Can I have a show of hands? How many people out there in reader-land think the United States of America is a systemically racist country? How many folks think the police are out hunting for black folks in the streets?

I hope the number of individuals supporting such ideas is small. There’re a couple of reasons this is the case.

To begin with, the more people there are who believe the U. S. is a horribly racist country, or the police are out hunting anybody, the greater chance there’s some actual problem.

Additionally, I’m aware of zero data thatindicates any of the things said are true.

Here’s where the almost-mandatory disclaimer comes in.

You’d be out of your tree to believe there was no racism in the country. I know literally nobody who’s saying that’s the case.

That said, nobody I know at present is intentionally involved in any racist activity, and if I found out anybody I knew was, I’d have to at least stop associating with them. That’s not because there’s some legal requirement that I do so. It’s because it’s wrong to be involved in such activities.

I don’t go around announcing it to the world, but I have four children who I count to be mine. Three of the four have me as their biological father. Two of them have a Korean mother, one a Hispanic one. The forth is my daughter by marriage; that now-adult also has a mother who’s Hispanic.

My children are the best things that ever happened to me. I can say that categorically. I may disagree with things they believe and they may do so with things I hold true as well, but I could never not love my kids.

Because of my family, some Korean, some “half-Korean” some Hispanic, some “half-Hispanic,” and some white, I could never support racism. The fact that none of my family I’m aware of is black by no means indicates I could accept racism against black folks any more than against anyone else.

All of this is but a precursor to the thing I wanted to address in this piece though.

I felt I needed to take just a second to talk about the “profiles of” far too many of the people I see protesting, rioting and looting in the current supposed Black Lives Matter events.

Is it just me, or have you noticed a good many (I would say in most cases by far the majority) of the folks at these events are, dare I say it, white?

From what I’m hearing, the folks who’re being arrested and booked are not just white, but are members of well-off families by and large, too.

I’m not saying what I’m saying to attempt to diminish the protests, based again on the data, I don’t feel the need to do that in the first place. What I’m trying to do is to help to shine the light of day on what appears to be going on.

It’s been argued that there are a large number of disaffected white youth out there supporting what’s happening. I for one, tend to believe it’s true.

I pretty strongly subscribe to the idea that there are a bunch of wealthy, privileged folks running the streets, causing mayhem and generally wreaking havoc. I further believe I agree with those who have a pretty ready answer as to why.

It’s the contention of some, that the folks in question have all their physical and nurturing needs met. Why does that matter? Because it means they have nothing to fight for.

It’s well known, that Christians in areas where oppressive regimes can be found, tend to be far more robust and committed in their beliefs, than those in countries where life is easy.

Where you may suffer a small amount of persecution being a Christian in America, it’s nothing like being a believer in Uganda or Cuba. The result is, when a person chooses to take on the name of Jesus in one of those countries, he or she understands they’ll more or less immediately be at risk of harsh mistreatment.

The result is, many who start life as strong adherents here, fall away for the most surprising reasons. It can be something as small as taking offense at the positions or actions of other Christians.

I believe, as with those who confess Christ in countries that readily support them doing so, there are young people in the U. S. who feel a need to search for greater meaning in their lives, believing their existence is “too easy.” Some of those people are—in my opinion—finding it in the current demonstrations.

I’m not sure there’s a good answer as to what would change their perspective. They don’t seem to respond to the message that the narrative behind the movement(s) is largely false.

The sad reality is, as time goes on, more and more of them will end up damaging their chances for future success as a result of what they’re currently doing.

Getting arrested and potentially tried and jailed is not a good way to ensure your later days will be without problems.

I guess what I’m doing at this point is asking a question, “What can we do to convince people that what they’re getting involved in is largely uncalled for? How can we get them to understand that the basis for the things in which they’re now participating is not valid?”

In my way of looking at things, this is what we need to focus on. This is what we must seek to achieve.

Until we can get people to understand that there are real problems out there, and seek to get them involved in the solutions to things like homelessness and indigence, I believe we’ll continue to have them supporting things like Black Lives Matter protests.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve noticed that many of the people protesting are not those the movement says it’s in support of. That to me, is a very telling fact.

Thanks for reading, and may your time be good.