-Isms

Since Breonna Taylor’s death in March and George Floyd’s death in May, I have heard people from all walks proclaim racism does not exist in our country, let alone in the great state in which we live.

Yet, an incident Saturday, in Lincoln, shows that belief is alive in Nebraska.

It’s unfortunate because I want to believe the underlying message displayed on the back window of a pickup does not represent the majority of residents of the state I love. I realize we don’t reside in a Pollyanna-like world, but I have listened to uttered words, which create a divide, slip into conversations, heard ugly terminology spew hate. It’s time to stop and we’re all responsible.

A silent reaction equals culpability.

If you haven’t heard what happened, here’s the scoop: A photo of a pickup, with the words “Kill All Ni^*&s” - in red, white and blue paint - with Trump 2020 scrawled underneath it, was photographed at an intersection one block south of 48th and O streets in Lincoln.

The truck’s license plate - from Fillmore County - was displayed.

An individual in the capital city snapped a photo, sharing it to Twitter. Former National Basketball Association player Rex Chapman retweeted the photo, writing, “Tired of this s^*t. Do your thing, Twitter.”

The post went viral.

Sunday morning, as I scrolled through Facebook, I saw the post shared by a relative who lives in the metro area. I was disgusted. People need to be held accountable for their actions.

By mid-afternoon, state news organizations tracked down the truck’s owner. His explanation: someone painted the hateful words on his truck while he spent 20 minutes inside Gateway Mall. Then, when questioned by police, he reported he immediately left the parking lot to go to a car wash to clean up the mess.

Right. Uh, a car wash is located directly across from Gateway.

The plot thickens. It looks like vandals defaced his truck later Sunday, when the vehicle’s owner posted a Snapchat with the words “All Lives Splatter” - in red, white and blue - sprawled across the back of his truck window.

Bad luck must follow this young man. Vandals strike the same truck twice? In a matter of 12 hours?

For those who believe racism does not exist, that the Lincoln incident is a joke gone bad (as I have heard it described by some), it is time to take a retrospective and introspective look at what is happening locally, statewide and nationally. Discrimination exists in this world, yes, but how we respond to events establishes and sets the pulse of a nation.

This isn’t a freedom of expression issue. Schenck v. the United States, a 1919 Supreme Court case, brought about the clear and present danger test, noting that printed or spoken words may not be the subject of previous restraint or subsequent punishment unless the expression imposes a threat that a substantive evil might follow or a threat is an imminent threat.

Isn’t the suggestion of killing another person a substantive evil, a potential imminent threat? What inspires hate?

I’ve listened to accounts of racism faced by our son-in-law, a strong, proud Black man. My daughter talks about comments directed toward their relationship and she worries about how their children have been - and will continue to be - judged because of their skin tone.

Racism is inappropriate. It’s sickening. It’s time to stop.

Austrian historian Frederick Hertz wrote, “At the heart of racism is the religious assertion that God made a creative mistake when he brought some people into being.”

From a young age, I was taught God does not make mistakes. What about you?