Faith Through the Journey

Facebook has been a great tool that has helped me reconnect with many people I haven’t been in contact with for many years. Yesterday, however, I had my first negative experience on Facebook. It was over a comment I made to a post by Senator Ted Cruz, who was commenting on President Obama’s appearance in our great state of Texas. Texas has opted out of Obamacare, and the president came to Dallas trying to gain support for his signature legislation. I’ve often made the comment that I like living in Texas because we are distant from Washington D.C., and we can sort of hide down here! Although I’ve said it tongue-in-cheek, I actually take some measure of comfort from that fact.

So imagine my dumbfounded expression when a total stranger from somewhere in the Facebook universe made a horrific comment about me, someone he’s never met! His comment went like this: “You sure it’s not the color of his skin is why you do not want Mr. Barack Obama in your not so lovely state? You think Mr. Obama belongs pickin’ cotton for da master of the house, don’t ya, Ms. Southern Belle?” This was offensive on SO MANY levels that I didn’t know quite how to respond or what to think.

I spent my early years in Colorado and Wisconsin, went to college in Arkansas, and lived in three other upper midwestern states before moving to Texas 28 years ago. Thus, I am NOT a southern belle! I went to integrated public schools and was taught by my parents that no one is superior or inferior to anyone else based on the color of their skin. We are all created equal by God, He loves everyone equally and Jesus died for EVERYONE of EVERY RACE. Moving to the South, the topic of race gave my husband and I pause on more than one occasion when people spoke about “racial reconciliation”. I am not so naive as to think that racism doesn’t exist, but in our world, where we both learned racial acceptance and taught our children the same, it was a non-issue. We embrace the idea expressed by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., when he said that “people should be judged, not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character”.

I tried to explain, civilly, to this mystery person on Facebook, that I do NOT object to the president based on his skin color. I do not agree with him politically, and as far as I know, it is still legal to do so! I guess it’s easier for people to pull out the “race card” rather than listen to the reasons for honest disagreement with a person who just happens to be a different race than I am. Whether or not this person believes me I don’t know, but I KNOW that in my heart of hearts, I appreciate people of different races and ethnicities and celebrate the diversity God has created within the human race.