Cronin: Racism, hatred, fatigue and forgiveness

February is Black History Month, a time for celebrating the achievements and contributions of African Americans. For Christopher Marquez, a former Marine sergeant who won the Bronze Star for valor during the battle for Fallujah in 2004, this year’s celebration will be particularly memorable. On the evening of Feb. 12, Marquez was pistol-whipped, beaten senseless and robbed by a gang of Black Lives Matter supporters on the sidewalk in front of a Washington, D.C. McDonald’s. Marquez is one of two Marines depicted carrying the badly wounded First Sgt. Bradley Kasal in the now famous photograph entitled “no man left behind.”

One week later, while Marquez was still recovering from his brutal attack, President Obama hosted several prominent black leaders at the White House for his own celebration of Black History Month. Among the luminaries in attendance were Black Lives Matter activists DeRay McKesson and Brittany Packnett. Obama was particularly impressed with these two invitees. “They are some serious young people,” Obama said. “I am confident that they are going to take America to new heights.”

In 2016 politically correct America, it can be risky business for a white man to comment on race relations. Words will prove particularly hazardous if they involve anything even remotely akin to criticism. “White privilege” self-flagellation is always permissible, as are heartfelt pledges of solidarity. People accept that. But any other position invites condemnations of racism. Regardless, I sincerely believe any serious discussion on race relations in America must first involve accepting as fact some uncomfortable truths that no one really seems to want to talk about. Otherwise, we will just keep spinning our wheels.

One, racism is an equal opportunity disease. This is the first unspoken reality. Acknowledging fully all the evil men have done to one another throughout the 240 years of our history, contemporary American racism now comes in both white and black. Is that not cruel irony? If we continue to reject this boilerplate truth, we will not progress. As Rwandan genocide survivor Immaculée Ilibagiza wrote in her powerful book “Left to Tell,” “hatred can enter any human heart.”

Two, racism is a precursor to the hatred of which she speaks. One need only scroll through the mind-numbing broadsides of dueling digital rage posted in response to the latest “knockout game” or street mayhem video to know this is true. Forget the Romans. In 2016 online America, “in ‘anonymity’ veritas est.”

Three, that hatred can in turn very quickly descend into violence. All it takes is some angry people and a little social media.

Four, we should not ignore “white fatigue,” the other unspoken reality. Millions of decent and well intentioned white Americans who are simply trying to do the right thing are being worn down by unfair and peremptory accusations of racism. To paraphrase (poorly) from the Good Book, “provoke them not, lest they lose heart.” I suspect most white Americans detest racism no less than do black Americans.

Five, racial harmony is equally real. I have embraced it, as have many. It is a good thing. But for it to endure and thrive, we must accept this one final fundamental truth, this “terrible business of forgiveness.” We need to forgive one another. Starting now. Time for “quid pro quo” is over. This is not a white problem. This is not a black problem. This is “our” problem.

Immaculée Ilibagiza learned to forgive the Hutu killers who slaughtered one million of her fellow Tutsis during the Rwandan genocide. When she finally came face-to-face with the man who murdered her family, she took his hands in hers and said simply “I forgive you.” Even Rodney King before he died learned to forgive the police officers who beat him so brutally. “I had to learn to forgive,” he said. “I didn’t want to be angry my whole life.”

Thank you, Immaculée Ilibagiza and Rodney King, for teaching us the way.

Cronin is a Poway resident and the assistant police chief at MCAS Miramar. Reader comments, through letters to the editor or online at PomeradoNews.com, are encouraged.