Admitting Your Problem
‘Racists Anonymous’ groups at churches: The first step is admitting you have a problem
With the familiar backdrop of a 12-step program — folding chairs, burned coffee, the Serenity Prayer — people can explore the often uncharted terrain of their own feelings about race, said Ron Buford, pastor of the Congregational Community Church in Sunnyvale.
“The first step is that you have to acknowledge that you have a problem,” he said. “That is something that we as Americans don’t want to do.”
The barrier to growth is steep, though. Not too many people are willing to sit down in front of a group, and say “Hi, My name is Ron, and I’m a racist,” he said. “A lot are not convinced, but they become convinced over time.”
About a dozen people began meeting every Thursday. Since then, as tensions have intensified along with increasingly racially charged campaign rhetoric, more than 30 other churches have requested materials to start their own groups — from Baltimore to Coral Gables, Fla.
Coming soon to a community near you.
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