“I recognize that every person has a unique identity,
that our shared humanity is precious, and that it is up to all of us to defend
and protect the civic culture that unites us.”
That is a quote from the “Pro-Human Pledge” offered by the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism (FAIR), a pledge to which all have been invited to subscribe.
I find this declaration consistent with my religion, principles founded on objective, eternal truth, taught by Jesus Christ before, during, and since His mortal ministry. Scripture tells of a civilization in the ancient Americas that not only encouraged such a standard but achieved it and lived up to it for nearly 200 years.
The record of those ancient people affirms, “There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there . . . any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ . . .” (4 Nephi 1:17) Distinction by the suffix “-ites” was the way that people had grouped and distinguished one another, as in “Josephites,” “Amlicites,” “Zoramites,” and so forth. In their society, such distinctions of estrangement melted away into social unity.
This unity was achieved and maintained because, “there were no contentions and disputations among them.” And how was that achieved? Perhaps not due to the likely obsolescence of lawyers, but because, “every man did deal justly one with another.” (4 Nephi 1:2)
To that there was a foundation as well. This peaceful society was established following the personal ministry of the resurrected Jesus Christ to them. One of His first teachings to this people was to end disputations and contention, “that such things should be done away.” (3 Nephi 11:30) Embracing these teachings, the people ran out of causes of separation and division.
Recently, FAIR Board member, Angel Eduardo, wrote an insightful essay, “The legacy of Malcolm X should be change, not hatred,” published on the FAIR Substack. In the essay, Eduardo traces a progression in the views of Malcolm X, beginning with a difficult childhood scarred by intolerance. Taught intolerance, he propounded intolerance, including sharp racial separation. Eduardo’s point in the essay is that Malcolm X’s life pattern was not, however, anger and hatred (though there was plenty of that), but rather constant learning and change.
Near the end of his life Malcolm X argued, “I believe in recognizing every human being as a human being—neither white, black, brown, or red;” instead advocating “dealing with humanity as a family . . .”
And so we are, children of the same Heavenly Father. If someone, who once felt so bitter, could by stages change to recognize the family of us all, dare we not encourage others?
