The 1st Step To Ending Racial Prejudice

Lesson From A Soul Rock Musician

“Don’t hate the Black. Don’t hate the White. If you get bit, Just hate the Bite.” - Sly Stone of Sly Stone and the Family Stone

The subject of race is the most volatile issue pervading our society today.

White people are actively trying to suppress parts of American history that they feel make them look bad. Black people are clamoring for a level playing field and a more equitable state of social justice.

There are painful truths to be faced and there is no shortage of blame to go around.

But Sly Stone put his finger right on the spot in his ditty we quoted at the top. Stone was born Sylvester Stewart and gained fame in the ’60s and 70’s as a musician, songwriter, and record producer who pioneered the fusion of soul, rock, psychedelia, and gospel. He was once called the “founder of progressive soul”.

If he were still active in the rough music world he helped create, he would no doubt have put his rhyme into a rap song.

The big idea here is: Our present-day society has for far too long been pointing the finger on our fellow citizens who appear to be different from us in some way. We blame the other side for being the source and cause of our pain.

But we need to acknowledge that our problem is the actual hurt that was done! The “bite”, as Sly called it. Not the “white man” who perpetrated slavery and other racial injustices. Nor the “black man” with the chip on his shoulder, who can’t seem to be satisfied no matter how much progress is made.

We could begin to build relationships with our fellowmen. But uncertainty abounds about what to do about the hurt each race feels. The perception that ‘the other side is out to get me’ is one of the biggest obstacles to reconciliation between the races.

It is not wise or helpful to deny or pretend that the hurt did not occur. Neither should the past be discussed to lay blame and assign guilt.

But people like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis want to outlaw all history lessons that mention slavery — because he says it makes “white children feel bad about themselves”. While black activists demand that the facts of history be simply acknowledged as fact, no blame is necessary.

If only we could acknowledge who the real enemy is. It is not our neighbor of another race. There are neither former slave owners nor former slaves alive in America today. Rage, therefore, is unnecessary and certainly not helpful.

We need to stop attacking each other. The teaching of Jesus is most relevant. Love your neighbor as yourself. And, what a wonderful world this would be if we lived by the Golden Rule: Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. (Matthew 7:12).

So, let’s put this into action.

Seek to build a bridge with someone who doesn’t look like you. You are not going to solve all the problems of the world. This is not going to be easy. Forgiving does not mean that wrong was not done. But things cannot change until we desire them to. As cliche as it sounds, each of us must be the change we want to see.

First, we must let our brothers of the other race off the hook. We must learn to Forgive.

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Sly Stone’s poem should have more lines, in my opinion. So here is my revised version of his wise words:

“Don’t hate the Black, Don’t hate the White; If you get bit… Just hate the Bite. It’s not ‘the Man’ that’s the problem, white or black. What we need most of all is to stop the attack.”