“When the Mirror Speaks: Why Racism Is a White Problem”

Thomas Merton saw racism as a white person’s problem because he believed it was born of white society’s spiritual sickness—its illusion, moral blindness, and structural complicity in oppression. His analysis, especially in Letters to a White Liberal (1963) and Seeds of Destruction (1964), shifted racism from being seen as the “Black man’s problem” to being recognized as a crisis within white consciousness and social structures. His insight was that racism revealed a profound alienation within white America, a distortion of conscience that corrupted both individual souls and the social fabric. In Seeds of Destruction, he writes:

“The race question cannot be settled without a profound change of heart, a real shake-up and deep reaching an understanding on the part of White America. It is not just a question of a little more good will and generosity: it is a question of waking up to crying injustices and deep-seated problems which are ingrained in the present setup and which, instead of getting better, are going to get worse.” Merton’s words carry a sense of urgency, a call to action that cannot be ignored.

As a Trappist monk and social critic writing primarily in the 1960s, Merton argued that racism wasn’t just about individual prejudice—it was a structural problem built and maintained by white society. He saw several key reasons why this made it white people’s responsibility:

The burden of change fell on the perpetrators, not victims: Merton rejected the idea that Black people needed to “prove themselves” worthy of equality or wait patiently for white acceptance. He argued that expecting Black people to solve racism was both unjust and absurd—like asking the victim of a crime to rehabilitate the criminal.

Merton’s critique of white moderates and liberals is a significant aspect of his argument. He believed that many white people, even those who considered themselves ‘good’ or ‘non-racist,’ were complicit in racist structures through their silence, comfort with the status quo, and failure to act. This was a point of particular criticism for Merton.

Merton’s belief that racism is a spiritual sickness is a key aspect of his argument. He saw it as a form of violence, dehumanization, and sin that affected white society. This perspective underscores the deep-rooted nature of the problem and the need for a spiritual solution.

In summary:

Thomas Merton saw racism as a white person’s problem because:

• It originates in white fear, pride, and spiritual blindness.
• It corrupts white moral and spiritual life.
• It reflects a false, idolatrous understanding of self and God.
• It demands conversion, not pity or passive concern.

We can start by understanding black history. Understanding Black Christian history in the US and for Catholics, understanding the role of the church and enslaved Black Catholics. That would be a good first step.