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As I reflect on the George Floyd protests, I've wondered how we can change the current system. I think one way could be to change how we teach history to our kids and to the general population. In school, US History is taught via a "cross-sectional" method. (Thread: 1/10) #BLM
This cross-sectional method chops up history into individual parts: First comes the gilded age, then WW1, then the roaring 20s, then the great depression, then WW2, etc. While convenient for teaching, it fails to underscore how interconnected one time period is to another. (2/10)
What we need is a longitudinal method of teaching history. MLK Jr. accomplishes this in his book "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community." He follows the plight of the African American community from slavery to the 1960s. In doing so, he connects the events from one (3/10)
time period to another and paints a cohesive picture of African-American discrimination in the US. If we can incorporate this model into our schools for every discriminated group in the US, I believe we can help create a more compassionate and understanding population. (4/10)
"Where Do We Go From Here" is one of the most formative books I've ever read. As a young man in high school, I saw Trayvon Martin's death and said a lot of the things I'm hearing now from the white community: "if they just followed the law this wouldn't happen." (5/10)
After reading MLK's book and earnestly listening to the testimony of the African-American community, I recognized my privilege and had a change of heart in college. Understanding history and actively listening was critical for me, and I think it can help others too. (6/10)
Although it is not glamorous, understanding history is a critical part of recognizing where we are today as a nation. I'm open to other ideas and am willing to listen to the African-American community as to how to move forward. (7/10)
The white majority needs to listen and be ready to participate in the national discussion that will take place in the coming months. We need to be ready to stand up and bear witness to the injustice done to the African-American Community. We cannot leave them alone. (8/10)
For any Christian reading this thread, I would strongly recommend reading "Rethinking Incarceration" by Dominique DuBois Gilliard. The book focuses on how Christians should respond to mass incarceration and racial injustice. The book was deeply moving and formative for me. (9/10)
In closing, I'd like to share Ephesians 6:12 - "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (10/10)
