On the question of prejudice, racism, favoritism and unfairness have these actions hurt America in recent years? No, and possibly yes. No, because the vast majority of American people get it and truly strive to treat others like they would like to be treated. But for American politicians and like-minded folks the answer of late is “maybe.” You can judge for yourself.

Is there a common denominator among Iran War troubles, the rising cost of healthcare, reduced opportunities for Black Americans, and gerrymandered Congressional districts? Racism, maybe? Let’s look deeper into each.

Defying the wishes of all Americans to merely have an opportunity to compete truly shows “favoritism” to some Americans — and the Bible would address this practice and the fate of those who practice such tactics.

The use of disparate treatment in discrimination cases was the best way to help determine if there was probable cause for a discrimination lawsuit. The numbers “do not lie.” They can demonstrate a pattern or lack of even giving minorities a chance to compete. No, not good anymore.

Trump’s administration has demanded that law firms, med schools, make believe that “racists in America” have all disappeared or gone to another planet via the waving of a wand. And the federal government has proposed suspending the use of EEO-1 forms that would show the hiring practices of employers, thereby giving bad folks the freedom to discriminate.

Yes, the federal government is saying “we do not want to know” your record. This is a clear return to the 1950s. So when the question comes up on racial discrimination, it would be very difficult to prove unless the racists person gets caught actually saying, “I fired him/her because he/she was Black” which, sadly, has happened on occasion, even today.

A world without numerical verifications is a ludicrous practice. It is tantamount to saying we do not want to know the sales revenue of the Fortune 500 companies. It would make everything useless, impossible to rank.

Outreach and recruitment, sharing knowledge of the opportunities, and being allowed to fairly compete should be required in order to make sure we are getting the best and the brightest in key positions in America. If you believe that means white people only, then you are by definition a racist.

Well, why is this important if you are a white person or not in an affected group? Because racist practices can permeate into areas that would affect you — and hurt you to your core. Here are three examples:

First, in Iran there was a well-designed pact that would have achieved the goal of impeding Iran’s development of a nuclear weapon. The president, who happened to be a Black person, had it all wrong, however, in the eyes of Trump. Instead of tweaking or slightly modifying the pact, Trump tore up that agreement. Today he is wishing he had that agreement back. Trump has made measures worse with blockades by Iran and the U.S. that have stopped the flow of 20% of the oil to the world.

Second, on healthcare, Trump did the exact same thing. The president, who happened to be a Black person and was once depicted as a monkey by Trump, put together a health plan known as Obamacare. It had many flaws, but it was a start. Instead of building on the plan, Trump and his allies have been trying since its original passage to destroy it. Here, too, they have no real viable alternative. The result? Healthcare costs for millions of Americans have increased.

Judging, based largely on “who” presented an idea, is bad politics, and can be damning for all Americans.

The third example could help destroy our democracy.

Partisan gerrymandering is the main cause of the anti-democracy; a “deadly cancer” known as “polarization.” When it is coupled with a taint of race becoming racial gerrymandering, as 90% or more of Black Americans are either Democrat or Independent, it simply becomes a racist act that hurts us all.

Though the Bible does not mention racism per se, it does address unfairness. It does address one putting one’s thumb on the scale to derive desired results. It is called “favoritism,” and it clearly states that it is wrong and bodes ill for those who practice it.

In James 2:8-9 in the New Testament: “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture,’ Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.”

In Trump’s world, white people are being discriminated against, Black people have the “Black jobs,” people who have beaten police officers are pardoned and, with the Anti-Weaponization Fund, eligible for “reparations,” and racist Americans have vanished from the earth. For Trump, America First means spending nearly all of one’s time on foreign wars, regime change, and interventions.

When the cross was burned on our lawn as a child by the KKK, my mother stressed to me that in every basket of apples there are a few bad apples. “Don’t let the prospects of running into a bad apple keep you from eating apples.”

But Americans must realize that some bad apples do make it far in life, many become those in “power” positions where they can reward or punish people. But God is good. Evil has never and will never beat the Grace of God for those living by the Golden Rule.

Here are some interesting statistics.

In 1991 I was one of only 30 people of color to be serving in Congress out of a possible 535 (Senate 100 & House 435). Today we have 139 members of Congress who are of color. Black people (66) and Hispanics (58) make up the largest groups, with the balance being Asian or other races of color.

Contrary to the possible beliefs of racist politicians the vast majority of this growth did not come via the use of racial gerrymandering. I have abhorred racial gerrymandering since I was elected to Congress. White people have proven over and over that they will vote for a qualified person regardless of their color. Bravo!

For racists, unless extreme tactics are used — even beyond what the Trump administration can muster — the “horses are already out of the barn.” And bringing them back into the barn ain’t going to happen.

And for the vast majority of America — thank you. Thank you for your fairness and your desire to use all of America’s talents, in work, politics and entertainment, in order to build a better and stronger America for generations to come.

Gary Franks served three terms as a congressman from Connecticut’s 5th District.