KANSAS CITY, Kan. (BP) — I don’t consider America to be a racist nation. Far too many Americans have fought for the rights of their fellow citizens for this land to be summed up with such a single word. It is a country that has evolved, correcting many injustices.
That said, bigotry can be found in the makeup of man. It is a divisive foible which Satan uses to further divide us from God as well as each other. And anyone who has been a victim of such hatred will attest that one example is too many.
So, how do we defeat bigotry?
Many movies over the years have addressed the destructiveness of racism. Director John Ford’s 1956 memorable western “The Searchers” tells the story of Ethan Edwards, played by John Wayne, returning home at the end of the Civil War. Soon after, a Comanche raiding party murders his brother’s family and kidnaps his young niece. Years later, Wayne’s character rightly fears the girl is now one of the chief’s wives. He is no longer seeking to rescue the girl, but to kill her, as he can now only picture her as a Comanche.
The perfect western in structure and scope, The Searchers deals with hate and discrimination as well as their cause. I don’t want to give away the ending, but after years of a vengeance-motivated search, Ethan Edwards eventually discovers that love can defeat hate.
The 1962 drama “To Kill a Mockingbird” has Gregory Peck giving an Oscar-winning performance as Atticus Finch, a lawyer who defends a black man accused of a crime he didn’t commit. Harper Lee’s novel about rural life, injustice and honor as seen through the eyes of a 9-year-old girl was adapted into a winning screenplay by Horton Foote. Beautifully photographed in black-and-white, with a haunting score by Elmer Bernstein, the film’s message is potent and lingers long after the end credits.
These two films, however, neglect to emphasize what’s needed to truly and long-lastingly triumph over the evil of racism — man’s surrendering to Jesus.
“For God so loved the world,” the Bible says, “that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Those two words in John 3:16, “world” and “whosoever,” make it clear that God loves us all. Along with its declaration that we can have eternal life, the verse also clarifies the importance of one and all in the eyes of our heavenly Father.
The more recent 2013 sports drama “42” does better at presenting a faith element. Starring Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play major league baseball, the film is a powerful indictment against prejudice and bigotry.
Harrison Ford gives a substantive performance as Branch Rickey, who took a brave step for his time by signing a black man to the big leagues. Rickey is portrayed as a religious man who is vocal concerning his religious convictions. These beliefs help formulate his stand against separation of men due to color.
Perhaps the most profound scene in the film has to do with an opposing coach hurling insults at Robinson before a packed stadium. The extended sequence is meant to unnerve and madden us. An equally telling moment has a dad and his son ready to enjoy the game. The father and son are bonding when, as Robinson takes the field, the father yells out the N-word, along with the crowd. His vitriolic chant against this man of color unsettles the boy, as he doesn’t understand what’s going on. Soon the child is also yelling the N-word along with his father. As unsettling as that sequence is, it sends the message that we learn from our parents.*
Motion pictures such as 42, The Searchers and To Kill a Mockingbird remind us that racism must be battled. Hopefully, though, we’ll realize that injustice cannot be defeated by movies alone — nor by man-enforced laws.
Countless statutes already on the books give evidence that amid a land rife with discontent, civil ordinances are not enough to alter the heart of man. Law, like a house, must have a foundation. Careful study of the Scriptures reveals Jesus Christ to be that foundation.
If we take acknowledgment of and a reverence for God out of government, as well as the education system and social movements, don’t expect the society to maintain equality. If there is no respect for God, there won’t be for man.
*Caution: 42 is justly rated PG-13 for language and for one brief sexual scene though not graphically depicted.
