"Lifting up Those Historically without Power is the Mark of being Ethical Today"

Lately I have been reading and ruminating on our social structure in the United States. In part, this has come to me through reading a wealth of books about how racism and sexism persist today. To a greater degree, I have been affected by a trip to South Africa and Namibia in January. Although I see in very real ways that our society is different from that of southern Africa, still we have similarities especially in terms of the power structure that remains with the glass ceiling that women and people of color still face in America today. For me, this makes lifting up those historically without power is the mark of being ethical today."

First, I would assert the very real truth that words do not do justice to what those historically in power should do today. We should never consider helping to bring about real equality to be a "hand down" affair. I believe that all people, regardless of race or gender, are naturally equal. The words I choose call attention to the fact that white males have historically been in power and that all people should do all that they can to right the wrongs of the past.

Second, we need to take a stand for those who have never truly achieved equality in the United States. When my wife and four close friends were traveling in southern Africa, we observed how difficult it was for non-whites and females to get leverage in any kind of real equality. Apartheid may literally be a thing of the past, but there are so many ways in which it continues both economically and sociologically. Story after story reflected the residue of apartheid on a culture and society which struggles to be at all equal. Still, we could relate the extremity of their situation to our own in America. In fact, it helped to clarify key areas where our society still falls short in equality. As we observed the shanty houses on the way to the airport from downtown Capetown and the township areas outside of Capetown and Durban and Walvis Bay, we could see that economics still divides the South African society greatly. It was a microscope to seeing how that same divide is present here in the United States. Although openness to those historically without power is here in the U.S., there are still glass ceilings for women and, to a large extent, to non-whites in America. Cultural attitudes and sociological mores still drive us. As a Christian ethicist, I believe this should lead us to advocate for those who have never achieved total equality in our culture, and to give preference to them when all else proves to be equal in their qualifications.

Third, fifty years after the ERA fell short of ratification some kind of recognition of changed views should be made. While at St. Olaf College in 1973 Gloria Steinem came to speak at a convocation with a group of "minority women." Together, they detailed ways in which our society falls short to equality for all. Sitting there in the chapel listening to the presentation, I was moved toward the cause. Although great progress has been made in the last fifty years, true equality has fallen short. "What can be done to effect greater change in this important era of equality?" Recently reading Lisa Napoli's Susan, Linda, Nina & Cokie--about the four women who helped to bring about National Public Radio I am struck by how powerful such equality can be.

Fourth, the prevalent racism in our culture is just as debiiating to us as it is where it is strident in South Africa and Namibia. Reading about the views toward blacks in the South but in all areas of the country during the sixties (Kennedy and King by Steven Levingston) and the very real way in which that those in power wanted to not get involved in changing the social structure, I realize how the same thing happens today in our political world. Although we don't directly support micro aggressions on those who are non-white as they did early in the twentieth century (The Warmth Of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson), we are complicit in our own "cultural and social apartheid" in our so-called enlightened twenty-first century. We need to stand by and walk with those who have their own ceilings to break on the economic and social structure because of our own racism.

Finally, we can be happy that much change has taken place in our country over these last fifty years. However, we should never be content with where we are now because we will never totally arrive at equality. This should lead us to stand up for others so that we can do the right thing when we are aware of those who need a voice and an advocate. We may truly be "that person" who makes a difference for others.

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