Merriam-Webster defines microaggressions as "a comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group (such as a racial minority)."
Candid conversation with friends and acquaintances has allowed my eyes to be opened to an everyday reality for many, that I was blind to. As one friend pointed out, “it's the microaggressions that gradually take their tole.”
Over the years I've heard of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter From a Birmingham Jail. Several years ago, I did some interweb looking and found a PDF draft of the original letter. There is something special about reading from the actual typed letter. It felt closer than a redraft in Times New Roman.
Before you take off and read the letter (which you absolutely should), I highly encourage you to understand the context of the letter. It was MLK's response to an open letter from eight clergymen in Alabama.
Short story: These clergymen sounded a bit perturbed that an "outsider" was coming into their community to physically promote racial justice. They state in the letter: "We recognize the natural impatience of people who feel that their hopes [in racial justice or equality] are slow in being realized. But we are convinced that these demonstrations are unwise and untimely."
After reading this letter, I couldn't help but think of the Colin Kaepernick-kneeling-before-the-game conversations years ago. There was a lot of talk around kneeling before games not being the "right place" or "best avenue." This letter from the clergymen is basically the same argument, about 60 years prior.
The truth is, there is rarely a convenient time for the racial majority and never a wrong time to bring about justice or equality. Waiting one more day is a day too long. From the racial majority position, this can be hard to see. The natural tendency is to "drift toward the mirror" (thank you Matt Chandler, pastor of The Village Church in Dallas). It's easy to choose the "ease of likeness over the beauty of diversity." This means that if you are part of a racial majority, it will take work to try and see things from the perspective of our brothers and sisters of racial minority. If you work to try and fully wrap your brain around the perspective of others, justice and equality start to become more clear.
MLK said, "Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability. It comes through the tireless efforts and persistent work of men willing to be co-workers with God, and without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation. We must use time creatively, and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right."
When doing what is right or attempting to effect change, MLK describes four basic steps to any nonviolent campaign:
Collection of the facts (to determine if injustice is taking place)
Negotiation (with appropriate leadership to effect change)
Self-purification (to ensure the focus of the campaign is not lost, i.e., "having workshops on nonviolence and repeatedly asking ourselves the questions, 'Are you able to accept blows without retaliating?' 'Are you able to endure the ordeals of jail?'")
Direct action (sit-ins, marches, and other nonviolent protests)
King notes that negotiations were sought first with Birmingham economic city leaders. Promises were initially made, such as bringing down "humiliating racial signs from the stores." These promises were soon seen as broken, illegitimate promises, and direct action was ultimately needed to further bring attention to the injustice within Birmingham.
As I was reading the full letter from Martin Luther King Jr., I found myself highlighting much of it. I'll refrain from listing quote after quote, but suffice to say that this letter is worth your time, particularly with where we are today on the subject of racial reconciliation.
There is much to be learned. Still.
Sources:
Statement by Alabama Clergymen, April 12, 1963
Letter From a Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963
Stanford University - The Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute