America’s original sin of racism is playing out in Ferguson, Missouri, as buildings lie in smoldering ruins and rage at injustice simmers. How did we get here? To understand this moment, we have to understand that Ferguson is yet another unraveled thread in the closely woven fabric of racism that has cloaked this country for 500 years.

We must keep pulling on the Ferguson thread if we are ever to unravel the impact upon the United States of criminalization of Black people.

As a spiritual leader in Metropolitan Community Churches, I work with people of all backgrounds. Our denomination was founded on accepting all people regardless of our race, gender identity, class or sexual orientation. We cannot address LGBT inclusion and not address race because LGBT people are racially diverse. We cross virtually every social line created to distinguish—and to divide.

The Ferguson protests are about challenging a system set up to shoot to kill African Americans. Melissa Harris Perry released a powerful ode to unarmed Black men who were killed by police. “From 2006 to 2012, a white police officer killed a black person at least twice a week in this country,” Perry said.

We must face such systemic disparities and take action. Michael Brown died because of this country’s sin of racism. As long as Black people are viewed as inherently criminal, there will be more unarmed shootings. As long as Black people are seen as being less worthy than White people, schools that serve African American children will continue to be targeted for failure and used as a pipeline to prisons.

Black people are routinely stopped, searched, harassed, and killed.  

The less money you have the more likely this will happen to you, but even in rich neighborhoods, African Americans opening their own front doors are viewed as criminals.

We created racism and we must dismantle it. Like Apartheid, like the Berlin Wall, like slavery, racism can be dismantled. We must keep pulling on the threads until the fabric of racism has completely unraveled.

By now, I hope you are asking, “What can I do?” First, know that you are not helpless in the face of systemic injustice. Second, know that only with the voices and actions of people like you will racist systems ever be eliminated. Third, know that specific policy changes would make a huge difference in people’s day-to-day lives.

Tell your government officials to take these steps:

• Provide universal early childhood education to all children;
• Fund each public school child equally across the country—stop funding schools based on surrounding property taxes;
• Increase access to state colleges and universities; and
• Require police departments to hire according to demographics in their community.

Will these policies eliminate racism? Not entirely.

Would these policies begin to level the playing field? They would, without a doubt.

Many like to call the United States a Christian country. If the Christians in this country actually started to follow Jesus by releasing the prisoners, feeding the hungry, caring for the children, and opening their eyes to God’s demand for justice and love for everyone, we just might overcome.

Photo via flickr user sarah-ji