“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” -Galatians 3:28

The past week in America has been appalling, enraging, and downright scary. This VICE News segment which chronicles all of last weekend’s explosive and tragic events from the alt-right side was sickening to see how loud voices of racism and white supremacy, which we read in our AP US History books in high school, are now at the forefront of this nation — even leading to the tragic killing of Heather Heyer.

Much has already been written about how the Gospel we believe in as the church is in complete contrast to racism (Tim Keller’s excellent piece at TGC) or even the reconciliation needed within white and black churches (Jemar Tisby’s article on the Washington Post). But as someone in ministry of Korean-American descent, and having grown-up exclusively in the evangelical Asian-American church, I’ve realized (even in my own ministry) how our Asian-American silence is at odds with our faith - especially in times as turbulent as now.

Asian Silence (in the church)

Like many Asian-Americans, growing up in evangelical 1st generation Asian churches race was a confusing and hush-hush subject in the church. Many of our immigrant parents viewed church not only as a community of faith but a community to feel back at home. When racial tensions would flare across the nation our parents and churches would pay little attention because, understandably, they were trying to make it in a foreign land as well on their own.

Whether we like it or not we, as 2nd generation Asian-Americans, have inherited much of this ‘Asian apathy or silence’ — especially in the conservative evangelical church. I’m not trying to wag the finger here because I am just as guilty of this, but the Asian-American church goes through selective outcries of justice: where we usually stay silent in our communities/churches and then rage at certain issues on social media.

This Washington Post report details how often even in the younger generation, as Asian-American millennials, we just don’t care about race:

I suspect some of this apathy comes from a silence from the pulpit. I know the fear that many pastors carry to bring this issue to the church, something I find in myself all the time. This could be attributed from the lack of modeling. Our pastors growing up stressed to get up at 5 am for morning prayer or to kill our sin and idols (all noble and good pursuits) but I would bet none of us in ministry remember any sermon or teaching regarding racial reconciliation. And we are now carrying the same cycle today.

Why the silence and apathy?

Asian-American Privilege

The very reason why Asian-Americans can choose to be silent or have apathy about race is that we frankly don’t have to care. Our silence and apathy, especially , is a sign of privilege compared to other minorities.

Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King on Netflix

Comedian Hasan Minhaj (an Indian-Muslim) recently aired a Netflix special entitled “Homecoming King” and brought up the term “the American Dream tax” which he states:

And my dad’s from that generation like a lot of immigrants where he feels like if you come to this country, you pay this thing like the American dream tax, right? Like you’re going to endure some racism, and if it doesn’t cost you your life, well, hey, you lucked out. Pay it. There you go, Uncle Sam. But for me, like a lot of us, I was born here, so I actually have the audacity of equality.

This ‘tax’ Hasan speaks of represents the oppression some minorities feel now: Confederate statues, white supremacist rallies at UVA, or Neo-Nazi rallies all across the nation. And with Charlottesville, many are saying they no longer will pay that unjust tax. Yet as Asian-Americans we simply don’t care because we can afford to pay the tax.

I don’t want to belittle any racism that Asians have felt in this country from the uncomfortable stares to the racial slurs or to even violence. But if we are to look from a bird’s eye view we frankly have not or will not face the racism other minorities have and will feel in this nation, especially our African-American brothers and sisters. If our biggest gripe is whitewashing in Hollywood (which is a legitimate issue) our issues pale in comparison.

We, as Asian-Americans, care less about race because we face less racism than other minorities. We try to fit the myth of “the model minority” of American society. Author Ellen Wu writes in The Color of Success:

The model minority myth as we see it today was mainly an unintended outcome of earlier attempts by Asians Americans to be accepted and recognized as human beings. They wanted to be seen as American people who were worthy of respect and dignity…So for Asian Americans, one survival strategy was to portray themselves as ‘good Americans.’

We don’t care because we don’t have to directly deal with the injustices we see in Charlottesville. We don’t have statues of men who tried to take away our rights as human beings, we don’t feel overtly targeted by systemic oppression, we don’t have to face judgments of criminal activity when walking into shops. We have the luxury of participating in the racial debate as we see fit, when and where we want. Yet as the church is this acceptable?

Our Gospel Responsibility

We must learn to speak up as the Asian-American church simply because we have a message that speaks directly to this current problem — and our nation desperately needs it.

To add more fuel to the fire, President Trump’s comments and tweets this past week of delaying his condemnation of the alt-right and even dismay of the removal of Confederate statues have only left the nation in more anger and confusion. How can we respond?

We believe that each human, regardless of race, carries the image of God (Gen. 1:27). We have a God who is not surprised at systemic oppression and will lead his people to redemption (Moses, Israel, and Egypt). We believe in a Gospel and Savior who’s blood covers each race equally (Gal. 3:28).

And from all this, we are called to bear the burdens of our brothers and sisters (Gal. 6:2) no matter how much the problems afflict us or not. Our silence only perpetuates that we as the Asian-American church hold our cultural preferences higher than Gospel truths. If we do carry privilege in this nation we must do all that we can to not protect ourselves in isolation but to help carry the burdens of the afflicted, especially in trying time like now.

How?

Condemn with hope

I understand the fear from pastors who don’t want relevancy driving the pulpit. Yet this is not a problem specific to just now. We see Apostle Peter falling into this with a stern rebuke from Paul (Gal 2:11–13). If an apostle fell to the sin of racism, we will always face the sin of racism until Christ returns. You can speak to any African-American minister and see this is not a “touchy” sermon series for the next month but literally a part of their past, present, and unforeseeable future. Our silence can be equally damning as the voices in Charlottesville as our congregation will implicitly take that the Gospel has no say in these matters.

We must offer hope that no other voice or person in the world can. That our savior has felt oppression as well. That our God who lead Israel out of their slavery in Egypt, who lead this dead church out of their slavery to their idols, will lead us out of this trying time as well.

2. Pop the Asian Bubble

As Asian-Americans, we all will face the tendency to be in our bubbles. Whether it be school, work, neighborhood, or churches: we keep our heads down, work/study hard, and dip right when the bell rings to get some boba with our Asian peers. We must learn to dialogue with those of other races — because our Savior chose to do the same. And our message is worth sharing outside of our Asian bubbles. Don’t put yourself in a position of having the comfortable luxury of choosing whether or not to participate, rather surround yourselves in a community where you are always challenged by the brokenness of the world (especially in regard to racial reconciliation) as uncomfortable as it may be.

3. Control the emotions

A quick word to those that may already be ‘woke’ in the Asian-American church. You’re angry. You’re upset. And you feel powerless. You look around and see those around you in the pews or even the pastor and are frustrated at their inaction. I totally understand but I see many develop a superiority complex. Let us never feel morally superior due to our social awareness to others in the church. If the Gospel holds true we are no better than those who were at Charlottesville without Christ. Don’t only talk to those who are ‘woke’. Engage your church where this awareness is needed, your small groups, your pastors, and leaders. Stay humble in your honesty.

At a recent pastors conference I was able to chat with an African-American pastor and the topic turned to race. I expressed my anger with the Ferguson riots’ destructive wake and the transgressions on African-American men with some passion. He smiled back and responded: “Brother, the anger you feel now I have felt my whole life. There’s enough reactionary anger around. Righteous anger breeds empathy.” Justice and righteous anger does not come from reactions from watching videos or the news. It comes from balancing the brokenness of this world with the Gospel and Scriptures which will always lead to empathy.

Let us speak out. Not only because we are citizens of a nation that values liberty. Not only because we are minorities living in an oppressed world. But ultimately because we have a Savior who has felt and can heal all wounds, even ones opened in Charlottesville.