2008 Woodie Awards
Racism comes in many forms, reverend says
By Vanessa M. Sanchez
Issue date: 11/30/07 Section: News
Originally published: 11/29/07 at 7:35 PM CSTLast update: 11/29/07 at 7:34 PM CST
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Racism has been a problem since the beginning of time, the Rev. Michael Cave of Spring Creek United Methodist Church said Nov. 14 at the Methodist Student Center's Hot Potato series.
Cave and political science Professor Asslan Khaligh expressed their concerns on racism and poverty.
Cave, who was born just after World War II, recalls the racism with Jews that surrounded him while growing up. On a recent trip to Germany, he was appalled to find some people were rallying for a neo-Nazi meeting.
"Racism is not dead," Cave said.
In his days as a college student at the University of Texas at Austin, racism was between "hippies and cowboys."
Today, it can also be between men and women; however, research shows how the numbers within the gap have decreased.
Today racism cuts across class, culture and spirit, Cave said.
Cave gave the example of racism in class with the term "white trash" referring to white people who live in housing such as trailers.
He also said the rich do not do much when they try to give back to the community by giving pieces of art to museums and believes art does not feed the poor.
"The impoverished have a place in God's kingdom," he said. "We see these people and think, 'Why can't they just get a job?' But they can't. We often treat the poor differently."
He also spoke of how some religions believe that if a person lives in poor conditions, it is because God has punished them, and because these poor people live that way, it is their fault.
Cave said people treat the poor as "nonhumans" by expecting them to be "satisfied with less than what we're satisfied with" when giving them old, torn, unwanted items.
Poverty, he said, is not caused by personal failings. The poor are marginalized by others, pushed to the side and often stay there, victims of unfair distributions of money and necessities, Cave said.
Khaligh said poverty and racism are part of the culture.
Cave and political science Professor Asslan Khaligh expressed their concerns on racism and poverty.
Cave, who was born just after World War II, recalls the racism with Jews that surrounded him while growing up. On a recent trip to Germany, he was appalled to find some people were rallying for a neo-Nazi meeting.
"Racism is not dead," Cave said.
In his days as a college student at the University of Texas at Austin, racism was between "hippies and cowboys."
Today, it can also be between men and women; however, research shows how the numbers within the gap have decreased.
Today racism cuts across class, culture and spirit, Cave said.
Cave gave the example of racism in class with the term "white trash" referring to white people who live in housing such as trailers.
He also said the rich do not do much when they try to give back to the community by giving pieces of art to museums and believes art does not feed the poor.
"The impoverished have a place in God's kingdom," he said. "We see these people and think, 'Why can't they just get a job?' But they can't. We often treat the poor differently."
He also spoke of how some religions believe that if a person lives in poor conditions, it is because God has punished them, and because these poor people live that way, it is their fault.
Cave said people treat the poor as "nonhumans" by expecting them to be "satisfied with less than what we're satisfied with" when giving them old, torn, unwanted items.
Poverty, he said, is not caused by personal failings. The poor are marginalized by others, pushed to the side and often stay there, victims of unfair distributions of money and necessities, Cave said.
Khaligh said poverty and racism are part of the culture.
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