Racism, prejudice, hatred. I recently read a book on all of this. One group is taken from their homeland, mistreated, and hated for generations. The groups are distinguished by the color of their skin and separate religiously, culturally, and socially. The groups are told not to intermarry or a curse will follow them, separating them even more. War ensues, jails are overburdened with inmates, sent to death row, brutally mistreated. Vicious attacks come from both sides. Murder, rape, and violence eventually lead to the oppressed group destroying their oppressors, completely wiping them out, finding themselves without oppressors, and yet still very oppressed.
Throughout the book there are examples of the two groups coming together, living as though they were one people and it is beautiful. Their economy thrives, happiness levels exceed that of every previous generation, but hatred, racism, and violence eventually enter back in as they forget and ignore what fostered their equality and love in the first place.
What was their solution? How did they overcome 600 years of brutality, hatred, and racism?
The book is called the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon offers a solution more penetrating and lasting than any government has ever been able to construe.
If you are interested in actionable solutions to the problems we face in America today, I think it would be worth the read.
If you are looking for something to do right now and do not need the back story, try Googling 3 Nephi 11 and read from there, but the whole book is really worth the read if you have the time.
Here is what I learned from reading it:
The most critical voice we need to hear is the voice of our Heavenly Father, especially after destruction and violence (3 Nephi 11:3-7)
Heavenly Father will always invite us to listen to Jesus Christ (3 Nephi 11:7)
If we seek to hear Jesus Christ, he will come to us and teach us all things that we can and should do (3 Nephi 11:8-)
A lot of my friends are concerned because they do not know how to solve the problems in America, but Jesus Christ does and as we seek him, we will know how to help and what to share.