‘Those People’

I read with interest the story about the embattled vice principal at Santa Ynez high school accused of racism by parents of former and current students. I found it interesting that this former missionary of the Mormon church reasoned that he couldn’t possibly be racist because he had served a mission in Latin America.

“How could a person be racist if they have spent two years in a country at their own expense learning the language they don’t speak looking different than all “those people,” being of a different religious background than “those people”.

Wow.

Is it not evident that missionary work in most cases is inherently racist in nature? Missionary work’s primary purpose is to bring the “truth” to people here and in other lands who are not fortunate enough to have heard “the good word.” It basically assumes that the religion or spirituality of “those people” is false and should be swept aside for the truth as you and your religion see it. Forget the fact that the native religion and spirituality may have its roots in antiquity, whereas your religion was conceived a mere 180 years ago.

As a former member of the Mormon church I would also mention that the reward for a mission for the church is a boost to one’s personal salvation as well as saving “those people” from themselves.