Concord church aims to break barriers through "Racists Anonymous" meetings
CONCORD, NC (FOX 46) - Since last summer dozens of people in Concord have been asking themselves if they’re a racist. On Wednesday night, a few of them gave FOX 46 Charlotte a candid look inside “Racists Anonymous.”
“Hi, I’m Nathan, and I’m a racist," said Pastor Nathan King, as he launched the meeting.
Racism is the conversation at the Trinity United Church of Christ in Concord.
Related: Church holds 'racists anonymous' meetings in Concord
“How do you overcome racism? Well, if I knew that, I’d be a millionaire. Probably a billionaire,” James Conyer said.
Conyer said he’s not a racist.
“Racism hit me almost at birth, really. I come from a mixed family,” Mike Michaels explained.
Michaels said he used to be a racist, as he hated people for bullying and abusing him because of his mixed background.
“I hated everybody, because everybody hated me,” Michaels said.
Michaels said he’ll never forget the countless times he was beat up while growing up because of his skin color.
“I wanted to take my life, that’s how bad it was and when I say I wanted to take my life, I picked out a coffin, grave site, the whole nine-yards,” he explained.
FOX 46 Charlotte first discovered this 12-step Racists Anonymous group last fall. Now, a few are inviting FOX 46 Charlotte in, showing who they are, in hopes of change.
“You’re not going to stop just because you came to a meeting or you’re at a meeting,” Conyer said.
“I got over racism and like I said, it’s like a disease and you can kind of get over it,” Michaels said.
People at Racists Anonymous said racism can live inside of anyone, from people sitting in the church pews to the men and women who preach to them.
Pastor King notices racism in his life.
“I’ve noticed things about myself that are judgments based upon people’s outward appearance,” Pastor King said.
The Pastor said he will never turn anyone away from his church, but said we all might have racism in our hearts, even if we don’t realize it.