The Wrong Kind of Protest

To the millions of well-meaning and brave Americans who are protesting or speaking out against racial problems in this country: Sorry, but you’re not helping. Why? We don’t have a racial problem in this country. We have a level-of-consciousness problem. And until we address this fundamental misunderstanding, things are going to get worse.

To illustrate, my friend Jeff is black. I’m white. We grew up together playing sports and are still great friends—most of the time. I say this because when either Jeff’s or my level of consciousness drops (and we’ve often discussed this), it appears to us that our racial, ethnic, or outward differences are an impediment to our ability to remain close. However, when our level of consciousness rises, the color of our skin means absolutely nothing. In fact, just like when we were young, it’s not a consideration at all.

So, then, do Jeff and I have a racial problem? Obviously not. When our thinking gets the better of us and consciousness lowers—we’re compelled to go our separate ways. When our thinking quiets and our consciousness goes up—we’re buddies for life. In other words, from low states of mind, we’re separate. From high states of mind, we’re one. And fortunate for our relationship, we know that race accounts for zero percent of this principle.

Now for those insisting that I am oversimplifying the matter, I can assure you I’m not. Protests are turning disastrous because we’re attacking the wrong issue. Actually, we’re not attacking an issue, we’re attacking an illusion. The current tension in the US is solely the result of perpetuating the illusion that race (or anything on the outside) has the power to divide.

It’s time we all wake up and give ourselves the chance to come together. What human beings experience from temporary low levels of consciousness is never true. Compassion is true. Oneness is true. Love is true. How do I know? Because that’s how everyone feels when our states of mind clear and consciousness trends higher.

We need fewer protests and more clarity. For that to happen, we must collectively stop looking outside in order to explain or try to fix what we feel on the inside. Only then will illusionary differences and uneasy feelings effortlessly fade away (without the need to protest). Yes, it is that simple.