Racism, Injustice And The Misuse Of Anger

The world is responding to the killing of George Floyd, police brutality and racism. The question is: what is this response accomplishing?

Listen, I know you’re angry. I’m angry; we’re all angry. And I want you to know that it’s ok to be angry. The emotion of anger exists for a reason. In Chapter 6 of my book ‘A Yearn To Discern,’ I emphatically state that ‘anger is the most misplaced and abused emotion we have, even more than Love and Fear.’ I made this statement because, more often than not, we use anger to respond outwardly, usually towards someone or something that is not within our control. We do this because in some way, shape or form, we’ve been hurt. Our outward response to that hurt is almost always a negative, often tragic response. And, without a doubt, that is how one misplaces anger and simultaneously how one changes the narrative of a compelling story. You need to understand that your use of anger in an outwardly fashion is NOT going to change someone the way you may want them to change. Instead, pointing your anger directly towards a person or circumstance that you have zero control over is a recipe for disaster.

Let’s be clear. Anger has a distinct purpose. As I also state in the book , ‘anger is there so that you can work on YOU, not the other person. You should take a step back and figure out where the anger should be placed and devise a plan on how you should handle the matter.’  In other words, that anger you feel should move you to respond internally so that you can understand where the anger is coming from and how to turn that anger into a productive response. The change you seek must come from within YOU FIRST. Only when you direct that anger appropriately will you be able to Discern and devise a plan of action to effectuate the personal, societal, and/or global change you further seek. This decision on how to handle your anger will make all the difference in the world. 

But here is the imminent problem we face right now. We’re all angry about what happened to George Floyd, but we’re all angry for different reasons. Another layer of the problem is that our anger is colored by life experiences and different ways of seeing that will seamlessly dictate our belief on where that anger should be directed. Unless you are Discerning as this anger swells up inside you, that anger will be misdirected because it will attach itself to other elements such as Fear and Hatred. And believe me, when these elements mix, the outcome will surely be catastrophic, no matter how justified you believe your anger to be. Once this happens, the anger cannot justify the end result if that anger is misplaced and results in harm and further injustice to others. This is why when anger rises inside you because an injustice has been committed, your ability to Discern becomes pivotal and acts as the turning point in the outcome of your directed anger. Discerning will direct that anger where it needs to be directed in order for positive change to take place.

So now here we are all angry. And while some are Discerning by using peaceful and productive protests and measures to effectuate change, we also have looting, violence and positioned rhetoric that threatens to overshadow the good so many are trying to accomplish. If history teaches us nothing else, it should teach us that proceeding from a position of Fear and Hatred will only lead to destruction.

We must proceed from a position of Love even though we are angry. Don’t you think Dr. King was angry over the injustice that exists in the United States? Don’t you think Nelson Mandela was angry over being unjustly imprisoned for 27 years? Of course, they were angry. However, their anger was channeled into progress. Their anger was not laced with Hatred and Fear. How else can you explain Mr. Mandela’s decision, upon his release, to shake the hand of the prison guard who imprisoned him for so long? How else can you explain Dr. King’s profound impact on the world that lives on till this very day?  Love is the catalyst for this type of positive, lasting change and legacy. Love is an infinite source of inspiration that builds bridges and moves mountains. Love can co-exist with anger and still effectuate the right outcome. 

However, Love cannot exist in the same space as Hatred and Fear. So, if right now you are angry over the senseless death of George Floyd or the appalling actions of Amy Cooper in New York’s Central Park, I totally understand your anger. But what we need to do FIRST is to approach that anger by analyzing ourselves and, perhaps, deal with other issues that may be fueling that anger. And if you discover that Hatred and Fear have come along for the ride with your Anger, then you have work to do within yourself first before you can deal with others. Otherwise, you will make an already bad situation far worse and create more harm than good. Maya Angelou said it best when she said ‘Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but has not solved one yet.’ I agree. Hatred will never yield the results we are looking for in the world. Never!

But also understand that anger by itself is not the problem. Anger has a purpose; that purpose is to enlighten, not destroy. Do not get caught up in misusing your anger. Stay focused. We must handle anger from a position of Discernment and Love in order for us to succeed in the moment and in the future. When Love and Discernment are in control, there is nothing we cannot accomplish personally and collectively. Ultimately, it’s Love and Discernment that will bring about the type of change we need and long for in the world. We must never forget that.