A bigot revealed.

Bigotry is ugly.

It’s ugly regardless of the color or form.

It’s ugly when a white cop targets or hates a black man

because he’s black.

It’s ugly when a black man fears or hates a white cop

because he’s white.

It’s ugly when a straight couple hates gay couples

because they’re gay.

It’s ugly when a gay couple hates straight couples

because they’re straight.

It’s ugly when a middle-eastern person is assumed to be a member of Isis

because they’re middle-eastern.

It’s ugly when a fat person is assumed to be undisciplined and lazy

because they’re fat.

It’s ugly when we consider someone to be judgemental

because they’re a Christian.

It’s ugly when a Democrat is considered immoral

because they’re a Democrat.

It’s ugly when a Republican is considered to be a hate-monger

because they’re Republican.

It’s ugly when we vote against a person

because of their color or gender.

It’s ugly when we vote FOR them

based upon that same criteria.

It’s ugly every single time we say or think “they” or “them”

in reference to an entire group of people.

Bigotry is ugly!

No matter what color or form it takes.

We can’t pretty it up by being “supportive”.

We can’t change it by demonstrating.

We can’t change it by rioting.

I’m old enough to remember.

Old enough to have participated

in some peaceful sit-ins and demonstrations.

Old enough to still be impacted by the memories

of the news reports.

We “supported”.

We demonstrated.

We rioted.

We did those things in the 1960’s and 1970’s.

More than 50 years later, nothing has changed.

It didn’t work then and it won’t work now.

We can’t fix this by being politically correct.

We can’t fix this by joining a group.

We can’t fix this with laws or mandates or shaming or meetings or……

You see, racism is not our problem,

it is a symptom.

Bigotry is our problem.

A heart that does not look like Christ’s is our problem.

And we can only stop racism if we stop being bigots.

And we can only change that in our hearts.

One heart at a time.

I’ve been doing some hard looking at my heart.

I’ve never considered myself a bigot.

“Oh really?” said God.

“Let me show you some things!”

You see, my bigotry does not look like yours.

Yours doesn’t look like mine.

And the list above doesn’t even scratch the surface of the possibilities.

Bigotry isn’t just about race.

Bigotry is about looking at someone 

with eyes less than those of Christ,

with a heart that does not look like His.

My heart is broken!

As He has shined His light there

I have seen ugliness.

No, my bigotry doesn’t look like yours.

But it doesn’t matter.

Bigotry is ugly.

No matter what color or form it takes.