In light of the Black Lives Matter protests following the death of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, many are questioning their prejudice, bias, and role in perpetuating systemic racism. It is not enough to not be a racist, you must strive to be anti-racist. Being anti-racist is a daily commitment to standing up to racism (overt and covert) and microaggressions. It means taking a stand when someone says something off color and having uncomfortable conversations at home, in the workplace and places of worship. In the 1980s there was the acronym “WWJD” — what would Jesus do — to keep people on the straight and narrow. If you are wondering what it means to model being anti-racist, I propose “WWPND” — what would Peter Norman do?
Who is Peter Norman? You may recall the iconic image from the 1968 Olympics when Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists in solidarity with the Black Power and Civil Rights Movement. Receiving the silver medal was Australian track star Peter Norman. He is called the “third man.” When Peter found out that Tommie and John intended to protest, he asked if he could participate. Instead of a black glove and raised fist, Peter wore the Olympic Project for Human Rights…
