On Race Relations

With Coronavirus ravaging the globe, riots in the streets and a potential economic calamity upon us, once again the ancient wounds of racial prejudice and inequality are being exposed within the fabric of our society.

Born into a Jewish family in a Muslim country and educated by Jesuit teachers, I have first hand experience of the damage caused by race and religious prejudice. However, before losing hope for the future of humanity, it is important to remember human evolution is in its early stages. Less than 150 years after fighting a bloody civil war to end slavery, America elected a Black President; this week the Senate confirmed the first Black American Airforce Chief of Staff.

Having read Howard Zinn’s "A People's History of the United States,” and having watched the videos we have posted as the catalyst for this week’s Member Monday discussion, I am fully aware of the atrocities we have committed to get us to where we are today, and the problems we still face, like police brutality and the power of the unions that protect them. Yet, I have to admit, every time I return to the U.S. and see the Statue of Liberty from the air, it sends a chill down my spine, and I thank my guardian angels to be living in America.

I believe at this stage in our human evolution, before the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, America is still one of the best places to participate in the creation of a more equitable and just society. So instead of worrying and criticizing, let's take steps, however small, to help lift human consciousness to the level where we finally realize we are all an integral part of the human race.

— Sina.