Bookcover and author, H.J. Harris
Nationwide — CNN News Host Chris Cuomo made a powerful statement when he said that we must “know our history” to truly understand why the killing of George Floyd is so significant. To help both Black and white Americans better understand the impact of racism in America, Paradigm Publishing is offering free copies of the Amazon Kindle book, Solving The Race Issue In America by H. J. Harris.
With protests erupting in many major cities throughout America, and throughout the world, many white Americans ask “how did we get to this point? What is the problem?”
In response, Black Americans say the problem is the same that it has always been. In the 1950s, good and decent Black and white people were attacked by vicious dogs and white police officers. In 2014, it was the choking death of Eric Garner at the hands of New York City police officers.
H. J. Harris says that his book, Solving The Race Issue In America, is an absolute necessity, especially for young people – black and white – to understand the history, impact, and solutions to resolve racism that black people have endured since the birth of this nation.
To paraphrase an American Indian proverb: “Never criticize a man until you’ve walked a mile in his moccasins. He who is present at a wrongdoing and does not lift a hand to prevent it, is as guilty as the wrongdoers.”
The killing of George Floyd took place in real-time – the world watched and listened as Mr. Floyd said he could not breathe and begged for his life. This killing was so blatant that no human being with a heart and soul can ignore it.
According to Harris, “this killing showed a total disregard for the life of a handcuffed black man. It also showed an absolute arrogance by the policemen that the spectators who watched George Floyd die, and the world, could do nothing. No one would hold them accountable.”
One chapter of Solving The Race Issue In America – “Thank God for Television” – details how showing images of the brutality and injustice of the civil rights era to the world, helped facilitate positive change.
Without the live video recordings and the protests, the murder of George Floyd would probably have been covered up and swept under the rug. “This is the reality that black people live with every moment of every day,” claims Harris.
“The killing of George Floyd has shown that the cancer of racism and hate that has festered since the birth of this nation is alive, well and growing more blatant every day”, he continues.
According to Harris’ book, Solving The Race Problem In America, there are three things we must do to address racism and resolve the issue of race in America:
#1. We must study and learn the truth of the history of our nation with respect to race, discrimination, and slavery. “It is only when we – black and white Americans – confront the racial divide and face the truth of race relations that we can begin to solve it,” states Harris.
#2. We must finally recognize that we cannot solve the race issue in America at the same level of consciousness that created it. According to Harris, “The laws have not solved it. The courts have not solved it. The political system has not solved it.”
#3. We must take a spiritual approach to solving the race issue. Apply spiritual principles, starting with the “golden rule” – do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Practice the principles of acknowledgment, forgiveness, and atonement.
Readers will find that Solving The Race Issue In America gives a brief historical overview of the black American experience from the Civil War to the present. “The purpose of this overview is not to indict white Americans as racists, but rather to educate all Americans to the facts so that we can better understand each other and work together to resolve the race issue,” explains Harris.
Harris asserts a sense of urgency: “It is time for the good people to ‘speak and not faint.’ The murder of George Floyd puts America clearly at the crossroads of history. We face a major test of our moral conscience and our true commitment to the words and spirit set forth in the Declaration of Independence – ‘that all men are created equal…with certain inalienable rights… Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.’”
According to the publisher, the information contained in this book is critical to all black and white Americans as we strive to bridge the racial divide. It is particularly important for high school and college students as they learn to navigate the real world.
H. J. Harris is a retired attorney who attended school with one of the Greensboro 4, participated in the march on Washington and heard Dr. King’s “I have a dream” speech, and lived through the turbulent civil rights era of the 1960s. He is currently available for radio and TV interviews. More information is available at info@solvingtheraceissue.com or by phone at 800-570-4009.
To request a review copy of Solving The Race Issue In America, send an email to info@solvingtheraceissue.com containing your affiliation and best mailing address.
Solving The Race Issue In America ISBN 978-1-890199-07-4 paperback ($16.95) is available at Amazon, Ingram Spark, and most online booksellers.
More information is available at https://solvingtheraceissue.com
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