are the REAL issues plaguing Black America!