Are you a racist?  It's a piercing, painful question.  We would rather dodge it, or skirt around it, or deny its importance.  Yet Sir David Calvert-Smith, the director of public prosecutions, said not long ago in the London Times that "almost all British people are racist."  Was he exaggerating?

This subject brings to mind a vivid South Carolina memory a couple of years back.  Perhaps you heard of our recent controversy over the Confederate Flag.  In the town in which I live, Summerville, we have a minister who is particularly good at self-publicity.  He was in favor of the flag remaining above the State House where it then flew, and managed a prominent Charleston newspaper story about his Christian support for this stand.  Then, not to be outdone, he heard that our local Ministerial Association was going to debate the Flag issue.  Even though he rarely attended our meetings over the years, he came to the next meeting.  Not only that, but he asked to speak first, and we honored his wishes.

I do not know about your experience with ecumenical groups, but mine is that they often can be a monumental waste of time.  A place to exchange pleasantries, perhaps, but not one where people partake of real conversation and honestly face real differences.  Summerville, thank God, is different.  The group trusted one another, met and prayed together regularly, and really did do some meaningful ministry in and around the community.

Now, with this near stranger, came a test.  The atmosphere, given the reputation and publicity surrounding our visitor, was tense.  He spoke in favor of the flag.  He talked of his proud Southern heritage. Certain Bible verses were cited.  Then, at the end, he looked us in the eye and said: "I am not a racist, but I firmly believe the flag needs to stay where it is."

There was a long silence.  Our moderator, a skillful leader, decided to ask each of the other fourteen present if they wished to respond.  The Rev. Chris Latham, a Roman Catholic clergyman, was seated first in order.

I will never forget what happened next.

Looking our visitor straight in the eye and using his name, he said, "I am a racist."  He then went on most movingly, and very personally, to explain why he said that.  Then around the circle we went, and to a person, everyone there began with the same statement, "I am a racist."  Some of the stories shared were about a racist past in the person's family, some were about attitudes, some were about incidents, often greatly humiliating.

There were further moments in the meeting, our vote to seek the flag's removal, our visitor's departure in stunned silence, but none was as significant as the one which came when Chris Latham spoke a key THEOLOGICAL truth.  To be a Christian is to believe in original sin, deeply rooted sin, sin which lies hidden and unobserved and undetected and so a Christian's posture is to assume the presence of sin in oneself and seek to be shown otherwise.  Racism is like smoke in a smoke filled room -- one breathes it in whether one wants to or not, whether one is aware that he or she does or not.

To admit this is not morbid, it is radically liberating and life changing.  As it was when Jesus the hidden guest showed himself in power in the midst of a meeting of the Summerville Ministerial Association.  As it was for the publican in the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican.

As it is when we go further than David Calvert-Smith did. Not "almost all" people but ALL people are racists.  When we admit that we can seek the divine help through which real healing, even in the devastating area of racism, can truly come.

The Rev. Canon Dr. Kendall S. Harmon

Contact Dr Harmon by e-mail at ksharmon@mindspring.com