United Methodist Insight readers were far less interested in how to counter racism in America than they were in the U.S. Supreme Court decision validating marriage equality. Responses to our July 10-16 survey totaled barely 10 percent of the 300-plus responses to the marriage equality straw poll held the previous week.
Among those 33 who responded to the survey, more than half favored making partnerships with churches having a predominantly different racial make-up than their own congregation. Four people surveyed answered the open-ended question with these responses:
"Just be respectful to everyone, stay out of politics."
"Maintain the status quo."
"All of the above."
"Live by example."
As far as individual effort to counter racism, "make friends with people of different races" was the most favored response, followed by "speak up when I see racial profiling in public" ran second. Five of the 33 respondents chose to answer the open-ended question with such replies as the following examples:
"We all need to be color blind, stop using race as a crutch. I have friends of a different race and building harmony has never entered our conversations."
"Treat everyone respectfully everyday, regardless of race or gender"
"Hold to Methodist tradition."
"Treat all people the same and be 'color blind' "
Statistics on the responses are shown in the accompanying charts.
This week's survey asks readers to consider the implications for The United Methodist Church if the Boy Scouts of America lifts its ban on gay Scout leaders. Take the survey.